Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-02-09

! or seucy documents, Of lighter import like the
hugary rhymes OF our grandmothers' time nor the
flowers and gloves OF today. Instead they were
real human beings whom destiny paired for the
space OF twelyemonth.
| IL the duty OF the Roman youth ON the DIM
OF the feast OF Lupercnlla, which according TO
ancient chroniclers. comedies with our st vaiep-
tines day, 10 repair 10 the Sacred urn h search
OF sweetheart In the urn were the names of
the maidens OF the neighborhood written on slips
OF parchment The Roman youth never thought
OF shrinking from the ordeal. Any attempt on
his part go around by the back streets on his way
TO business or TO spend the day on the golf links
instend OF doing his duty a man and citizen
would have marked him out as a man with no
sporting blood in his veins. So assuming an mir
OF gay Indifference. he took his place in the line
called upon the gods for succor and boldly
plunged his hand into the Sacred urn.
Then, like the historic Horner. he pulled out let
us hope, not plum. but. In the modern language
OF admiration. peach. II so, his face lighted de-
lghtfuy and he hurried out 10 huy an unusually
rich and varied assortment OF sacrifices for the
altar OF Venus. Cupid and the rest OF the really
important dvinites. IT, however fate had gone
against him and he had drawn nn undesirable
maiden from the bowl, striking his clenched fist
hercely upon his brow. he strobe In silence from
the place OF doom.
But he never thought Of demanding second
helping. No the gods had wed IT, end so Il
was to be. He had acquired sweetheart for a
year, and he stuck by her until next ST. valen-
tines day gave him the opportunity to break the
engagement
II was In the year 400 that Pope Gelasius.
noting with pain the ancient method OF observing
the feast of Lupercalla, which took place on
February IS. decided that something would have
TO be done about II. AS the youths of the time
seemed TO be strangely addicted 70 the practice
Of pulling the names OF young women out of the
Sacred urn. Il decided that Il would not do
al.
sion. Instead they could he led by easy stages
away from the heathenish portent OF the game
SO the leaders OF the reform movement hit upon
the scheme OF permitting the Sacred urn TO per-
form its usual day but the names OF saints and
martyrs We're substituted upon the papers which
the youths picked cat of this receptacle for those
OF madens In the community. Then. reasoned the
reform leaders. the youths could consider that the
saints whose names they drew out were their
patron saints and could pattern their lives by
those of these worthy persons. This would be
quite as exciting MS picking out the name OF ones
next seasons girl.
And 70 make the transformation OF this day OF
pagan rites into Christian festival complete. Il
Nas decided by the reform element that the day
should henceforth be known as st. Valentines
lay and that II should be set on February Ia In
honor OF the fact that Ia go A. - the good bishop
'fterwavd ST. Valentine beheaded ny the
prosecutors Of the early Christians because he
lad performed the remarkable miracle OF making
lis jaller's blind daughter see.
The Day Of Lovers
ST Valentines day February Ii indeed became
tut alas for human frailty. although the name was
hanged, the spirit OF the day remained as before.
Down 20 our own time Il Is stu the day OF lovers
he world over. The names OF the saints which
anne out % the Sacred urn instead Of those OF the
'retty girls of old Rome were powerlesS 10 turn
he thoughts Of young men away from love aud
appiness toward self-sacrince and ptety. The
neent uSages persisted. and thus originated the
situation whereby eccleslastlc OF
scetlc HE and plous history hrs given his name
or all tine 10 festival devoted 10 the impas-
ioned sentiment OF lovers
In later days when valentines had come 10 be
ecate misslves IA which lovers expressed their
rdoF In their own verses, the duke NJ Orleans
iAs one OF the many great personages who thought
ne inditlng OF valentine verses not too small a
oal for his poetica ambitions II was after
harlss was taken prisoner az the battle OF Agin-
curt ia 14i5. that he did the greatest amount OF
is valentine poerizing. He composed the first
lritfen valentine which now exists. As ne was a
nsoner OF England for Is years he had plenty of
m fD Dolsh IN these dainty epistleS md no faft