Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-13
HOMAGE TO CUPID
Contrast Between the Mod
ern and Ancient Valentine.
SENTIMENT RULES IN BOTH
Observance Of Custom by the Youth
of Washington-Missives Due
Tomorrow.
Roses red,
Niolets blue.
Sugars sweet.
Sn arc Inn

Sugar sweet.
So are YOU
From homely valentine fifty years ago.
To the realms of higher things"
From an art valentine OF TO-DAY.
st. Valentines day, 1910, tomorrow.
Evidences that the old-fashioned day
OF sentiment has been very much mod
ernizcd may be seen in the shop windows.
The valentines of today cover wide
range, are highly artistic and are In
striking contrast with the tender missives
the grandfathers and grandmothers sent
to their loved ones in days of yore.
The twentieth century hustle can be
seen in the creations that are being sent
through the mails. Like the Christmas
toys, they are up-to-date in design, finish
and sentiment In place of such senti-
ments as Fair maiden with eyes of blue,
[ love you, love you true" there comes
a post card with the extravagant figure
of grotesque specimen Of the feminine
gender and the inscription, II love my
wife, but oh, you kid" or some other
slangy phrase.
Modern Day Creations.
The sending of valentines in this day
missives. but embrace framed notices.
books. Billiken men and souvenirs The
range of prices extends from a penny for
the comics to many dollars.
Many valentine parties have been plan
ned by individuals and organizations in
the District, and games peculiar to the
occasion will be features
st. Valentines day has been celebrated
in different parts of the world for at
popularity supposed to have been first OBJ
served in commemoration of a certain
st. Valentine who is pictured as a sort
of cupid 1t is suggested that the GUS
tom may have descended from the an
cient Romans, who during the Luperca-
liza, or feasts in honor of Pan. the god
of hunters and shepherds. held in the
month Of February, were accustomed to
place the names Of young women in
boxes, from which they were drawn at
random by the young men.
1t is also believed that the custom of
observing February IA arose from the
popularity of the season. 1t is an old
notion alluded to by Chaucer and Shake
speare that on that day birds and beasts
choose their mates. This seems probable,
spring, when the birds are arranging for
their nestings.
Custom In Europe.
In the fifteenth century February IA
was celebrated in England, Scotland and
parts of the continent, particularly in
France, by peculiar and amusing Gus
tom. On the eve of ST. Valentines day
a number of young folks assembled and
inscribed on small pieces of paper the
names of an equal number of maids and
bachelors of their acquaintance. These
iy,to 10 -
sort and then drawn therefrom as In q
lottery. The person drawn became one
valentine. For a year the bachelor re-
manned bound to the service of his lady
valentine
In the reign of Charles II the married
one period it was the custom for both
sexes to make each other presents, but
later on the obligation was restricted to
young men.
The custom Of sending valentines. both
sentimental and comic, prevailed in Eng
land and Scotland several centuries ago.
There were two styles of valentines. the
extremely sentimental and elaborate in
decoration and the grotesquely comic.
The funny ones were usually sent to
persons regarded as enemies or to some
person the sender felt like criticising.
Difference Noted.
IHeTe Is d woe divergence IN the xmas
of valentines and their sentiments or say
ings sent today and those of the olden
time In the past many of the valentines
were homemade affairs and the verses
were written on them in a disguised
hand. Then, too, they were poked be-
meath the front doors of those to whom
they were addressed, the door bell pulled
and the amateur carrier departed at the
speed of deer before the door could be
opened.