Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-21
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| Dear Aunt Dorothy: received the nice
| paint box you sent me, and I thank you
| very much for it. 1t Is the first prize
have ever won. I read your letter and have
| looked up what I could about st. Valentine,
and why the 14th of February Is named
| after him. st. Valentine lived in the third
century. He was a devoted Christian. He
| was bishop of Rome. and because OF his
steadfastness to his faith he was cast into
prison, where, it is related. he cured mis-
keepers daughter of blindness. He died the
death of a martyr, first he was beaten with
clubs and then beheaded. His remains are
| in the Church of St. PraedeS in Rome. Some
people say the origin of giving valentines
on st. Valentines day started in this way:
The feasts of Lupercalia, in honor OF Fan
and Juno, were held in ancient Rome dur
ing the greater part Of February. Among
the ceremonies then observed was this one:
The names of young women were placed in
a box, to be drawn by the men, as chance
directed. The early Christian church In
stituted saints names for those of women,
and st. Valentines day falling in the middle
Of the month of February, the new festivity,
gradually came to be called by this name.
Your friend. WILLIE r. DAILY,
The Magnolia Flats. 1921 M street north
west, Washington. D. G.
Aged II years.
January 9, 1908.
Dear Aunt Dorothy: 1 was very much
pleased with my paint box, which received
just as was reading the paper Saturday
prize winners, and just when I saw mine
the bell rang. 1t was the boy with my paint
box. Hoping I will receive another prize
soon, am as ever. your delighted reader,
MARTINA PORTER.
Dear Aunt Dorothy:
/ was very much pleased with my new
paint box, and I am going to paint a rain
bow If can. I have two pretty painting
books that mamma bought me, and hope
to have many happy days painting In them.
| Thanking for the naintS. /
Yours, truly,
LOUISE
Albion, N. Y.
Dear Aunt Dorothy:
am seven and a half. My kitty was born
in Washington. Her name is Hunky Dora.
/ named her that because she is all right.
We brought her here in a covered basket.
In the car she sat by us on the seat She
did not like the basket cover, and in Roch-
ester changing cars she mewed all the way.
The first time she went out she climbed
to the top and all over big apple tree.
About Christmas she had kitty, white
with seven spots. So we call her Spotry.
And what do you think in the morning
she comes and wakes me up by biting my
nose and ears.
You roll pasteboard wheel and she will
bring it back. Hunky Dora will chase all
dogs out of the yard. She bites their ears
When she jumps on their backs from the
veranda. where she watches for them. She
has two little kitties now. We call them
Needles and Pins because they are sharp.
ELEANOR A. z.
Helen P sends some original valentine
verses which we should have printed ii
they had been received sooner.
We will be glad to receive account of the
seals and seal rocks at the Golden Gate
from Josephine S.
Daniel X. writes an interesting letter tell
ing of a Scotch collie owned by him when
living on a ranch in Montana Can you not
tell us of some of the wonders and pecull-
arites of that country? Did you not have
some adventures out there that would be
interesting to the readers of the children's
page? Write to us of some interesting things
that occurred while you lived there.