Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-02-10
Dan Cupid'S Dau
AS Ii Was
And as 1t IS Now
By WALTON WILLIAMS


Z UST why st. Valentines day is so
called nobody has ever known.
There were a number OF Yalcn-
tines. two OF them saints. but
none OF them is recorded to have been
especially fond Of flirting or sending
anonymous hbels through the mails.
IL would have seemed more appropri-
ate TO have called il Dan Cupid's day:
but. inasmuch as il was named several
centuries before we were born. there is
no need OF botbering about that now.
One theory to account for the desig-
nation is that away back i'm early times
It was called gallantin day. this being
the word from which gallant is derived.
and in time this was confused with
Valentine. so the church tackled on the
name OF the saint Another tradition
is that during the reign OF the Empero
Claudius II. Bishop Valentine was one
OF the most beloved preachers about
Rome. The emperor got mad az his
own wife or somebody else's wife and
decreed that nobody should get married
for n year. Valentine took pity on the
folks and married them secretly. When
ClauIius learned this the bishop was
promptly jailed and afterward lost his
head One legend il perhaps about as
good rs the other. so the reader can
take his choice.
The origin OF the day. however be
longs 10 a time far more ancient than
Claudius or even Rome. At about this
time OF year in pretty much all coun-
tries and all ages have been celebrated
the returning Of the sun and the first
fracture In the backbone OF winter
As was proclaimed by many OF the
old poets. this is tie season that the
birds choose their mates. A. is not on
record that the bird songs degenerate
into bad doggerel because OF this fact
but that Is doubtless because the feath-
cred folk merely sing and do not send
valentines.
In the far ancient times the festival
was celebrated with orgies Of the most
shocking description. but in Rome the
10th of February. which was called the
Lupercalia. was toned down 10 compare
tive respectability. There the names OF
the Lydias, Chloes and other maidens
such as gay old Horace used 10 sing
were shaken up together and drawn by
the young men OF the day. aud the
maiden whose name was SO drawn be.
came the partner OF the holder OF her
ticket for year.
The early church could not suppress
this practice. SO in place OF having the
names OF girls drawn by lot il substi-
tuted the names OF saints. II was at
about this time that Valentines name
Il 4 frtf. ~. 81.
youth OF the middle ages, however
saints were not nearly so interesting
rs real flesh and blood maidens. so the
older custom Of choosing the girls
names was revived In consequence
the festival became very popular
When the age OF chivalry was In full
swing this most gallant Of the holidays
was about the biggest thing in the cal
endar. Why notF Love and spring
poetry thrive in February. ana there
should be some day at about this sea-
son especially devoted to their culture
Around ST. Valentines day grew up
many other customs. One OF the earli-
est was 10 permit the maidens 70
choose partners as well as the men
or course the youths. manlike. were
more attentive 10 the girls whom they
had drawn than 10 the girls who had
drawn them. but at any rate an incip-
lent stage IN womaa's rights was in
evidence. In the dissolute days OF
Charles IL. in England the names Of
married people went into the pot along
with those OF the bachelors and spin
sters. AS a result that delightful old
gossip. Samuel Pepys. tells Of a Lord
SOmething-or-other who spent fSO for
ring 10 grace the finger OF somebody
else's pretty young wife.
The girls were all anxious TO dream
OF their sweethearts the night before