Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-05-11
CourtshiDin Zuni.

had nearly given up seeing pair of gar
ters which had been promised me, when one
day, all bustles and smiles the Little moth
err came in bearing them.
They were beautiful and well made-they
endure even yet-and with matronly pride
she laid them before me. 1 paid her liberal
ly, that the subject of Lai.iu.lut-sa should not
be resumed; but it was broached to the gov
ernor. That night when we were alone he
came and lay down by my side where l was
writing.
''Get big piece of paper said he, and,
knowing him, 1 obeyed
Now write"
l seized pencil.
Thou comest ? said he, in his own Ian
guage.
l wrote it and pronounced it.
Good" said he then added;
"'Yes; how are you these many daysY
Happy Sit down Eat (Then a
tray of bread will be placed before you, but
you must be polite, and eat but little, and
soon say , Thanks
% Eat enough. You must have come think
ing of something. What have you to say?
L don't know
"'Oh, yes, you do; tell me-
" I'm thinking of you lin a Whisper.
" Indeed You must be mistaken
"'Non
" Aha do you love meY'
'Ay, love you
" Truly?
Yes
- Possibly we willsee. What think you,
say"
"What in the name of the moon does all
this mean, brother?' l asked, after he had
made me read the questions and answers over
two or three times, and said l had pronounc-
ed them all right.
1T means what you will say to Laiiu-lut-sa
tomorrow night when you go to see her"
l was perplexsd. 1 knew not what to say,
as l feared offending the old man.
Look here, brother, l can't 90 to see her
she would laugh at me because 1 can't speak
good Zuh yet"
Now that's all have to say to you" he
replied, angrily. 'Tve done my best for
you; if fools will be FOOLS not even their
brothers can help it. l see you propose to
live single, and have everybody say There
is a man that no woman will have, even when
his brother helps him ko Do you sup.
pose l am blind? You are no Zuhi-you
want to 60 back to Washington but you
can't tell you. You might as we'll be mar
ried you are Zuhi-do you hear me? You
are a fool, too"
to me again for many days, save on the most
commonplace affairs of life, and then but
briefly.
My old father now came to my relief. He
persuaded the vexed governor that possibly
La-iu-lut-sa did not suit me, and that my re-
fusal of her was no argument against my love
for her people. With a sublime sense of his
power of diplomacy, he also sat down to have
talk with me the same evening.
you see, my son, had nothing to say
about Lai-iu -lut-sa don't like her myself"
said he, with smile. ''Now, had it been
Iu-i-tsaih- -ti-e.tsa, 1 should have said, BE it
we'll, and he waited for me to ask who she
was.
kept wise sience-my brother kept a
sulky one.
'She is the finest being in our nation; and
my otoH niece, " he added, with emphasis.
II never saw her" said 1.
us that all 2" he exclaimed, eagerly. "She
shall bring you bundle of candle.wood to-
morrow evening"
"What shall pay her for it ?" asked.
"Pay her Nothing, my son, unless you
wish her to think you a fool and cover me
with shame"
Next evening went to see Mr.. Graham the
trader and staid late. When l returned, a
little bundle of pitch pine was lying by the
door, and the old governor, getting up with
an oath, left the house. Again the girl came
| with wood, at time unexpected to me but
happened to be absent and finally the mat
| ter, after many vexed remarks concerning my
strange behavior, was for time given up.
The Zuhi customs connected with courtship
are curious. Regularly a girl expresses a
fancy for a young man. Her parents or rela-
| tiyes inform those of the youth, and the latter
| is encouraged. II suited, he casually drops
into the girls home, and much the same con-
yersation as the governor tried to teach me
eusues and "if it be well " the girl becomes
his afianced or YiM Eid ai,hd (His TO be).
Thereafter the young couple may be seen
frequently together-the girl combing his
| hair on the sunny terraces, or in winter near
the hearth, while he sits and sews on articles
of apparel for her. When he has made his
bundle" or collected sufficient number OF
presents Invariably including pair OF moe
oasins made from whole deer-skin-he takes
it to her, and if they are accepted he is adopt
cd as a son by her father-or, in Zuhi Ian
quape. "as a ward" Ia.Lp-hi and with the
beginning of his residence with her COM
mences his married life. With the woman
rests the security of the marriage ties, and II
must be said in her high honor, that she sell
dom abuses the privilege; that is, never sends
her husband "to the home of his fathers" un-
less he richly deserves it. Much is said OF
the inferior position of women among the
Indians. With all advanced tribes as with
the Zuhis the woman not only controls the
situation, but her serfdom is customary, self
imposed, and willing absolutely. 10 her be-
long, also, the children and descent inolud-
ing inheritance, is on her side.-F H. CHSh-
ing IN May Century.