Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1914-02-07

at this season of the year with exam
pies of art and near-art to an extent
that should please every sort of taste in
regard to valentines. There is a day
or two of fun and merry chatter when
the tokens are received or of even
more boisterous mirth if the yalen-
tines are comic" here and there a
valentine party is given by the young
people, then the celebrating ceases
and is forgotten.
Not so a couple of centuries ago
Then the festivities were much more
IN the character of observance and
ceremonies. The origin of st. Valen-
tines day is credited to different Incl
dents. One writer of ancient social
customs says that it originated with
Nine. Royale, daughter of Henry ".
OF France. The lady, having built a
splendid palace near Turin desired TO
name 1t for some good saint, and final
ly chose St Valentine. Thus the ed
ifice was called The Valentine" and
at the initial entertainment given in
the great drawing rooms, Nine. Roy
ale conceived the idea of causing her
guests to pair off by means of lot
'ery
Ladies Drew From Lot
The names of the men were writ
ten on slips OF paper and folded The
ladies' then drew from the list and
whoever each one drew was to be her
valentine" for the space of one year.
At the various balls which this gay
spirited young princess gave during
the season 1t was understood that "H ch
lady should receive a bouquet from
her chosen lover. and that at every
tournament the trappings Of a knight 5
horse should be furnished by his allot-
ted lady, with this provisio-that the
lady eventually receive whatever prize
he might win Nine. Royale, however,
would not herself enter into this lot
terry, but reserved the privilege of
choosing her valentine independent
iy.
Doubtless it is true that this lady
did originate this costume at her pal
ace In Turin. but it is also quite as
true that this was not the real origin
Of St. Valentines day for it is alluded
to by English poets before her time.
Lydgate, a monk, who died in the
year 1440, and who has been described
as the poet Of his monastery" wrote
4 poem in praise % Queen Catherine,
consort of Henry v, of England, in
which he mentioned the Observance Of
st. Valentines day and the custom Of
drawing lots
Indeed, this custom seems to have
been a very ancient one, and contin-
ued to comparatively modern times.
An equal number of young men and
women would meet together on the
ave st. Valentines day and hold lot
tefy, in which the names OF both men
and woIsen we're drawn: thus each
maid and bachelor would have two
valentines" who we're required to
make mutual gifts. This, OF course,
occasioned any amount Of mirth and
some funny situations.
Other Expectations.
one superstition which held good
until quite recent times was that the
drst young man or young woman one
CHANGED to meet on the morning Of
Valentines day wogld be ones valen
tine other superstitions. Include d
mystic rites particularly in ScotlaLd,
which enabled maidens to learn who
would be their future husbands About
the middle Of the eighteenth century
3ua Young woman-according to the
historian Of social CUSTOMS Of that
ame-- = ote as follows:
lost Friday v0ls Valentines day,
sad III tel goA what / did the night
,5o5-e Es.t FIVE bay caves. pinned
our u the 70 the four corners Df my
. zen, 80 tbl' middle for