Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 February 1894 — ST. VALENTINE'S DAY. [ARTICLE]

ST. VALENTINE'S DAY.

CEREMONIES HANDED DOWN FOR MANY GENERATIONS. Customs Among the Ancient Romans—ln Every Country the Unwritten Law Mixes Dp Young Folks, True Love, and Expreslve Gifts. In Honor of a.Martyr. Superstition is nearly as old as man, and that it exists now quite as strong, though not as widespread as in the early ages - of our world, is proved by the various rites and ceremonies practiced on certain days throughout the year, says a writer in Tabla Talk. Even those who ridicule them, yet participate in them “just for fun, ” have a lingering half-suspicion in their minds that “they might come true;" especially is this the case when inclination points the way. St. Valentine is the acknowledged patron saint of lovers; and the peculiar customs connected with the day were referred to by writers nearly 500 years ago. The St. Valentine, who suffered martyrdom on the 14th of February, was one of fifty-tw’O saints of that name, but nothing has ever been found in his life, cr In the lives of any of them, that would give occasion for the singular observances of the day. It has been maintained that it was an ancient custom among the Romans during the Lupercalia, celebrated in the month of February, for the boys and men to draw the names of their future wives in honor of their goddess. Februate Juno, and that the Christian clergy finding it absolutely impossible to abolish this heathen practice changed it to a religious ceremony by writing on the slips of paper instead of the names of women those of particular saints, whom they were to follow and imitate during the year. I have been told the custom still remains in the Roman Catholic Church to select on SC Valentine's day a patron saint lor the ensuing year. In England, Scotland, France, and some other parts of the continent it was formerly the custom of the young people to meet, write each other's, or some of their acquaintances’, names on a slip of paper, which were thrown into a box from which they were drawn, the men taking the girls’ names and vice versa. The person thus drawing became one's valentine, and for a whole year was bound to devote himself to the one who drew him. Sometime-, of course, this led to real engagements between the parties, and often tricks were played in such a way that the slips of paper fell into the liands they were meant for. During the fifteenth century married people could bo chosen as well as those who were not married, and often very valuable presents were exchanged. It is recorded that the Duke of York gave to a lady who was his valentine that year a jewel worth £BOO, and that the following year, having been chosen by toms pne eke, she received a ring worth £3OO. if In after years the word valentine was transferred from the people to the missives they sent. These missives, instead of being the fancy creations in lace, satin and ribbons which we now see, were selections of poetry, more or less sentimental, ranging in 'style from the rude couplet

“The rose is red, the violet blue. The lily is sweet and so are you," to the more elegant quotations from the poets. These were copied on all kinds of paper, plain or fancy, as suited the taste of the sender, were sometimes accompanied by pen sketches of two doves, lovers’ knots, cupids, and other sentimental devices, and, addressed to the beloved object, were slipped under the front doors on the morning of St. Valentine’s day or sent by mail. In small towns they were left with the postmaster, who was usually the general storekeeper, to be delivered, without charge, to his customers when they called for their mail. Of late years this pretty custom has been brought into disfavor by the so-called oomic valentines, which are a disgrace to the name, though they are used only by the lower classes and occasionally by mischievous children. The valentines which are not comic can be bought as low as 5 cents, and from that upward to as many or more dollars, and some of them in the form of cards are really very pretty; but it seems a foolish waste of money. A few pennies spent to perpetuate an innocent custom is not so bad; but, for the dollars, books, pictures, or some useful article could be bought and sent as valentines, in place of those hideous and useless combinations of laces and ribbons which one does not know what to do with. They are not even like Christmas and Easter cards, some of which are little works of art, and can be used as book-markers and pasted in scrapbooks to amuse children, but the valentines are only dust-catchers whose final destination is the ash-barrel.