The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-09-20
Courtlng without speech.

ty tough Job in Mexico. The young
man is first supposed to moet the young
lady on the plaza. They never speak,
but they always gaze at each other as
they pass. When the lady does not
make her appearance on the plaza the
young man will repair to the street
fronting the house, and walk up and
down in front Of it for several hours.
He will always gaze earnestly at the
window as he passes. The young lady
and her female friends are inside, and
she will return his glance. After 10
O'Clock the young man will 60 home.
This performance is continued for q
couple Of months. and at last the young
man will knock boldly at the door and
ask for the lady of the house.
Ae will tell her he is in despair.
That her daughter is an angel
from the Paradise valley of Heav-
on; that she is beautiful beyond
compare; that she is better than she is
beautiful; that he is wildly in love with
her, and that life has no possible inter-
est for him unless he can win her. He
will then tell Of his prospects IN life,
what he is possessed of and hopes to
| he possessed Of. If this latter part is
| satisfactory to the mamma, she will
commisserate with him, tell him that
she has noticed his attentions to her
daughter, and finally conclude by invit-
ing him to the inner circle and introdu-
cing him to the young lady in the pres
ence of the assembled family. The
grandma Qf there is q grandma in the
family will sit between the young
people and witness their cooling. All
the rest of the family remain in the room
also, unless they are otherwise engaged,
but under no circumstances must the
young people be left alone second.
This, you will admit, is pretty tough,
but that Is not half what the young man
must suffer before the padre closes the
bargain and gives him proprietary III
terest i'll his lady love. II, percharce,
the young lady has pair of big broth
ers-and such is generally the Case
the unfortunate swain lB expected to
treat them to mescal and cigarettes
every time they meet. 1t circus or q
theatre company visit the town it is the
| prerogative Of the young lady to ask all
her female relatives to accompany her
to the show, and the young mau of
course is expected and required to foot
| tho bill. But the worst part Of the
business for the love. sick young man re-
malps to be told. He cannot walk by
| the side of his affianced on the way to
or from the theater. She will start off
ahead in company with some female
| friend, while the young man Will bring
| up the rear on the arm of his grand
mamma, or some equally venerable
| dame. This is the recognized and in
| violable custom OF the country, and
| while it exists the American young man
will not be social success Ill Mexico.
He cannot stand the racket. If the
| young couple are very spoony they can
be married in six months. though we'll
regulated society demands twelve
months courtshlp.
The wedding Is simple affair enough,
but usually consists of two ceremonies.
There must be civil marriage under
the law, and the ladies invariably insist
on religious ceremony afterward. The
marriage ceremony Is conducted cheap
| ly, though have been informed Of n
few instances where the grooms were
America ns, and were, consequently,
bled to the tune of 5000. When tho
young couple are married they oan ell
JOY the first real privacy of this acquain-
tanceship. Not even IN hour before
they are married will they be allowed q
few moments Of uninterrupted converse.
All the tender nothings and sweet bill
ing ami cooing iIabituai to lovers in tho
United States are denied them unless
they choose to indulge in suoh luxuries
before witnesses. This rule of etiquette
Is carried to such nh extent that Il young
lady's reputation suffers il she is seen
for moment alone in the company of
| Az
l will give little personal experience.
There Ii young girl in tho family,
about 70 Years old. She WIS educated
IN San Francisco, rs were her mother
ana 1"tner, ana ns II consequence they
are somewhat more progressive in cer-
tain mntters than their l.elghbors. /
formed the acquaintance Of the family.
and was invited to make visit. Gull
ed ut the house O'Clock in the after
noon. The mother was busy, and left
the young lady to entertain me in the
parlor. Soon n neighborinp woman
arrived unannounced. A look of terror
seized my fair yis-u-vis, and with g tiut-
ter she pointed to al adjacent door,
and begged me to retire hastily. did
so, the door WAS closed Immediately.
and found myself i'll a bedroom.
mere was no window, tho only ventila-
ton being the door opening to the sit
ting-room. This being closed, you may
imagine my condition, with the ther-
momoter lO5 degrees in the shade.
There, however, had to remain for full
forty minutes, whom the visiting lady
took her departure, When the door
was opened l was III very emlable anu
q very warm condition. Apologies, how
ever, we've profuse. Both tho mother
and daughter spoke ut the same time.
Tney said that they formerly lived in the
United States, and consequently were
not 30 rigid in enforcing parlor rules
when Americans were the visitors. But
the sudden appearance Ct the nelghbor-
ing woman struck terror in the young
Indy, and in plying tones she informed
me that If she was seen alone with me-
In the parlor her reputation would be
torn to pieces IN twenty-four hours.
Such is the rigidity OF etiquette in that
country.