The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1903-03-27
FEBRUARY FOR LOVE
Customs That We Have Borrowed
from Heather Rome.
hone of the Numerous Saints Named
Valentine, Says senator stew.
art. Had Anything to Do
with Lovers.
Especial Washington letter.


"OW is the time for the young
I'M pc ople to enjoy themselves, and
Tor the more mature to make
fools of themselves. Children will
send va4eniines, and mask themselves
behind the missives, so that the re-
ceisers can only guess who sent them.
This is al fun, and wholesome amuse-
meat.
The folks who are a little older will
CRAFTY ,neir mean feelings and bitter
hacreds by sending valentines which
will wound and cause tears of sad
ness or of rage. They who send such
valentines are worse than mean, they
ard coNardly. They are no more
brave than the boys who stand be-
hind fence corners and throw stones
at passing children; no more brave
than the sandbagger or thug.
The windows of our stationery
stores are filled with prints of all sorts;
just as they are in your vicinity. The
mails are filled with missives of this
valentiney character; even the po-
teut, grave and reverend seigniors,
commonly called statesmen, are re-
cei.ing their share.
Senator Stewart, of Nevada, talks
very learnedly about this singular Gus
tom. saying: Just as there were eight
kings named Henry. and seven named
Edward, SO there have been numerous
individuals in history named Valen-
tine, or Nalentinus. My recollection
is that there were So saints named
Valentinus; but there are not less
than three particularized in history.
The first was presbyter and martyr,
and, according 10 the Roman tradl-
tons, he lived during the third CEN
fury of this era. The emperor Clau-
dius Gothicus caused him to be chained
and tortured until reconverted to
idolatry. One of the daughters OF his
jailor was blind, and Saint Valentinus
caused her sight to be miraculously
restored, whereupon the whole family
was converted to Christianity. An
other lailor. however, continued the
torture until finally the saint was be-
headed, on February IA. A. D., 24o.
Special services are held in memory OF
him in Catholic churches until this
day.
valentine the Second" continued
the senator, was also a martyr. and
was a bishop in the church. Some
time in the fourth century Valentine |
restored TO physical perfection the de-
formed son of Greek scholastic, and |
that miracle caused the coming of |
many thousands into the Christian |
fold. When the church canonized him |
the 14th day of February was set aside, |
rs in the former case.
The third Valentine was an apostle
and late in life was bishop of Passau.
He was not martyr, but was canon
lied because of the yastness of his |
work as an apostle and the marvellous
successes which attended his efforts |
in bringing the heather visited by him
into the church communion. Thus it |
that not less than three |
saints named Valentine have the 18th |
day of February set aside for special |
services in commemoration of their |
Senator Stewart has been q men, |
her of the senate since 1868, whsn |
Nevada was admitted to the union. |
To those who have had the delight |
OF his acquaintance for number of |
years he is one of the most genial and |
Interesting Of gentlemen. but to the
younger generation of news-gatherers
be is scarcely known, except by sight.
He does not care to make new friends, |