Show FROM PAGAN TIMES celebration of st valentines day Is one of the oldest of our customs st valentines dayla day IB the outgrowth outgrow th of a pagan custom the feast east of lu per percella calls which was held on february 16 in honor of the great god pan was undoubtedly kg its origin at this feast the names of the virgin daughters of rome were put in a box and drawn by the young men and each youth was bound to offer a gift to the maiden 10 30 lo tell fell to his him lot and to make her harl I 1 partner durling during the time of the te fe this custom becaro allied with tho the name of st valentine probably only through a coincidence in dates st valentine was a his 1 of rome home during durin 9 the third century lie was martyred marty red on february 14 A D who when n the an saint int came to be placed in the calen dar his name was given to the day of his death and this was made a festival in the dayd 0 quill pens and dear postage the transmission of 0 valentines through the post was ft as an expensive luxury the amorous swains of that period had content themselves and their idolized fair ones with thick sheets of gilt edged letter paper the first page of each being adorned with a gift cupid carefully gummed with the reduction of the heavy postal charges printed valentines gradually came into use they gen consisted of a gaudily colored picture representing a lovely couple first painted valentine seated in a bower w th a church in the distance and a few lines descriptive of the tender sentiments of the persons forwarding the same the designers of these amatory billets seem to have entertained rather singular notions respecting the proper at of the ladles ladies and gentlemen of whose feelings they sought to be coma the interpreters the lady was invariably dressed in a scarlet gown with a blue or green shawl the gentleman was attired in lavender arous trous ers rs yellow waistcoat blue eur tout and green or crimson cravat the et feet thus obtained was as might be imagined somewhat striking hut out our fathers and mothers were apparently satisfied with these quaint prodoc eions the introduction of the cheap postage of today laid the foundation of the present trade in valentines the manufacture of which now constitutes an important branch of indus trial activity furnishing directly or indirectly employment to several thousand persons persona of both sexes cheap postage is also responsible for the introduction of the comic valentine that hideous bit of vulgarity sold for a cent in the united states and in great britain for a penny or a halfpenny which still remains one of bf the tribulations of the day but side by side with this monstrosity grew up the pretty and fanciful cards whose use in a modified form has been extended also to christmas and to new years 6 |