Waterbury Democrat., 1902-02-14

NSsgS5SH about gro. He had been
 canonized and his festival celebrated by the time of Gregory the Great, elected pope in 59o. What con- nection the Christian martyr should have with Cupid's day, the 14th of Feb ruary, it would be pretty difficult to imagine. Some historians say that the custom of sending valentines had it's origin in heathen instead of Christian practices, being concerned with some mysterious rite in honor of the god dess Juno. The explanation that seems more or less plausible that the holiday originating in the worship of Juno should have received the name of the Christian Saint Valentine is that both Juno's day and the saints festival occurred on. or about, the same day.
 It seems to us perhaps after all the good Saint Valentine did have some thing to do with the day, in spite of delivers in musty records to the con- trary. The Catholics have given us many pretty piece of imagery as we'll as so many masterpieces of art, and what prettier thought than that old one of theirs in regard to the good bishops natal day, the 14th of Febru- ary? They said on that birthday the birds chose their mates, and as long ago as Shakespeare's time poets hand- led the theme. It made the simple folk feel yet more tenderly toward their saint, feel that even Nature was help ing in keeping his memory green.
 And what more natural the idea, in the course of years, should have grown that Valentines day was not only a mating time for the feathered tribe, but also for maids and men? It was rushing the spring a little. to be sure, but one is allowed to stretch point now and then.
 When the idea that Saints day was becoming mating day for lads and 1asses, it became customary for the men and women to choose each his or her valentine, to whom he or she would be mated for the rest of the year. An old book, Misson's Travels in Eng land," reports that on the eve of St. Valentines '9an equal number of maids and bachelors get together, each writes their true or some feigned name upon separate billets, which they roll up and draw by way of lots, the maids taking the mems billets, and the men the maids; so that each of the young men lights upon girl he calls his valentine, and each of the girls upon a young man which she calls hers. By this means each has two valentines but the man sticks faster to the val entine that is fallen to him than to the valentine to whom he is fallen. Fortune having thus divided the com pany into so many couples, the val entines give balls and treats to their mistresses, wear their billets several days upon their bosoms or sleeves, and this little sport often ends in love-"
 Further on Nilsson tells ''There is another kind of valentine, which is the first young man or woman chance throws in your way in the street or elsewhere" on Valentines day. The occasion when one met ones valentine was usually marked by the presenta- tion by the gentleman of a gift and of some poetic effusion to the lady. In the time of Pepys, that immortal gossip, the custom was in full swing, and prudent Pepys noted in his diary that s'I am also this year my wife's valentine, and 1t will cost me $ B." That it cost gentlemen of high degree a good round sum to obtain yalen- tine IS shown in this same alary, which chronicles that the duke of York be- ing her Miss Stuart's) valentine, did give her jewel of about z 800; and my Lord Vaudeville, her valentine this year, ring of about s 300.
 Walsh. in his very interesting 'Curi- osities of Popular Customs" gives what data he has been able to gather in regard to this February festival. He found that Bailey's, the first of the great English dictionaries, says in re- gard to the day: Valentines Gin Eng land). About this time of the year. month of February the birds choose their ates. and proba bIy thence cams