Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-08-23
afliseellamu.
Burmese Courtiship.

or to escape from the universe of being,
from a succession of transmigrations Of
the soul which would otherwise continue
forever. The Buddhist priest not only
leads a life Of celibacy, but will not sane
tify the marriage tie by his presence at
a wedding. He has too much pity for
those who marry or are given in mar
riage, and who are thus unable to escape
from unending transmigrations. The
result is, that the young people have it
all their own way, and the parents as
little as the priests prevent their thor
oughly enjoying themselves after their
own ideas of admiring and being adj
mired, loving and being loved. Con-
sequently, Burmese courtships are about
the pleasantest thing in their way
which are to be found in all the semi
civilized world from Mandalay to May
Fair. They have nothing to do with
capture, purchase, or dowry, with Welsh
bundlingor Scotch whistling. They are
always nice, generally strictly proper,
although not unfrequently accompanied
by very serious quarrels, when different
gentlemen aspire to the same fair hand
A Burmese damsel is demure, laugh
ter loving, and self reliant Her man.
ner is graceful and pleasing. She wears
bright silk petticoat, white jacket, a
gold necklace. and has glossy black hair,
decked with flowers. She often smokes
a green cheroot. OF course she has adj
mirers. and she gives them all a fair
chance. Every evening she receives
visit from all these young gentlemen
and such is the waywardness of human
nature that the same swain will often
pay similar visits ON the same evening to
other young ladies of the same village
or township. Thus courtship is always
going on, and courting-time has been an
acknowledged institution from time i'm
memorial.
Here some explanation is necessary.
The Burmese evening is divided into
three watches-namely, children's bed
time, old folks bedtime, and young folks
bedtime. Children's bedtime is sunset,
or shortly afterward. Courting-time be-
gins soon after childrens bedtime, and
il continues long after old folks bed
time, which is about 8 o'clock. Young
folks bedtime, depends great deal up
on the will and pleasure of the young
people in question--say about IL o'clock.
When the hour Of counting approach
es, the young lady trims her little lamp,
so that it CLEANS through the window,
and takes her seat upon mat on the
floor. Meantime, the young gentlemen
have been putting ON their best bright
silk putzoes-a nondescript garment,
something between pair trousers and a
petticoat-have donned their clean white
jackets, have tied colored-silk handker-
chiefs on their heads in the most approx
ed style, and have turned out altogether
in the hight of Burmese fashion. They
enter, they seat themselves on the mats,
and then the " chatting" begins. If a
gallant has been unsuccessful in a boat
race, or has tumbled into the water, or
has paid too much attention to another
damsel, or has made himself ridiculous
in any other way, the chances are that
his feelings will be hurt before the even
ing is over. How the lady receives each
lover, especially in the presence of 9TH
er lovers, is more than we can describe.
She herself requires considerable atten-
ton, and the old folks never interfere.
Indeed, why should the old folks inter-
fere /? The young folks can take care of
themselves, and are only doing what
they themselves did in the days when
they were young.
These evening gatherings are general
ly very innocent, and the marriages
which follow them are generally very
happy, although sanctifed by no priest
and only held together by the ties of mu-
tual affection or the obligations of civil
law. Jealousy, however, is a master
passion in Burmah; and if damsel is
too kind to one of her admirers, the
chances are that the offending lover is
stabbed or shot. Indeed, a jealous ri
val, who suspects that the object of his
affection is alone with another rival,
will not unfrequently astonish the hap
py pair by running spear through the
floor of the mating on which they may
be reposing, and then there is a regular
Burmese row, terminating very seriously
sometimes.-Appletons' Journal
A young lady recently wrote to II. G
asking him for the best remedy for dand.
ruff He replied by saying eco West,
young woman, 60 West. and apply to
some frisky tribe of Indians. They re.
move dandruff by simple remedy and
warrant it never to return"
A minister made an interminable call
upon lady of his acquaintance. Her
little daughter, who was present, grew