Show I 1 CUPIDS ESPECIAL DAY SS IS THAT OF GOOD ST sto VALENTINE more potent than any C CUSTOM other authority known to man lias has decreed that on st valentines day those of opposite sex shall e exchange change missives and epistles elther either comic or sentimental in which the foibles of the receiver or the love of tho the sender aro are set forth in prose in verse or and 1 in emblematic picture now there to la tio po custom without a reason but the reason tor for this cannot be found in the life of the good saint who la Is made to indorse we this custom with hla his name he wrote no lov love 9 bongi song no one rises to accuse him of casting cheeps eyes on any roman maiden ho he was a bishop or pope of rome who stood steadfast to the faith during the claudian CIau Clau dlan eions and for that faith wah was cast into jail where he cured hla his keepers daughter ot of blindness hont honl soft qui mal y pensel it Is the pleasure of cupid blind himself to bring upon his votaries vot aries a similar blindness not to cure it nor was there anything comic or sentimental in the fate of st valentine when the miracle was nade made known to the authorities they first beat him with clubs and then be headed him what was waa left of him Is preserved in n the church of st praxedes at rome where wh erea a gatei gate now known as the porta del was formerly named in life hla hou honor or porta valentinf or saint valentines gate says william S walsh in hla his curiosities of popular customs balleys Dal leys english dictionary 1721 under the subject of valentines says about this time of the year february ary tho the birds choose their mates and probably bence camo came the custom of the young men and maidens choosing valentines for special loving friends on that day francis docco 1807 discussing the same subject says bays it was customary to put tho the names of young women into nto a box from which they were drawn by the men as chanco directed and the christian clergy finding it difficult or impossible to extirpate tir pate the pagan practice gave it at least a religious aspect by substituting the names of particular saints for those of the women but see how strong Is the old adam in the hearts of the unregenerate coin comments ments mr wash wanton youth was not to imitate these holy fathers and ballot for a ghostly partner in heaven it longed for tangible flesh and blood here on earth flesh and blood ot of that |