The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-01-18
COURTSHIP IN MEXICO.
How the Tender Passion is Evidenced i'm
the Sister Republic. o.

the Sister Republic. o.
Mexican correspondence New York World.
Courtship is carried on in a most extraordi-
ing TO the readers of the World to know how
the Mexicans make love | shall tell them
something about it.
The part man plays in a courtship here
is called "doing the bear" which is a trans
lation of .'hacer ell oso." 1t is quite com
mon expression in Mexico to say: 81 am do
ing the bear to Miss So and &c." or for the
girl to say: THAT young man is doing the
bear to me-"
''Hacer ell oso" consists in passing up and
down the street where the object OF the gen.
tleman's admiration resides between the hours
of five and eight O'Clock every afternoon,
with his eyes fixed upon the balcony, where
she is standing. If she wishes to encourage
him or some other 1850"
.. He can pass on foot or on horseback, but
the latter position is more effective, as he is
nearer the balcony, and looking up from I'M
der the wide brim of his large Mexican hat is
very impressive.
Then he goes to the same church and to
the same mass as she does and looks at her
all the time she is praying and he ought to be
doing the same. Ii he sees her in the thea
tire he never takes his eyes from her face, and
is utterly regardless of all that is going on on
the stage. He follows her also on horseback
to the public drive, or Mexican Central Park,
glancng at her from under his ''sombrero
jarano." He walks after her in the street
when she goes out shopping accompanied by
some elderly lady; in fact, he follows her
everywhere without ever speaking to her, I'M
less he happens to dance with her in a
ballroom. If he receives a great
amount of encouragement, then
ne passes up and down the street
where she lives, not only in the af-
ternoon but at other hours in the day, and
stands for an unusual length of time in door
way on the opposite side of the street making
signs to her with his handkerchief and with
the smoke of his cigar. (Here in Mexico,
joined to the language OF flowers and of the
fan, there is also the language of the hand
kerchief and of the cigar.)
When he finds he cannot express all he
wants TO say to her with these signs, then he
writes to her, and when it is quite dark he
throws his notes on the balcony, tied to a
small bouquet so they may fall well at the feet
of his lady love, or he pays some servant to act
the part of Mercury, and in that way sends
and receives letters. This epistolary court
ship sometimes lasts for years and very
often comes to nothing. Before visit
ing the house some person of in
fiuence proposes the young man to the
father or mother as ''fancee" for the young
lady, and if they accept him, then he is al
lowed 10 visit, but only sees and speaks to
MS intended wife in the presence of the entire
family. So you see that in every case the
Mexicans are obliged to do the bear. 1t re-
auires an immense amount of,patience, spe-
cill study of the manner Of using the eyes and
a great abnegation to do the bear as it ought
to be done. Patience is tried by standing
for hours in doorway, the eyes must be able
10 express great deal al considerable dis
Gance, and abnegation is proved by walking
aRd standing in the street, in the sun and in
che rain, as the weather is no excuse whatever
for not finding the 1850" at his post. fla
man wants to win the heart. Of Mexican
beauty he must muster up courage and go
through this routine, as it is impossible to
gain her affections without doing the bear to
her,