The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-12-04
Courting.

I was shos ked, hcrriGed. almost
dambloundci There was NJ Sarah
fshe calls hcrse.f SaIlis1 n the parloT
mother snd sister N the kitchen with
the poss AMI pans. = which latter pl aos
| was invited 10 enter dii 50. sitting
on the edge Il i chair. ant shsving with
the others ~ ala imp.tieh, waiting for
the young men % tnssh their remark
about the weather. aud their erl'lca!
analysis 81 the various performances ot
Edwin Booth; bat their departure hIr 6
fire. perhap- each tried ,o sit the osht r
ont. or the society Of the charming
Sarah mig't, have been too fascinating
70 have b.en easily dispensed With At
ali eveaf.. l.ft while their foFee9
iaughs Of mcrr.,ncut were still steal
ing thr0ugh cracks and keyhoIes |
went homa aud rumiEated
When was yoaHg and iny sisters
i0ur of them had company, 10 one
thought u leaving the paflor while the
favored young gents aired their ideas
Of matters and things IN general. ';ra-
CiDas IL would have taken tour par
l0rs 10 have accommodated each sepa-
rate sister il their courtiug Was TO be ss
mysterious aud secret as the holding of
Freemason's Lodge But girls in
those days were different; they hon
ored their parents, aud thought II was
quite as well TO find out their lover :
characteristics IN the bosoms Of their
families, where papa could Joke them
and the little ones could pull their
hair aud demand contributions of candy,
and where p kiss 1T the gate. and sun
dry stolen glapces in the psror. was
considered a gooi nights courting. and
u blissful reward for five miles walk
But they have changed. and marriages
are not so numerous. and no wonder.
for when young girl banishes the
family from the parlor. she deliberately
says in actions, which speak loud
er than words
My dear Charles Augustus. here
am alone now court me. ! expect to
entrap you for husband, and the folks
are $50 eager To get rid of me. that they
will give us the exclusive use of the
parlor, So that | can have every possible
chance 10 exercise the power of my
charms for an indefinite number of
weeks 10 accomplish that wished for
result.
Now is 1t strange that breach of
promise eases are numerous, when a man
l. almost forced 20 propose. AMI then so
deluged with sweetness before the wed
ding day, that be Is surieite,l, aud
thinks be has made a mistake, that
there is so little left to find out about
the young lady that all the novelty is
gone that be could not be happy with
her in tact. be- gets to rather dislike
her. And SO Clorinda wceps over bro
ken vows. or ii she il of practical
turn ot mind, estimates her SORROWS at
so many thousands of dollars. and con
iides her hearts secrets To- the tender
confidence Of sensational lawyer
lymph you'd like u girl to marry
man who had never been permitted 10
gaze upon her lovers face. like ia those
old wicked Eastern countries. some Of
my sweet friends might say Bat no, /
would have "a happy medium. where
kisses and caresscs were not So nume-
rous as-to be no novelty after marriage
1t would leave little 10 the iuagina-
tlon and 10 the anticipation. would
have 1t 81, that If the acquaintance de-
yelorcd characteristics that were disa-
greeable either could retreat without
having the whole community scandal
ized, aud the edge of the lady's purity
so dulled that a second suitor would he
10th TO present himself.
All night long dreamed of courting,
lovers quarrels. breaches of promise.
weeping maidens. sarcastic young men;
q very kaleidoscope of the affections,
aud | arose At the first break of day.
and delugiug my face and head IN cold
water. soon dispciled the illusion of the
night.
As the day wore on. Georges wife
raped at my office duor.
Ny dear, you're just the person
wanted To see Then asked her ideas
on the subject Of the oxclusivcness Of
courtIug She burst out into merry
laugh and said
Il want no big glaring parlor all to
myself don't care how many Of the
family are present; it only gives fire.
quency TO the progress of the aoquain-
tancc. Only give me few dim nooks.
like the shadow of a curtain. bow
window. or projecting grand piano
with an occasional moonlight walk. and
I'll get all the proposals l want, If |
was two or three times a widow.
You are sensible woman after nay
own heart So sou never sent your
mother into the kitchen. aad your sis
tiers 10 bed, So as io have George all 10
yourselfs"
My mother would have boxed my
ears bad ! proposed such thing aud
thy father would have looked ,huu
der cloud. We did enough coEFting -
become acquainted, engaged. ard mar
rted all within three months. and we
had the novelty IT finding out each
others bcs, perfcctioBs a.terwar3, mol
bat that we found oct fow little dis
agreeable qualities also, hut that l.
batter than Knowing each other % well
before marriage, that you can almost
tell What each are going to SAY and do
from day - day Ii l vas a man |
woald marry no girl that threw herself
AZ my head. as II were. auG would not
sccept me ss : friend OF ..e lsr1.iy. ~
least tall knew something of my own
mind think this ovcr-anxiousuess t0
show a InAu yea are ra1y - l~s mar
ric,l. Is what gCeycnt. msny uea trou
even visiting families where there are
yoans ladies'. Tor far they shall b.
looked upon SIS suiiors. before they have
even made their third visit Tbe glris
A :. / = l. = Ks-zk