The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-02-09
DAY SACRED TO
LOVE MISSIVES

TT WAS an enterprising young girl
who first captured the valentine
trade for America. Her name was
Esther Rowland. After graduat.
ing from Mount Holyoke seminary she
resided with her father. who was a
stationer In Worcester. Mass. In 1919
she received from England a manufac-
tured valentine, the first she had ever
seen. II interested her so much that
she decided to see whether she could
make some OF these valentines and
find a sale for them.
She collected some lace paper. some
printed verses and sentimental pic
lures. fixed up a few valentines and
gave them TO her brothef, who was
travelling salesman for grocery store
To her amazement her brother re-
turned with orders for 5000 worth
OF valentines Her establishment knew
no bounds She quickly got together
some girl friends, taught them what
she knew about valentines and COM
menced a prosperous trade that was
TO reach the one hundred thousand
dollar mark.
First Love Missives.
II was a Frenchman who first con-
ceived the idea Of composing valen-
tines In verse. Charles, Duke OF Or
leans, was taken prisoner by the Eng.
lish at the battle Of Agincourt, in l415.
He was consigned TO tie Tower OF
London. where he spent the next TWEEN.
ty-five years of his life. But the cold
walls of his dungeon could not COM
pletely dampen his sentimental ma
ture. and from his gloomy vault came
sunny little verses TO the number of
sixty, which are still to be seen among
the royal papers In the staid old Brit
fish museum. One of them reads:
wilt thou be mine? Dear love. reply
Sweetly consent or else deny.
Whisper softly. none shall know
wilt thou be mine. love? Aye or MOI
Spite OF fortune we may be
Happy by one word from thee.
Life hies swiftly. Ere IL go.
wilt thou be mine. love Aye or MOI
England at once adopted the fad
which its royal prisoner had set, and
Valentines day found the coaches
more than usually laden with poetic
outpourings of lovers, friends and
even slight acquaintances.
Old Romance Recalled.
One Of the most romantic histories
of Valentine children is that of Lady
Co ITaIr 4 A
1745 In fact, she apparently inherited
romantic temperament, for her own
story is usually prefaced with a sketch
of her parents romance-by way of
driving home the story's admonition,
perhaps.
Her fathers marriage was no more
nor less than a bargain to cancel
gambling debt between the couples
parents. The young duke. then Lord
March. was brought home from col
lege to wed the plain little grl-bride
just out of nursery. AT the conclusion
of the ceremony the indignant bride
groom fed to the continent with q
tutor in tow. where he spent three
years. On his return to London he
carefully avoided going home. where
he fancled wrathful young woman
was waiting to swoOn at his arrival.
Instead. he went straight to the
theatre and saw there a very hand.
some lady. He cursed his luck. but had
breath left to ask who she might he.
Lady March, the toast of the season."
informed his friends. to his utter as
constituent. Then he blessed his luck.
claimed his bride and as Il turned out.
was very happy to the end Her love
was so great, too. that she died of /
grief for him after year Of widow.
hood.
Sentiment and Business,
Samuel Pepys has something TO say
In his famous diary about most of
Joys and disturbances, great and small, |
with which human nature is acquaint-
ed. Consequently one does not need to
search very far TO find illusions 10
Valentines day and the customary
pranks that it involved in the England
of the seventeenth century.
On February IA. 1861. the following
entry Is made In the diary: