Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-21

WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb IL, 1898.
Dear Aunt Dorothy:
1 thought would write you what know
about st. Valentines day and how it origi.
mated.
St Valentine, or valentinus, was a Chfis-
tan martyr, and according to Roman leg. !
END was arrested and thrown into chains
by Emperor Claudius, who used every
means In his power to win him back to-
ldolatry. Valentine healed the blind daugh.;
ter Of Asterius, who afterward believed and
was baptized with all his house. After long
imprisonment he was beaten with clubs
and finally beheaded on the 14th day OF
February. This is a day observed in com.
memoration Of St. Valentine by the send.
ing or valentines, which. is a very ancient ,
custom Some tell us that on this day the
birds select their mates.
A century or two ago 1t was the custom !
to greet the favored one with gifts of the I
most practical kind. Nowadays even more !
frequent than the cards and lace paper !
valentines is the gift of flowers or candles,
gloves or jewelry. Lovers sent tokens pre-
| pared by their own hands, consisting Off
paper and bedecked with pictures of doves,
flowers, &C.
The oldest valentine in the country is Of
this Kind and belongs to private collection
in Cleveland, Ohio.
The earliest one to appear in America was
! sent to Miss Rowland of Worcester, Mass, 4
in 1S49. 1t was the first of the kind she
had seen. and she was SO pleased with it
| that she was convinced she could improve
upon 1t. She made a great success Of her
work, and the business is conducted today
in Worcester, the place where it originated
and grew from its small beginning to the
proportions Of valuable manufacturing In
dustry. WILLIE B., age H.
ada L. Mallory)-Written entirely by my
| nephew. William Baum.
MY PET HEN.
I have a pet hen. Her name is TinNS
Last summer she had six little chickens.
She would follow the plough and get worms
| for her chickens. In the morning shS
would get out Of her coop before any ot3
| the other chickens were out. When myi
| chickens were big enough to eat they would
get in the pig pen when the pigs were
fed and eat the corn. I would take them
to the bottom OF the hill. where the bugs
and insects were on the golden rod. They
looked SO cunning jumping up in the air
to catch the bugs when they started to !
fly away. Two Of my chickens were DART.
The other four were light. They would ]
follow me all around when 1 had q bucket 1
in my hand. When 1t rained and the waIeNi
ran under the coop put them in a barrel
so they would have floor under them and
a roof over them. When l fed my little
chickens the pigeons would come and light
on my head and shoulders and eat from my
hand. INEZ JENKINS.
II
/ saw in your roll of honor
The names of some children / knew,
And then, of course, thought I'd try
To see what 1 could do.
To solve your many puzzles
I've taxed my weary brain,
And to write little story
I've tried and tried again.
So hoping to be successful,
1 send this little rhyme,
And should you find 1t pleasing
I'll try again some time.
WILL STOCKETT, age II
My Pet Canary.
/ have little pet canary
And his is Pete.
/ feed him every morning
And make his cage look neat.
He sings to quite often
And picks my finger, too,
And he Is the cutest bird
! think l knew.
-NORINE ETHEL WORTHINGToN.
(Age. eleven years.