The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-03-08
INDIAN COURTSHIP.
Tho Plate Fashion of wooiur aad Wedding
Young Squaws.

Tho Pluto Fashion OF WooinE aAd Wedding
Young Squaws.
From the san Francisco Cat
The narration by Sarah Winnemucca OF
how Indian mnidens were wooed and won in
the Piute nation shows the strictness Of that
old n ID hs aaHs q the
account OF pute courtship to Cal reporter
When girl reaches womanhood and her
family desire to indicate to the tribe that their
daughter has reached the marria9eatle period.
but the Pn,e 1 girl comes out in an entirely M G f
ferent way from that adopted by her white, sis-
grandmother has especial charge Of her., To
that old lady. whose years are. supposed TO
schools her in domestic duties. and expinins to
her the nature tyr and importance Of the wiis,ly
female relatives to tsspse. which i IS :
small small wig, wigwam. Where she remains with
performs work which is supposed TO- DO
s stree, 1t consists chiefly OF piling
ana night she STACKS v. plies - Of wood. making
fifteen each day. Every Ave days her relations
the me .he her sonR 10 her
ants and returns TO the family lodge. Very
irsansnsy the ,,or wardroGs which she presents
When the young sirl has spent twenty::aye
cred as a public announcement that che is
Or course: prstty; shapely girl Is IN great
demand rust a. oslic Is in POUR society
and flowing HAIR as black and glossy "a a
ravens rave NV. wing and wiiioTy Sraes:uI form s
the young men of. the tribe. and often OF til
odsF too G O hsr indsn girl Is as
Oh: Oh. how dfersnt he Two klnas q eoarssI!S;
which young folks 20 and get acanain ted and
ne snd en ap ons eTs
after the play is over They never 60 riding
,H6ge.nsr nor Strol,ing through tie woods along
ean Hss as ss .na
flowers. Although they seem to enjoy much
to Ss1 ar.
kent as close As prisoners. Pnts Sou,tship
an t s ses s SexSa o,
"Y You may suppose that the girl. and young
men would steal out OF their lodges OF noon
light nights and have clandestine meetings.
and. woo ia that way. but they never dare to
word never passes between them. But still u
girl very soon knows when young man Is In
by hrs horsemAnship. or his skill with the bow.
or hi. athletic accom- plishments. He rides By
again. In this way he attracts her attention
and informs her although he does not speak a
marry her. But this does not comprise
IN of hT have At when the
ard are sleeping. the young man rises from
~ his ,h bed Cd eayss na skn and goes
loves He enters silently and sits down beside
her couch. lodge Is circular In shape. and at
brIshwood and logs on the ire in the cen csi,rs q
the tent. and then lie down with their feet to-
ward the fire and their heads toward The out
cred when s!eep,ing with skins As The young
direeily to leT slds; often steGnl9s oyer other
! tomary for the young girl to sleep near her
granimo,her, who is expected to rest lightly
she sees the young man snssr she awakons the
gIr who rises ,, and goes TO where her mother is
she does this the young man rises and goes out
as silently as be came in.
the virl while he Is sitting by her as she sleeps.
Her grandmother docs not speak word OF en-.
sn he is heF nss
night he comes again and takes up his position
t beside the giri and keers this un for long
this way he is treated as An absolute stranger
the T rs salsD hss o'
the girl; har brothers may have hunted with
him and shared the game with him; but when
& iS%d n5spSSTs y The s% 3
,snor%$. Il The, gin does 20. is hinn
rises from her bed, takes handful! OF hot ashes
|
| That's the mitten. Ii he persists In his atten-
! tons and continues TO come again and again.
| the whole family unite In heaping indgnities
| upon him. but the girl is never n party to this.
| Her brothers ard sisters and father and mother
| throw ashes upon him. dowse him with water.
| ilage late him with stout switches. and drive
| him from the lodge Sometimes An Indian
persists in spite OF such assaults. and goes
again and again 10 the tent where the CIR! il
| s,eepng. Sometimes his perseverance wins
II ID" girl likes h i'm and Is willing to marry
| him. then she tells hsr grnndmuther. who in
forms the girls father; Itthe family aink It
young man to the tent. md asks him in the
lake good care Of her Then the father ssks
| her The duties of wife. II both say they love
| each other. the two becoms engaged. but even
| after that they do not talk together, neither 40
| they go about together A day Ia fixed for tho
wedding. A great feast IL PREPARED. The rea-
| tves OF the girl aud the young man ait around
| n great camp fra together. the young ma n and
| the girl sitting side by side The food Ia in
| baskets. The girl has carefully cooked n basket
| al food for her intended husband and as she
| Hands 1t 10 him. no sei2es her wrist with his
| rght hand and takes thu basket with his left.
That IL tho marriage ceremony. The girls
father then rrnnounces them man and wife,
and they 80 TO lodge. here they live together"
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| Something FOR Coior-d Folks to Tank or.
| From The N,,o York FresIadn
~