Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-09-29
HOW WON.
Counting without Speech-Within Such
Bounds do Mexican Lovers. sigh and
Sigh again.

Bounds do Mexican Lovers. sigh and
Sigh again.
Counting, from all accounts, is a
pretty tough job, in Mexico. The
young man is first supposed to meet
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 re-
pair 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 fe
male friends are inside, and she will
return his glance. After 10 o'clock
the young man will go home. This
performance is continued for couple
of months, and at last the young man
will knock boldly at the door and ask
for the lady of the house. He will
tell her he is in despair. That her
daughter is an angel from the Para
disc valley of Heaven; 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 interest for him
unless he can win her He will then
tell of his prospects in life, what he
is possessed of and hope to be pos
sessed Of If this latter part is salts
factory to the mamma, she will com
misserate with him, tell him that she
has noticed his attentions to her
daughter, and finally concluded by
inviting him to the inner circle and
introducing him to the young lady
in the presence of the assembled
family. The grandma Gf there is a
grandma in the family will sit be-
tween the young people and witness
their cooling. All the rest of the
family remain in the room also. unless
they are otherwise engaged, but I'M
der 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 a propri-
etary interest in his lady love. If,
perchance, the young lady has pair
of big brothers-and such is gener
ally the case-the unfortunate swain
is expected to treat them to cigar
cites every time they meet If cir
Gus or theatre company visit the
town it is the prerogative of the
young lady to ask all her female rel
atives to accompany her to the show,
and the young man of course is ex-
pected and required to foot tho bill.
But the worst part of the business
for the love-sick young man re
mains to be told. He can not walk
by the side of his affianced on the
way or from the theatre. 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 grandmamma, or some equally
venerable dame. This is the recog
nized and inviolable custom of the
country, and while it exists the Amer
lean young man will not be a social
success in Mexico. He can not stand
the racket. If the young couple are
very spoony they can be married in
six months, though well regulated So
ciety demands twelve months court
ship.
AND THEN THE WEDDING.
The wedding is a simple affair
enough, but usually consists of two
ceremonies. There must be a civil
marriage under the law. and the la
dies invariably insist on a religious
ceremony afterward. The marriage
ceremony is conducted cheaply,
though l have been informed
of few instances where the grooms
were Americans, and were, conse-
quently, bleo to the tune of 5000.
When the young couple are married
they can enjoy the first real privacy
Of this acquaintanceship. Not even
an hour before they are married will
they be allowed a few moments of
interrupted converse All the tender
nothings and sweet-billing and COO
ing habitual to lovers in the United
States are denied them, unless they
choose to indulge in such luxuries
before witnesses. This rule of ETH
quette is carried to such an extent
that young lady's reputation suffers
if she is seen for moment alone in
the company of young man. AS
an illustration of this / will give a
little personal experience. There
resides here very respectable and
somewhat wealthy family. who lived
for several years in California. There
is a young girl in the family about
20 years old. She was educated in
San Francisco, as were her mother
and father, and rs consequence
they are somewhat more progressive
in certain matters than their neigh
bors. I formed the acquaintance of
the family, and was invited to make
a visit. I called at the house at 2
o'clock in the afternoon. The moth
ar was busy, and left the young lady
to entertain me in the parlor. Soon
Q neighboring woman arrived unan-
uounced. A look of terror seized my
fair vis q vis, and with a futter she
pointed to an adjacent door, and
begged me to retire hastily. did
so, the door was closed Immediately,
and ! found myself in bedroom.
There was 10 window, the only venti-
lation being the door opening to the