The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-02-03
World Owes Much
to St. Valentine
If for Nothing Else Than
the Establishment of
Pretty Custom.

It is far cry from the year 30
with its pagan celebration and st.
Valentine suffering martyrdom, down
to the present one, and yet he still
holds majesty in the heart of today
Down through seventeen centuries has
persisted y pretty custom which
proves that human nature does not
after all, change so very much.
The origin of observances OF st.
Valentines day is somewhat clOuded
in obscurity. but 1t is fairly well es'
tablished that the saint who met his
death by being first beaten with clubs
and then heheaded had very little to
do with the celebration except that
his day happened to he at hand when
it became desirable to substitute q
Christian festival tor long-estab
lislled pagan observance.
In ancient Rome il was the custom
uuring the greater part Of the month
ut February to celebrate the Luper
,ailia, or feasts iI, honor Of Pan and
Juno; the latter deit. was then named
F'ebruata. Februalis and Februlla
TN these occasions part OF the eere
monies consisted Of placing in box
the names of young women and then
ais chance directed they were drawn
Out by the men.
Old Customs Modified
The leaders of tie early Christian
church automatically endeavored to
puash all such pagan celebrations and
supersliti0ns. This was chiefly ac
compished through changing the
forms somewhat or substituting other
thoughts or ideas. for it had been
proven that 1t was impossible alto
gether to eXtirpate ceremony to
which the masses had become Ut
tached through generations Of alb
servance Accordingly the outline oi
ancient ceremonies was followed but
modified in ways more in Keeping
with the Christian era. ST. Valentine
was recently nartyred priest. and
as the festival of The LupercaIa had
commenced about The middle of Feb
ruary il was natural to choose his
birthday as the day of celebrating the
substituted feast
In various countries the celebra
ton has taken on different aspects. Al
Norwich, in England. for instance. ST
Valentines eve is kept as a time for
general giving and receiving gifts. In
"Madder's Rambles in an Old city" is
found description of the scene as
follows: "The streets swarm with car
riers and baskets laden with treas
ures; hang, hang. bang go the knock
ers and away PUSHES the hanger. de-
posting first upon the doorstep some
packages from the basket of stores.
Again and again at intervals at every
door to which q missive is addressed
Is the same repeated. till the baskets
are empty. Anonymously St. valen
tine. presents his gifts. labeled only
with st Valentines love- and Good
morrow. Valentine.
"Fake" Valentines Common.
Many of the gifts were hoaxes.
much like april Fools DAY, for con
tinuing, he says: 1.-THE mock parcels
that vanish from the doorstep by in
visible strings when the door opens.
monster parcels that dwindle TO
thread. papers denuded of their mul.
tiplied envelopes, with fitting notices
all tending to the final contamination
of good counsel, Happy is he who
expects nothing and he will not be
disappointed 1t is glorious night:
marvel not that we would perpetuate
SO joyous festivity."
In series of essays published in
England in 1T54-6 other customs of
the day are given. One miss. it is re-
corded, pinned a bay leaf to each cor
ner of her pillow and placed a fifth in
the center: If she dreamed of her