A. Pilgrims formerly went in great numbers to the tomb of St. James, at Compostella, in Spain. They were often poorly provided with utensils, and, as the adjacent sea shore was covered with the scallop-shell, they gathered them to use as spoons, cups, saucers, etc. Naturally, upon their return, they carried the shell as a relic, often fastening it in their hats; and thus it became part of a pilgrim’s outfit, and the token of St. James.
Q. What is the best work on Florida?
A. A good work is “Florida: Its History, Growth, Condition, and Resources,” by S. A. Drake. Published by Messrs. Little, Brown & Co., Boston, Mass.
Q. What is the origin of St. Valentine’s Day?
A. It is said by some that St. Valentine was so lovable a man that the custom of choosing valentines upon his festival took its rise from his character. Others derive the custom from a Roman fashion of placing the names of young women in a box, from which they were taken by the youth, by chance. This always was done during the festival of the Lupercal, in February, and afterward the day fixed was the 14th of February. This account declares the connection of the day with St. Valentine to be accidental.
Q. What is the meaning of the word fjord?
A. It is a Scandinavian word for arm of the sea—the bays or inlets extending into the land from the sea.
Q. Who was Froebel?
A. A German educator: born 1782, died 1852. The inventor of the kindergarten.
Q. Pronounce Cœur-de-Lion; Hengist.