Newspaper Page Text
[" D. k Par I \ y W \. I'\3&ldo Ln ,\INT valen ■* tine's day has. lm of late years, I seemingly _ by B ■ common consent, become a nB favgrlte occasion for fancy Wj dress or costume parties B hi — and home entertainments of various kinds. These I*'“ range all the way from ft card parties and more or less ftntious masked balls to the simple Be parties which have always been ft in vogue on this Cupid's festl | The popularity of Valentine day In occasion for fancy dress frolics loubtless due In a great measure Ke wide range of appropriate cos fta suggested by the occasion it- I The guests are sometimes in ■ to come as "characters of ro- Ice," or to personate famous lov land sweethearts of history, such lohn Alden and Priscilla, Evange- I and Gabriel, Borneo and Juliet, I More frequently, however, the liming is left wholly to the inge- B- of the wearers and thus we may I among the fair guests Cupids, Bns of Hearts, “modern St. Valen- I Am'JP-. i Rr ; psk^^Jßl ' '*L HHl 1 ' •. - /,#,. 1) ,* a < gliaift ii * d\ / . sj ■' : W SPIRIT Of VALftiTim DAY ” 1 In the guise of post girls, and other per ils equally suggestive of tender sentiment, 'alentlne day party decorations are obvl f 'an important consideration. Red and a should be the predominating colors and 1 lamps and gas Jets should be equipped shades of pink crepe paper or silk, in r that they may Induce a subdued illural on, as is befitting an occasion so sent!- Although not universally known, letoe Is almost as appropriate as an ad t of Valentine's day as it is of Christmas. Kably it should be placed on a chandelier 0 a doorway in such manner that it will “a readily noticed save by sharp eyes. the mistletoe is Intertwined with a bow wrow or a little plaster Cupid. mb Ingenuity of the hostess will readily last many ways of Including the mistletoe he decorations so as to be a source of y delightful surprises, making a most •Ing feature of the entertainment. The "alentlne mistletoe, it is needless to ex >. carries the same privileges for the •8 swain as does the Christmas mlstle !o phase of the Valentine party gives a ass better opportunity for the display of hallty than the form of an invitation, w adorned with water-color sketches of ts. Cupid’s bow and arrow are often used some hostesses have sent through the “ to their prospective guests heart-shaped as of cardboard with the invitation penned he face. The present day fad for souvenir si cards has also provided another me -1 *°r summoning St. Valentine's subjects, ttportant as are the decorations and Invl ®s. to provide the merriest and moat °e plans for entertaining her guests is, of se, the chief ambftlon of every Valentine ass. The true traditional ceremony of St. an tine’s day was the drawing of a class of dT. followed by ceremonies npt unlike generally known as the game of forfeits some modifications of the old English ® e la a Prominent feature of many pres- H 4Y ♦ I ppgfj ! mm * JL\ s/ mk \WmS ;. * <9 fay // r:: I "'j l —v- ■• ■*. ent day Valentine festivities. How the games and frivolities which have been handed down as especially appropriate to St. Val entine’s day originated Is veiled In obscurity. Certain it Is that St. Valentine, who was a martyred Roman priest of the third century, had nothing to do with these su perstitions, but nevertheless In old Rome on Valentine day the names of the young women were placed In a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed. Another observance that has been handed down from time Immemo rial and Is religiously followed by many twentieth century American girls, Is that of ascertaining fate's decree from still water. Each young lady writes on bits of paper the names of all tire young men of her acquaintance and after all the slips have been rolled In clay they are simultaneously dropped Into a tub or tank of water and the first name to rise to the surface Is, ac cording to this mysterious verdict, declared to be the lady's valen tine. Numerous Indeed are the super stitions which the successful Val entine day hostess resurrects for the benefit and amusement of her eueata Ghosts are supposed to walk on the night of this day and this belief serves as the foundation for the Introduction of many weird games In which graceful figures wrapped In sheets’ are supposed to learn by aid of magic art the true sentiments of the awed and mys | ©KDGIK ©F TME VRLEMTME I Although college girls are supposed to sniff at Cupid and statistics show that the devotees of higher education make marriage a side Issue, It was a college girl who Invented the first American valentine. She was Esther A. Howland, a Mount Holyoke girl, who was graduated In 1847. Yet at that time she pos sessed the modern college spirit of enterprise and energy, for she not only made a fortune for herself, but established anew Industry In this country. It was two years after her graduation and when she was back in her home in Worcester that Miss Howland conceived the Idea of the American valentine. The earliest fancy valen tine to come to this country from England fell Into her hands in 1849. It had an elaborate border of fine lace paper and was decorated with colored flowers cut out and pasted on. In the center was a small pocket, containing a red edged note, which bore a love message. Miss Howland's, father, who was a sta tioner, Imported a few of these valentines. Hla daughter, on seeing them, felt she could im prove on them, so she manufactured two out of lace paper, colored paper and paper flow ers. Even the scoffers had to admit that they outclassed those of English manufacture and she was encouraged to make a dozen more. She Induced her brother, who traveled for her father to take the samples with him on hla next trip to see If be could get any orders. tlfled mascu line guests. S o m e t imes the arriving guest at a Val entine party Is met with the salutation, “Good mor row, Valen tine.” If the person ad dressed can repeat this salutation ere the welcomer has finished speaking, he must be rewarded by a small present. A game which may always be de pended upon to produce much merri ment among the younger guests Is a modification of the well-known don key party game. In which a large cut out heart of turkey red calico takes the place of the long-suffering donkey. In the corner of the red heart Is fastened a small heart of white calico or other cloth. Each guest Is provided with a cardboard arrow with a. pin In it. As each one takes his turn ho Is blindfolded, turned around several times In order that he may be confused as to location, and then left to pin hts arrow on the white heart If he can. He must pin the arrow at the point where he first touches the sheet and Is not allowed to feel his way to the goal. After all the guests have tried their skill a prize Is awarded to the one whose arrow Is nearest the center of the white heart, while a consolation prize Is bestowed upon the On his return he handed her orders amounting to $5,000. She was aghast. She had hoped for orders representing SIOO, but $5,000 meant work enough to keep her busy for several years. She was in a quandary un til she thought of asking her friends to help her. They consented willingly. Embossed pa per was ordered from England and colored pictures from New York, from the only lithog rapher in this country. One friend cut out the pictures and kept them assorted in boxes. Another, with models before her, made the background of the valentine, passing It to still another, who put on the adornments. Thus it went from hand to hand, each one elaborating It a little more, until it was finally turned out a thing of more or less coquetry and beauty. At last the big order was completed. The next year Miss Howland looked about for novelties and gave her brother a still larger assortment of samples when he started on bis trip. Many of these wore quite costly and among them was the first message of Dan Cupid on satin or silk. A tragedy hung on the introduction of this novelty. The young woman who painted these valentines formed the habit of moistening the brush with her lips, thus absorbing so much paint that she died from paint poisoning. The second year the orders were so nu merous that It was necessary to double the working force. Uiss Howland soon found her- , [ I * Mma I - .WffH < I w / I I I Wk ■■■ I | 3^-3 %*V 1 1 *'*"•*3 wv v M J I \ v 11 w*' 1 ' 1 Ik a I j mi \ || ■n ii I WBk. \ I { .JiM \ I I mil ■ \| :<X< ,Sfi . -If imL 4/fii JPL* ■ ■ V m. V _ iWaik ; I ■ /•o/? * VALEfiVPC PARTY ——■ O$T GIRU <—- poorest marksman. If the Valentine party Is held at a residence where there Is a lon* hall, an attic or other apartment of sulß clent size, target shooting may be made a most enjoyable feature of the amusement program. The targets for this sport are very similar to ordi nary targets, save that Instead of cir cles they are heart shaped, each of a different color and placed one within another with gradual reductions In size as the center of the target Is reached. The bows and arrows are tied with bits of ribbon of correspond ing color. The young women choose the arrows and the young men the bows. Partners for the shooting match are those whose colors are In accord. That Valentine day Is distinctly a sentimental festival must not be for gotten even In the arrangement of the refreshments. Heart-shaped sand wiches, angel cake, heart-shaped cook- A VALEnT/nr HO3T£J3 . les and other significant and appropriate deli cacies should be provided. Presumably there Is a fancy cake with pink and white frosting which contains a ring. Each guest Is allowed to cut his own slice from this cake and the finder of the ring, It Is prophesied, will be the first to be married. Music Is almost Invari ably a feature of Valentine day parties and usually the choice falls upon the old-fashioned love songs. A young officer who was drilling the awk ward squad delivered himself of this com mand: "Now, my men, listen to me. When I say ‘Halt!’ put the foot that’s on the ground beside the one that's In the air, and remain motionless." self with a valentine factory on her hands. She began to Import colored pictures and other ornaments from Germany, but as It was a tedious process to cut these out by hand she had a set of dies made to shorten the process. She next conceived the Idea of em bossing the little lithograph ornaments and wrote to the firm In Germany, outlining her plan and proposing to have the cutting and embossing dies made and sent to It at Ita expense. It declined Miss Howland's offer, however, and speedily had dies made in IU own country. The American valentines, or the Worcester valentine, as it was known, rapidly gained a reputation all over the country and the busi ness Increased so much that in a few yeara Mias Howland was sending out SIOO,OOO worth of goods. In spite of generous offers from manufacturers to take over her business. Miss Howland stuck to it, even after the accident that necessitated her confinement to a wheel chair for several years. When her father be came ill, however, and required her constant care she sold out her business to the firto which conducts it to-day In Worcester. But the Mount Holyoke girls do not forget that it was a graduate from their alma mater who was responsible for the American valen tine, and every year on February 14 they toast the name of Esther Howland and the little god of love. Memphis Directory JOHN VyADE~&~SONS HAY, GRAIN. MILL FEED SEED OATS Corn, Mixi' l Chicken For,!; Pnrltc Wn.lo' Mixed Alfftlftt Feed for' ll,ice. and Mules. Writ* no. Klevalur uml Unrein.use n 1.0. ft ml V. .t M. V. R. U. 50 N. Main Straat, Memphis, tsnn. Moving Picture Machines All make* at the lowent prieea. Film* for Bale ami rent. We furninh complete outHm for Traveling Exhibitor* for Moving Picture Then Itch. Chairs, Slides, Tickets, Carbons. Oust tai nts, Limes, Oxune, Ether, etc. Write fvr Catalogue. Bos wo 11 Film A Transparency Co* 108 a. Main Bt. Memphis, Term. RELIABLE SEEDS Potatoes. Onion Sets. Field and Garden Seed. Orders and Correspondence Solicited. R. G. CRAIG & COMPANY 10-12 S. Front St. Memphis, Term. All onr .rnli comply with the fttutn law. BETTER LATE THAN EARLY Here 1, Case Where the Sage Old Proverb Might with Profit Have' Been Reversed. There is a certain young Broad street broker whoso recent sad experi ence in endeavoring to pull the wool over his wife’s eyes has led him to de clare “never again." Now, it Is the broker's custom to take a 5:30 suburban train. Unis en abling him to reach his home In West chester In ample time for the early dinner that both he and his wife like. The other day he fell. Meeting an old college mate he yielded to the lat ter’s entreaties for an evening In town. The next step was. of course, to tele graph the wife, which he did In these terms: "Unavoidably detained. Missed the 5:30. Home later.’’ When hubby Anally did show up, ho observed an expression on the coun tenance of his spouse that argued fail ure of his little Ab. “What’s the trouble, dear?" ho asked, with an affected nonchalance. Without a word the wife handed him the telegraph slip, indicating with her fore Anger the words: "Received at 4:45.” Lfppincott's Magazine. VOICE OF EXPERIENCE "Excuse mo, gents, would you mind grivin' a dime to or poor feller wot wag shot In der war?” “Where were you shot?" "In der spinal column, sir!" "Heat ttt* There wasn't any such battle!" Practical Christianity. "On behalf of the sewing circle of this church.” said the pastor at the conclusion of the morning service. "I desire to thank the congregation for f>7 buttons placed in the contribution box during the past month. If now the philanthropically inclined donors of these objects will put a half-dozen undershirts and three pairs of other strictly secular garments on the plate next Sunday morning, so that we may have something to sew those buttons on, we shall be additionally grateful.” - Harper’s Weekly. Teamster’s Punishment Earned. Apparently It pays not to be cruel to horses out in Chicago. A teamster who admitted abandoning hls horses for six hours on a recent stormy day was fined SSO by a magistrate. The humane society prosecuted the case vigorously and promised to report the matter to the driver's employers. Pre sumably he will lose his Job, as he was unable to pay the fine and. will have to serve a Jail term. GET POWER. The Supply Comes From Food. If wo get power from food, why not strive to get all the power wo earn That 1s only possible by use of skill fully selected food that exuotly fits the requirements of the body. Poor fuel makes a poor fire,, and a> poor fire is not a good steam producer. “Prom not knowing how, to select ( ho right food to fit my needs, I suffered grievously for a long lime from stom ach troubles,” writes a. lady torn, a little town In Missouri! "It seemed as If I would never bo able to find out the sort of food that was best for me. Hardly anything •hat I could eat wouldistay on. aay stom ach. Every attempt gave in heart burn and filled my stomach) with gas. I got thinner and thinner until I lit erally became a living skeleton and in time was compelled to keep to my bod. "A few months, ago I was persuaded to try Grape-Nuts food, and It had such good effect from the very beginning that I have kepi up Its use ever since. I was surprised at the ease with which. I digested It. It proved to be Just wha*} 1 needed. "All my unpleasant symptoms, t’M heart-burn, the inflated leellng wh>b gave mo such patoi disappeared. My weight gradually increased from 98 to 116 lbs., my Ogure rounded out, my strength came back, and I am now able to do my housework awl enjoy It, Grape-Nuts did it.” A ten days’ trial will show anyone some fticta about food. td*k In pkgs. for the little hook. “The Rcted to Wellvllle.” "There'S a Henson.” Kver read (ha above letterr Anew ene uppeara (rapt time to tligae. They are araalae, tree, aa4 fU at human ißttfCVli