The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-06-02
POPPING THE QUESTION.

POPPING THE QUESTION. g
-f- s The father decides the marriage of
his children; and what he requires
-. before all else is, that the future wife
or husband should belong to the Or
thodox Greek Church, and have
good reputation. Young men may
marry at eighteen, young girls at six
s9s teen. Whether the future pair know
each other or not, there is always
matchmaker engaged to make the
Overtures, and to carry on the nego-
tiations on this delicate subject.
Popping the question is pro-
.s,r fessiOR that requires a great deal of
art and intelligence in the person who
exercises it. In the first place.
matchmaker must be a widow, not
younger than thirty-6v and not older
than fifty. She must be lively, good
looking and full Of fun and wit. 1t IS
quite indispensable that she should
have the gift of CAB, that, as the
Russian prOverb has il, she need not
feel for her words in her pocket. a
matchmaker ought to know every
thing without showing it. Very often
the matchmaker is the widow. of
priest. After the death of her bus
band, when she sets up in her profess
sion, she is sure TO have large mum
Der of customers. both rich and intiu-
tial, to help her on in any difficulties,
particularly if her husband, during
his lifetime, had acquired the love
and respect of his Pensioners In the
exercise of his ministry.
HEa THE MATCHMAKER.
The matchmaker is the intimate
friend of all parents who have chill
dren 70 marry, aud of young lovers of
Pol both sexes. She is always on the
lookout, and knows how to guess the
lnclInatlOns of her customers, and the
best time to commence operations.
- The custom IS that neither the parents
nor the young people should show
that the latter desire to contract a
marriage; IN fact that they pretend
entire ignorance on the subject
Well, Ivan Ivanitch, says the.
IA matchmaker to the father, you have
the goods and have the buyer; do
rf you not think it Is time to fnd place
for Machinka? Come Aiexandre's
Day (the holy many, she will have at
tanned her tenth year, with six added
to that. What say your" Why, /
don't say no, if my daughter says yes.
Speak to her. it is her husband; not
mine. | am al old man now, and
l have forgotten all about these sort of
things"
Now, the matchmaker knows very
well that Machinka Is In love With
the young Andevrimkoff, her uncle's
clerk. Come, Eyanitch, the thing is
very we'll as it is; Machinka won't
say no, you'll see" Well well,
says the old man. tell me who is the
predestiued engaged one" Guess,
says she. Then I'll old man names
all the young men he knows, without
ever mentioning the right one although
he is perfectly aware vi the time who
he Is; but such Is the usage. At last
the matchmaker names him, and
Sdds, marriages are made IN
heaven, you know" @
THE BRIDES.
When all this is settled they send
for the mother, and the same scene is
repeated with this difference, That she
- bursts into tears when she gives her
consent. And now takes place the
nl third scene Of the first act. The young
lady is sent for; the matchmaker be-
III gins By making a low speech, in which
she describes the happiness of the
marriage state, particularly the quiet
happiness of the young lady 5 own
parents; speaks of the blessings of
God that had evidently been bestowed
upon them in the gift Of children
She then continues to tell of the pleas
ures of becoming mother, of paren-
tai love, and of the wayin which the
young ladys own parents had brought
up their daughter, and concludes by
a serious exhOrtation to respect and
obey her parents.
All this time Maehinka IS standing
before the tribunal, listensnc vita
dowucast eyes and blushing checks,
The. foregoing scenes are then acted
over again, and Machinka does not
succeed any more than her parents in
finding out the young gentleman 3
name. At last the matchmaker de-
clares 1t. If he Is accepted by the
young lady, she throws herself at her
parents feet and declares that she
never wishes to leave them, but that,
IT il Is her destiny, she Is willing, and
desires their blessing.
THE PRELIMINARIEs.
The father then senus for every
member Of his household, even to the
dvoruik (porter); all sit down and re
main perfectly still for a moment
they rise, pray mentally, making the
sign of the cross, and the father de-
clares to all present that his daughter
rs Is asked in marriage; that she has
accepted the offer because she be-
lieves il to be her destiny and the viii
of God; finally he gives her his bless
ing.
All then congratulate the parents
aud the young lady. Everybody sheds
tears at the thoughts of the approach.
ing separation, and bowling, leave the
room. Inc Ianlly remain alone WIZ
the match maker, to treat of the mar.
riage portion to be given on both
sides, as we'll as of the outfit; the pa
rents ask what the young man has
although they know very we'll; but il
is the custom. Then the matchmaker
begins " Well, Ivan Ivanitch, yoJ
We me the principal bundle of goods
buNwhat do you give into the bar
gaiA?" Huml" says the old man
| the goods | furnish are so good tina
consider an7thing else useless. lie
US first know what the future husband
has" TIE matchmaker then men
tons. one after the other, everything
the gentleman is to bring towards
housekeeping. The father listens, ther
enumerates all he is to give the daugh
ter. aad oegius thus: " A large doubl,
bed, complete
The father continues:
A" awo marteu sable cloaks one o
fox fur, fifteen LYONS silk and satir
dresses, ten real Paris bOunets, tweiv,
pairs OF shoes, three cnemises, on,
night gown and Que pettcoat," etc
AT er many observations on boil
sides, everything Is concluded; tn,
day i appointed for the young pe0plt