The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-02-22
HOW RUSSIAN GIRLS ARE COURTED

Love is the same the world over,
but ''courting' is managed very diff
terently in different countries. Rus.
sian counting, among the middle
classes, is peculiar. The first Whit
sunday after the young girl is &C.
knowledged by her mother to be OF
marriageable years, she is taken to
the Petersberg summer garden to
join the bridal promenade This
consists of the daughters Of the
tradesmen walking in procession,
followed by their parents. Up and
down they go, pretending to chat
with each other and to take no notice
Of the young men-the tradesmen's
sons, dressed in their hest clothes
who walk in another procession on
the other side. However, every now
and then some young fellow slips
out of his proper rank and adds him
self to the line Of girls on the other
side, speaking to one particularly.
The par rents of the girl join in the
conversation in a few moments, and
soon they leave the promenade and
are joined by the parents of the
young man. Generally, the old folks
have talked it we'll over before, but
on this occasion every one pretends
to be surprised. On the next day a
female confidante calls on the girls
parents and requests her hand. This
granted, all the relations on both
sides meet and argue about the por-
tion to be given with the girl. If
this is not satisfactory. all is at an
eud if it is what is expected, the be-
trothal takes place.
The bride and bridegroom kneel
down upon great fur mat and the
bride takes ring from her finger
and gives it to the bridegroom, who
returns the gift by another. The
brides mother meanwhile crumbles a
piece of bread over her daughters
head, and her father folds the image
of his daughters patron saint over
his future son-in.law's well-brus he'd
locks. AS they arise the bridmaids
sing a wedding song. The guests each
bring forward a present Of some sort.
Wine is handed about, and some one
saws it is bitter and needs sweeten-
ing. Upon this the bridegroom kisses
the bride-the sweetness being sup
posed to be provided by this kiss
salutes the company and takes his
leave. on which the bridemaids sing
a song with chorus something like
this:
Farewell. happy bridegroom,
But return to be still more happy.
Courting time has now begun.
Every evening the lover comes to
his lady's home with present.
which is always something good to
eat-geneaally cakes or sugar
plums. He makes love under rath-
er awkward circumstances, for the
bridemaids sit about the betrothed
pair in circle, singing songs descrip-
tive of tLeir happiness.
The last evening of the courtship
is enlivened by the presentation OF
the gifts of the bridegroom, which
IuuSU luClutAC III OoLhoos S"p
and perfumery. On receiving these
the bridemaids instantly carry
the bride away and wash her,
dress her hair and perfume her pocket
handkerchief. 4.
Thus touched up she returns to
the company. and the brides father
gives his future son.in-law the mar
fiage portion, which he takes home
with him in a neat bag.
The next morning he returns for
the lady herself. She receives him
with her hair unbraided and flowing
down her back. 1hey are marrled
bv the cermonies Of the Greek
Church, and the old iolks never 60
to the wedding dinner.
Those eternal bridemaids, whom
they must hate by this time, are
there. however still on duty. and the
evening closes by the bride kneeling
down and pulling off her husbands
boots, to prove her intention to be
an obedient and submissive wife.
| Good-natured bridegrooms gener.
'Ially hide Jewelry or money in their