When entering the room each guest is given a card. On one card is written,
“When the Bell Rings
once go to the post-office”; on another, “When the bell rings twice go to the post-office,” and so on, each card designating a specified number of rings. The postmaster sounds the bell at intervals, giving a different number of taps at each ring, until every girl and boy is supplied with a valentine; then each boy seeks the girl who has signed the stamp on his valentine and she asks that the wish be fulfilled. The request is, of course, laughingly and courteously granted. The valentines being sealed with St. Valentine’s stamps, the mystery of the sentiment enclosed cannot be revealed until the wish on the stamp is granted, and neither the girls nor the boys are aware of the contents of the valentines they stamp. Later in the evening the girls find the boys who have signed their stamps, and then, entering into the spirit of the fun, they grant the boys’ wishes as written on their stamps.
The guests may bring extra valentines made especially for and directed to either hostess or guests. These are not sent through St. Valentine’s post-office. The hostess keeps one door of the parlor closed for the benefit of those desiring to send special valentines. A sign posted upon it reads:
CUPID’S DOOR
and quantities of paper flowers with gilded pasteboard hearts, bows and arrows adorn it, giving it a very festive appearance. Each guest is at liberty at any time during the evening to slip from the company, make her way through the hall to Cupid’s door, slide her valentine under the door, give a quick knock and scamper off before she is caught. Only the hostess has the privilege of opening Cupid’s door, and to her belongs the pleasure of delivering these valentines to the various guests for whom they are intended.
Fig. 106.—Which heart will you take?
There are many styles of valentines which you can make. [Fig. 106] is effective and requires only a few moments to manufacture. For