Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-17
COURTsHIp IN THE ORIENT.
How the burmese Lover Woes, and
Generally Wins.

How the Burmese Lover Woes, and
Generally Wins.
Courting is matter which must be
treated of very cautiously and only in the
abstract notwithstanding Sydney Smiths
structures on the damsel whom he over
heard in an Edinburg ball room. The
youth in love is looked upon by his
friends rs fool, and to be avoided like a
man with the small pox or an Irishman
with views on the Land act. His rhapso-
dies make the benedict smile, or shud-
der, and the ungalled bachelor yawn. In
the East it is different.
It is matter of common knowledge
that pretty well all over India marriages
are arranged for the young persons by
their parents, sometimes before the VIC
tim have got beyond toddling about naked
and making mud-pies. No very enthu-
siastic passion is to be expected Of young
couples thus contracted to one another.
The young male always appears at dis
advantage in affairs OF the heart, but it is
a thousand times more embarrassing for
him when these soft things have to be nd
dressed to the fair one in the presence of
three or four other girls and companion
or two of lis own, all OF them presuma-
bly, bored, and therefore viciously critical.
But we have nothing to do with the nc-
tual agencies of the martyrs to such n
style of love-making. The proceedings
which go before the interview are more
public matter, and emineutly calculated
to exasperate tasty neighbors.
Courting in Burmah is all done at
night. Burmese houses are all on piles,
and never more than one story high. As
a general rule there are only two or three
rooms altogether, and there are, there
fore, but two courses open to the elders.
They must go out and wander about while
the courting goes on, or they must go to
bed The former alternative does not
commend itself to the mother, who likes
to superintend operations for herself
through convenient slit in the bamboo
walls and going off to bed as it were at
word of command is only compatible with
n most mild and yielding disposition in
the father. Consequently when the girl
is arrayed for conquest-tlowers twined
in her hair, fragrant cosmetics on her
cheek and neck. and her finger-nails deli
cately tinted-it is not always possible to
summon the ardent youth forthwith. He
is outside, dressed in his smartest and
with couple of companions bent possi-
bly, on the same errand as himself, but he
is obliged to stay there till he gets the
signal that the coast is clear and that he
may come up. Every youth has his own
private signal by means of which lie an
nounces to his lady-love his arrival in the
street. This is almost invariably effected
by means of n fiddle with two strings. 1t
is n sad fact that Young Burmah is Ia
mentable failure on the fiddle. Each
youth must have his own particular call
that the lady may know who it is that is
coming, and not be imposed upon by mis-
chievous jokers or rowing, irresponsible
gallants. Paganini is said to have played
bewitchingly on one string. The Bur
man is successful only in producing hor-
rible sounds on two. There is n great
lack of inventiveness in these counting
calls. One youth confines himself to the
down stroke, and drones away monoton-
ously, but with great staying power.
When at last the happy man receives his
summons there is peace again for time,
only, however, to be interrupted in some
thing less than an hour, when, the sweet
nothings have all been said as best they
can be before an unsympathetic audience,
the young men issue forth to go to some
other girls house, where another of the
party is interested. And so it goes on
until it is too late to make further rounds,
and relieved neighborhood sighs with
delight.
Lightness of color combined with
plumpness of figure forms the Turanian
idea of feminine charms. Old counting
customs are found among the Talaings
also, and may frequently be observed in
Maulmein, and somewhat less commonly
in Rangoon. The Talaing maiden does
not admit her lover into the room with
her. That is a freedom which she con
siders little less shocking than the GUS
tom OF the West. He has to creep be
tween the posts on which the house i.
supported, and hold sweet convers,
through the chinks OF tho bamboo floor
There is nobody to listen to all that is
said as long MS the happy pair speak il
sufficiently guarded whispers, No mali
cious friends can hint at the maiden's for
wardness, or freeze by their looks the ar
dent emotions of the young man into
platitudes. The duration OF the inter
view is not SO long as that granted to the
Burman, but considering the circumstan
ces, it is probable that more actual court
ing business can be got through in til,
time. The Talaing lover does not use
10 ulb buib Witi
n Burmese girl, and even then he fire
quently holds by his own national Gus
, tom. He whistles. When, therefore
the Talaing falls in love he may at onc'
, be detected by the assiduous way il
which he practices whistling at furtiv'
moments during the day. He never at
tains to excellence, and often, at the en-,
| of a long courtship, makes wild slips an(
, puifs in an ungraceful and jerky fashion
before he gets to the sounding point. l
, is, of course, nearly quite dark, and sh
5 may be imposed upon by bold adven
! turer who stimulates the favored man, an
/ comes up the moment the handkerchie
Q is dangled through the chinks of tn
= door MS n signal to announce that tn
\ coast is clear. Accordingly the visitor
= required to put his hand through betwee
{ the interstices OF the bamboo floor Til
t girl recognizes her lovers hand, and, if i
c is all right. and she is inclined to fave
: his suit, she takes hold Of it, and thus
v hand i'll hand, they unfold their hearts
V one another. But, il it is strange hant
Il or il she is inclined to be coquetish sh
L clips his finger with pair OF betel-niI
L pers and tales are told of over-energet
!. damsels who have actually nipped man
v finger joint Off with that formidable in
s strument. Courting on these terms
S rather perilous work, and the ladies ha,
it gallant gay Lotharios very completed
n under their control
, a summer song.