Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-04-30
Ways OF Wooing.


that since the world was created no
two couples made love after the same
fashion. And since lit takes all sorts
of folks to make world" they may be
fairly supposed to do their courting in
all sorts of ways. For instance, the
counting of the aboriginals Of Australia
consisted simply in knocking the wo-
man of his preference down with a
club and carrying her off. This form
of wooing was as efficacious as brief,
and was certainly commendable on the
score of economy, since it subjected
neither party to the expense of lights,
fires, oyster suppers. ice cream, elabo-
rate dresses, flowers, etc., which are the
usual concomitaIts of civilized love-
making. But the method OF the Ans
tralian has been tried by other than the
dusky savages.
Some curious courting customs pre- |
vail in Africa. In one t-ibe of Eastern
Africa 1t is regarded as ne plus ultra OF
gallantry for the lover to parade before
the hut of his inamorata astride of
huge boar. Mungo Park tells of a /
tribe in the interior, where custom
compels woman to carry calabash |
of water to the man who has expressed |
a preference for her. Seated on mat |
before his door he washes his hands in |
the vessel, and then the woman drinks |
the water as a token of her affection. |
Less repulsive was the act of the lover |
among the ancient Persiaus who burned
his hand or cheek to prove his devotion !
and then showed it to his lady love. If
she was "willin' " she bound the injured |
part with a silken scarf: but if obdurate |
she sent the man to the physician for
healing salve.
Among the MoraviaRs it was the
custom for the minister to select wives |
for the men of his congregation. If a
''sister" had any objection to the
brother" selected for her life partner
she was permitted to state it, but it was
generally overruled by the priests elo-
quence. Strange to say, the historian
tells us that these marriages were gen.
orally happy.
In Greenland, the services of the
pastor of his flock are also callod il. A
man who has made up his mind that
his worldly circumstances warrant him
in indulging In what has been called
''the abstract desire of every man
to furnish board and lodging to some
Young lady, and has decided which
young lady" he wishes to be taxed for,
calls on the reverend father, and states
the case. The inquiry is made whether
the girl knows of the suit, to which the
man replies that he has made some pre-
liminary love-making, which was not
very kindly received, but adds: Thou
knOwest the ways of mankind" In
Greenland. be it remarked, it is an ac-
cepted fact in social philosophy that a
wOman's no means yes. The priest
calls upon the young woman and pleads
the case of her lover, assuring her that
he Is a good man; that he catches many
seals, elc. 1t Is the custom for the
woman to reject all proposals at first,
but 10 yield at last an unwilling assent,
If the priest thinks she Is TOO obstinate,
he generally remarks: "Ah. well, 1t Is
no matter; L can easily find another
woman who viii have such good pro-
yinder," and turns to leave, which
action brings the stubborn maiden to
terms at once.
In st. Petersburg, Russia, custom
prevailed many yeaIs-though declined
greatly in importance, 1t has not gone
wholly out of use-which was designed
to stimulate the laggards in courtship,
On Whit Sunday there was held in the
Summer Garden, one or the city's
parks, fair of all the damsels OF the
city who wanted husbands. Dressed in
their best, with all the ornaments at
command, and holding silver spoons or
other ware in their hands. to show that
they were not wholly pOrtionleSs, they
stood in rows under the trees, ATTENDED
by parents or guardians to insure pro-
/ priety Of behavior and to facilitate
matrimonial bargains. The men in
search of wives stroled about scrutiniZ-
| ing all the candidates at leisure. When
a man saw ole that pleased him he
| usually introduced himself to her Gus
todians. and if his statement of family.
| business and prospects were satisfac-
! tory, he was made acquainted with the
young woman and inyi ed to her resi-
dence. After this, the nuptial eere-
mony followed as speedily as the would
be bridegroom desired.
We find custom precisely like this
| still in existence in a district IN the
south of Ireland. There it is known
as .'shrafting," the name being derived
| from Shrove Tuesday, the day on which
it is held. On that day all the mar
riageable young people of both sexes
are marshaled on the village green by
the parents, the girls in all the glories
of Sunday gowns and gay ribbons, as
lovely as freSh-blown roses, evidently
enjoying their blushes, and the young
men, also in their best attire, looking
as foolish as only the male hum an can
look on exhibition. The two sexes are
stationed in line apart from each other,
and the parents pass between to vouch-
safe proposals or to receive them, and
to haggle over marriage PORTIONS HE
preferences of the young people are
fully understood by the elders, and
commendable effort is made to gratlfy
them, the main object of the parents
being to secure as good a set-out as
possible for the young couples.
A California miner, having amassed
quite fortune, was returning by ship
to New York to revisit old trends and
to find HIM wife. A young woman
on board the ship serving in the capacity
of nursery governess to the family OF a
merchant on board, pleased HIM much
by her neat and modest appearance.
He therefore introduced himself one
day, and broke the ice of his purpose
with one reckless plunge:
MADAM. my name is -, my pa
rents and family reside in New Hamp-
shire; l have property amounting to
500, 900 and expect to engage In busi-
ness in -. 1 am perfectly tenn
perate man, and can give you good
reference to testefy of my general up
right character. am unmarried and
want wife. Will you marry me?"
The lady took IN the character of
her suitur at once.
"Thank you," said she, 81 will, "
and on landing they were forthwith
married.
The Rev. Richard Hooker had no
. time to devote to courtship, and, there