Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-07-19
WAYS OF H0oING.
Some Curious Counting Customs-Leap
Year Privileges.

world" they may be fairly supposed to d
their counting in all sorts of ways. For in
stance, the counting of the aboriginal @
Australia consisted simply in knocking tn
woman of his preference down with a clul
and carrying her off. This form of wooin,
was as efficaciouS as brief and was certainl,
as commendable ON the score of economy
since it subjected neither party to the ex
pense of lights, fires, oyster suppers, ice
cream, elaborate dresses, flowers, etc, which
are the usual concomitants of civilized love
making. But the method of the Austria
Ian has been tried by other than the dusSy
savages.
Some curious counting customs prevail il
| Africa. In one tribe of Eastern Africa it il
regarded as the ne plus ultra of gallantry
for the lover to parade before the hut of hi:
! inanorata astride of huge boar MungC
! Park tells of a tribe in the interior wher,
custom compelS a woman to carry a Gala.
bash of water to the man who has ex.
pressed 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 re-
| pulsive was the act of the lover among the
ancient Persians who burned his hand OF
| 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 MoravianS it was the custom
for the minister to select wives for the men
of his generation. If sister had any
objection to the brother" selected for her
life partner, she was permitted to state it,
but twas generally oyeruled by the priest $
eloquence. Strange to say, the historian
tells US that these marriages were generally
happy.
In Greenland the services of the pastor of
his flock are also called in. A man who has
made up his mind that his worldly circum-
stances 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 preliminary loye-making
which was not very kindly received. but
adds Thou knowcst the ways of man
kind" In Greenland, be it remarked. it is
an accepted fact in social philosophy that
woman's no means yes. The priest calls
upon the young woman and pleads the case
of her lover, assuring her that he is good
man, that he catches many seals, etc. II is
the custom Tor the woman to reject all pro-
poSals at first, but TO WELD at last an unWiIl-
ing assent. If the priest thinks she is too
obstinate he generally remarks: "Ah,
well, it's no matter; ] can easily find an
other woman who will have such a good
provider," and turns to leave, which action
brings the stubborn maiden to terms at
once.
In st. Petersburg Russia, a custom pre-
vailed for many years-though declined
greatly in importance, it has not gone
wholly out of use-which was designed TO
stimulate laggards in cOurtship. Whit
sunday there was held in the Summer
Garden, one of the city parks, a fair of all
the damsels of the city who wanted hus-
bands. Dressed in their best, with all the
ornaments at command, and holding silver
spoons or other ware in their hands TO show
they were not wholly portionless. thew
stood in rows under the trees, attended bv
parents or guardians to insure propriety of
behavior, to facilitate matrimonial bar
gains. The men in search of wives strolled
about scrutinizing all the candidates at
leisure. When man saw one that pleased |
him he usually introduced himself to her |
and if his statement of family. |
business, habits and prospects was salts
factory he was made acquainted with the |
young woman and invited to her residence |
After this the nuptial ceremony followed |
as speedily as the would-be bridegroom de- |
sired.
We find a custom precisely like this still |
in existence in a district in the south of |
Ireland. There it is known as shraft- |
ing, the name being derived from Shrove |
Tuesday the day on which it is held. On |
hat day all the manageable young people |
Of both sexes are maTshaled on the village |
green by the parents, the girls in all the |
glory of Sunday gowns and gay ribbons.
IS lovely as freSh-blown roses. evidently
Enjoying their bushes, and the young men.
tIsO in their best attire, looking as foolish
Is only the male human can look on ex-
ibiGOn. The two sexes are stationed in
inc apart from each other, and the parents
BASS between to vOuchsafe proposals or to
eceive them, and to haggle over marriage
PORTIONS. The preferences of the young
,eople are fully understood by the elders,
md commendable effort is made to crafty
hem, the main object of the parents being
o secure as good a set-out as possible for
he young couples
A California miner having amasSed quite
fortune. was returning by ship to New
ork TO revisit old friends and find him a
wife. a young woman on board the ship,
CRYING in the capacity of nursery govern
IS TO the family of a merchant on board,
'leased him much by her neat and modst
ppearance. He therefore introduced him.
elf one day, and broke the ice of his pur-
'ose with one reckless plunge Madame,
ny name IS --; my parents and family
eside in New Hampshire; have property
mounting to 100000, and expect to en-
age IN business in -. am perfectly
man, and can give YOU good ref
10 Of
haTacter ! am unmarried and want
fiie. VIII you marry me2" The lady
0ok IN the character of her sutton at once
Thank you, said she, will, and on
lnding they were forthwith married.
The Rev. Richard Hooker had no time
D devote to courtship. aud therefore, de-
uted his landlady, Mrs. Churchman, TO
nd him wife. She selected her daugh-
ar. Joan, but the unfortunate divine no
oubt often quoted in the receSses of his
Oul in after years the old saying, Marry
/ haste to repent at leisure" For Joan
royed terrible shrew, and led the poor I
minister wretched life of it. Counting
y proxy is a dangerous thing, whether a
iausible old lady or a bosom friend is en- ,
loved to do il. So the Saxon King Edgar I
,und it when he sent his friend Athelstane t
, report on the charms off lady called the !
lost beautiful in that Kingdom, and to
Ger her the office of Queen should she
rove te be as lovely as reported But Ath-
stane fell in love with her himself, and J
coed and married her, and then told the :
ing she was not beautiful at all, only be- !
X rich. When the King found out how 5
e had been deceived Ahelstane had TO /
sc not only his beautiful wife and her
ealth, but his head into the bargain.
A writer. whose veracity, however, we +
ire not vouch for, gives the following as b
/ actual statute recorded in the old Saxon il
'de, giving 10 the lady the privilege that !
e has taken such poor advantage of:
Albeit, as often as leape yearre doth oc- r
ire, the womanne holdeth prerogative A
'er the mamie in matters of courtship, :
We and matrimonie; SO that when the
iy proposeth it shall not be lawful for
e name 10 say her nae. but he shall en- :,
rtain her proposal in al guide courtesie," -