Two dozen couples make a very goodly company of young folks for a pleasant little evening; therefore, send out invitations to that number. The cards of invitation might have on them, either in India ink or water-colors, an arrow-pierced heart, a whole heart or a broken one; even a cluster of them, like fishes on a string, according to the pleasure of the hostess. For each of the twelve young ladies invited, select a rÔle that she will impersonate; for instance, we will say that the twelve characters to be represented are:

1. Queen of Hearts.
2. Gypsy.
3. Nun.
4. Bicycle Girl.
5. Summer Girl.
6. Colonial Girl.
7. Poster Girl.
8. Widow.
9. Old Maid.
10. Trained Nurse.
11. Columbia.
12. Valentine.

Number twelve can be either a sentimental or a comic character. If the latter, a good deal of amusement may be derived by getting a younger brother or some mischievous boy to represent this character. Have the young ladies gather at the home of the hostess somewhat earlier than the men present themselves, and when the latter have assembled in the parlors pass a tray around to them containing a dozen cards, on each of which is written a couplet. These couplets are suggestive of the rÔles the young ladies play, and each gentleman may select such a couplet as he sees fit. When all the cards have been taken, the young men in rotation read aloud the couplet each has chosen, and after the reading of the couplet the one representing it is brought into the parlor by the hostess and introduced to the reader, who has thus chosen her as his valentine.

Among the pleasant features of the supper a "Valentine cake" may be introduced with good effect. A nicely iced cake, decorated with candy hearts having sentimental mottoes on them, should be divided into twenty-four slices before it is brought to the table. In the slices for the young girls to draw make a small slit with the sharp blade of a knife, and insert into the opening a slip of paper on which is written the name of some young man who is present.

In those slices the men are to draw are such small articles as denote the sort of wife Fate has chosen to be each one's partner for life. Thus, a silver coin signifies wealth; a scrap of silk, a fashionable wife; a penny, poverty; a tiny spoon, a good housekeeper; a pen, a literary woman; a small silver heart, a marriage for love; a small brush, an artistic wife; a tiny mirror, a vain woman; a piece of crape, a widow, etc.

First a young lady chooses a slice of cake, then the man whose name she draws selects one and learns the kind of life-partner he is to have. Much merriment may be derived from such a cake.