The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-11
DAN CUPID IS COMING
NEXT SUNDAY IS ST. VALEN'
 TINES DAY.
ko Definite Information as fo Mont gomery Headquarters of Chub- by God of Love-something
 If Nhe Occasion.

Sir Dan Cupid will be in Montgomery
 sir Cupid comes to Montgomery often. He comes to Montg9mefym m 80 3n csIsn narsonai onai columns or newspapers. Traces of h.,n may be frequently seen In the society columns, however.
 Sunday, February IA, by the law of precedent. has been declared the one day in the year when the mischievous little God of Love deposes old love from the throne of Olympus and his love darts succeed the thunderbolts of King Zeus.
 St. Valentines Day Is almost univsr- sally celebrated In many parts of the world February IA is not the day set aside for unI estrained reign of Amour. God Cupid has many aliases and in mary countries the people picture him other than the chubby little fellow so vel known to English speaking folk But It's the same idea and be 1t in Zululand or New York city. the hearts of lads and lasses palpitate with more rapidity as tiis day approaches when the diminuttSe God who enters every ones being once. occupies the centre of the stage:
 Valentines Day was flrss celebrated Of the European continent by ve;y peculiar custom. On the eve of February l4 number of young folk-maids and bachelors-would assemble together aad inscrioe upon little billets the names of an equal number of maids and bachelc. of their acquaintance. throw the whole into a receptacle and then draw them lor- tery-wise. Care of course being taken posite sex. The name of the person tE Us drawn became ones valentine. Thsse imaginary engagements often developed into real ones.
 During the fifteenth century this prac- tce was very popular in many European courts. Pepys diary shows that in Eng land married persons were not restricted from the practice.
 f{raA hxa4 ta approach of the day has been celebra ted by display in show windows of the manufactured valentine cards and the gaudy burlesque comic valentines. FoE- merly the valentines proper had verses Of indifferent merit printed either under the design, usually a variation of the Cupid idea, or on an inside sheet of the missive. Later. however, the verse fe;.- ture has lost somewhat in popular favJr ana with few exceptions is confined tu the cheaper grades. The valentine of to- day Is an expensive creation of ceiluloid repiete in hearts, Cupids with bow and culver, wedding bells, spring flowers and everything that could possibly suggest an "ootsey-oo.'
 There are, of course, new forms of val entines. a telegraph blank with the na4ae of a Iovc-lorn company printed in the familiar crimson of night message and on which the sender may scribble any thing his or her fancy dictates.
 Then there's the lobster valentine, "- . little box with the figure of a boiled lobster inside and the inscription "Yo ir image is ever written on my heart"
 Again there are valentines containing bon bons There are postal valentines. There is every soit of valentine whlc the fertile imagination of a manufacture .r who wants to sell his goods can think o:
 The comic" valentines are not as nu- rnerous as heretofore. Dealers say the demand has fallen off
 Schoolboys vii! scribble on soiled bits Of paper the trite-
 "If you love me as I love you"
 And throwing it into the desk of lis best schoolgirl, will receive the wei,- known answer
 NO knife can cuteeur love in two."
 An. yes. Dan Cupid will be here saH- day.
 At this writing there is no definite irl- formation as to his Montgomery hea l. quarters.