The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1858-03-27
Select MlisfcIIonp.
Courtshir & Marriage in Nicaragua.

COurtshir & Marriage in Nicaragua.
| his account of the discovery and settle
mont II Nicaragua, Mr Helps describes
national cus'om IN regard 10 mar rage. which
he remarks. among all the strange things
ihai hav, been done in tn, way of ina rimonv.
is perhaps unique i'll tn, annals Of the
world y"
NICARAGEAN MARRIAGE. A yrung Nicar,
aguan beauty would have many favored
levers but, after time. brrhink,ng her
that II would Inc well to n,ailr and settle. she
would ask her father t" give her portion of
land nra, to where he lived. When ne had
appointed what land She should nave she
would call htr lovers 'ogethtr and tell tht m
that she wished to marry. and 10 take one of
them a> her husband thnt she did not pos
SeSs house bat that she desired ,ha, thy
wonld build her one "n the land which her
IA her had gwen her. The prudent dam>,l
did not hesitate TO enter into details - 10 The
Kind uf Il house she wish;1 to have hnilt
and would add that if they loved her well.
the house would be built by such day
giving them a month TO complete it in To
one she would give the charge of furnishing
the wood work To anoth,r 70 find the canes
which were to form the walls t. another.
To provide tn" cordage to another. to gather
straw for the roof to another. to procure
dried fish to stock the house tn another. to
gel deer and pigs for her to another to col
lect maize. This work was USUALLY put in
hand with the utmost promptitudt nor was
the least thing dispensed with that she had
asked for. On the contrary. anxious to show
then zeal the lady Of their Affections they
sometimes bloaghl double Of what had been
drmanded. Their friends and relations
aided them, for il was ALWAYS thought
great honor to be the successful competitor,
and that it would reflect honor upon hi.
kindred
We may easily imagine what efforts wrc
made by The c"nendmg parties to promote
thcir several suits. how her relatives were
honnred and falr.rtd, how her companions
were waylaid. and what tales were conveyed
to her ears Of til. dangers and lahu,> tina
were undertaken fol h,r sake. The pump Of
c"urtship could never have been brouph, so
distinctly before the eyes Of the world as in
the pleasant province OF Nicaragua
AT last the house was ready. The pro
visions and the furniture were in it, and
III" h,Mt. of the over worked Competitors
heat RAPIDLY as the fortunate on the fatal
moment approached
A sob mn Cast was held in the new house
When supper WAS concluded Il e dams,
''S' anu iHaut u Slit'TA wv GRACIOUS speech
She first thanked them all earthly for tn,
labor they had undo rgone on her behalf -
She then said That she wished it WAS in her
power to make So many w"ntn that she could
royidr a wife for each Of her suffers In
times pas, they had ST, II what loving mis-
rresS she had been 10 each of them hur now
She was going 10 BIZ married, and to belong
10 one alone aud thiS is he one. she said
"hcrtupon she took the chosen >uiror bv tn,
hand, and retired from the apartment. Her
choice having been declared the disappointed
snitorS and their respective factions went
away a,nicabi, ana colvc!rd,d the fl asst BY
dancing and drinking. until Tic senses Of most
Of them were overcome
AS to lie bride. She was hencefnrcc
utterly cod to all her form,r lovers. and
showed herself to be true wife. The
Disappointed >uilorS TOT the most part, bore
their disappointment mrckiy, hut sometimes
ii happened that on the morning after the
marriage one or two Of ,htm were found
hanging from a tree. and there The bodies
remained, ehasily spectacle IF honor, to
show he world how the fair NicaTaguan had
been loved and lost