The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-02-14
cUPID'S FESTIVAL.
How ST. Valentines Day Is Kept i'm
the goth Century.

How st. Valentines Day Is Kept i'm
the 10th Century.
Hail to thy returning festival, old
BISHOP Valentine!" said Lamb. Great
&c thy name in the rubric. Like unto
thee. assuredly, there is no other mi
fred father in the calendar" Just
why st. Valentine should have been
elected the patron of lovers it is hard
70 say, for, indeed, nothing more ro-
mantle is recorded of him than. that
he suffered martyrdom under Claudius.
There was a quaint old country notion
alluded to by Chaucer and. Shakes
pearge that ON this day the birds be-
gin to couple and rustic lovers, fol-
lowing the pretty example, choose their
mates Asserted - .+t
St Valentines Eve is fortune telling
night among the country folk of Eng
land and Ireland and some of their
curious practices have been recorded
for the edifieation of those who still
believe in wonders. One reads as fol-
lows:
"on the night before st. Valentines
Day obtain five green bay leaves and
min four of them to the~four corners of
Your pillow and the fifth to the middle.
If YOU dream of your sweet heart you
viii be married before the year is out.
TO make the test more infallible boil
an egg hard, take out the yolk and
fill the vacancy with salt. Then upon
retiring eat it. shell and all. without
speaking or drinking after it,"
10 xkyin r.Of rA,.iy ie., -
ing TO look forward to but luckless.
s.iinsterhood
The custom of sending valentines
dates back to the fifteenth century But
times change. s
The boarding school bellies in iut-
fi--@ ter, f.@si s@
The two-penny posts in despair
wrote Praed in the days when Feb. IA
was Cupid's trysting TING. In this un-
poetical modern hour when even
Christmas cards and New Year cards
are out of fashion, it is not surpris-
ing that the padded, satin-fringed val
entire, with its red rose of love and
amorous birds. is a thing of the past.
We look now with an esthetic shudder
upon what a few years ago, brought a
thrill to the heart of uncritical youth.
Perhaps it is not to be deplored that
cultivation of the artist sense has
tau@nt us to consider the old-tirne VAL
entine hideous, but, oh, that we should
think it foolish! Who can forget the
days of childhood, when ST. Valentines
Feast meant such d squandering of
boarded. pennies, such grave decision
between a pierced heart and Il love
you" or flying Cupids and "Will YOU
he my valentine?" such q laboring
hand to trace the chosen name at last
upon the flower wreathed envelope.
Then to steal softly up somebody's step,
to slip the precious gift under the door,
d violent pulltat the bell and the ex-
citing race to@ the nearest CORNER ito
await, GREATNESS, the momentous CON-
summation.
Or the school stage. when St. Valen-
tines Day meant peepfhg Though
slanted blinds to catch the unwary gal
liant, eager watching for the post,
downcast eyes, blushing cheeks, a
throbbing heart beneath the demure
apron bib--for those We're the good old
days when school girls wore aprons
and braided their hair. Aprons and
valentines have passed away together,
and sentiment is out of date. What
would the modern maiden say to one
of those ancient trophies? Surely not
beautiful, yet representing something
that maidens must desire as long as
the world rolls around. Perhaps, after
ALL man ana maid have found a pref
tier way. of saying love for thee"
and 81 am thine" on Valentines Day.
LUNCHEON FOR MRS. HASKELL.
One of the most beautiful luncheons
of the winter was given yesterday by,
Mrs. T. Mayhem Cunningham in honor
Of Mrs. Louis Haskell Pale blue rib
bons caught here and there around the
circular table into soft loops and bows
gave novel color note and made a
very charming effect with the white
fuchsias which formed the centerpece.
Each place was marked by daisy tied
with a blue ribbon upon which the
guests name was done in gilt. The
same pretty color effect was carried
cut as far as possible in all the de-
tails of the luncheon, the ices being
served in blue pond lilies. Mrs. Cum
hingham's guests were Mrs. Haskell,
Mrs. Rauers, Mrs. w. w. Gordon. Mrs.
J. Florance Minis. Mrs. James T.
Dent Mrs. Fleming duBignon, Mrs. c.
\. Shearson, Mrs. Anderson Car
michael, Mrs. Thomas s. Wayne, Mrs.
q G. Daniel, Mrs. Harry C. Cunning
nam. Mrs. James P. Houstoun. Mrs.
7. b. Malone and Miss Maria Minis