The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-07-04
Piute Indian COurtship.
Home Journal.

tnc iHdIIldSdDlS pEIlOu, Sic AudkcS HcI
debut, as you say in English, but the
Piute girl comes out in an entirely
different way than that adopted by her
white sister. Just before she reaches
womanhood her grandmother has es-
pecial charge of her. To that old lady,
whose years are supposed to have
brought wisdom, the girl is given. She
schools her in domestic duties and ex-
plains to her the nature and Importance
of the wifely relation. The girl then
goes with two other female relatives to
a teepee, which is small wigwam,
where she remains with them twenty
five days.
During this time she performs work
which is supposed to be strengthening.
1t consists chiefly of piling wood.
Three times day, at morning, noon
and night, she stacks five piles of wood,
making fifteen each day. Every five
days her relations take her to the river
to bathe, and at the end of the time
she gives her clothing to her attendants
and returns to the family lodge. Very
frequently the wardrobe which she pre-
sents her female attendants is quite ex-
tensive, and is regarded by them as a
valuable present When the young
girl has spent twenty five days in the
teepee, she has made her debut into the
society of her tribe, and that is consid-
cred as public announcement that she
is ready to marry.
Of course pretty, shapely girl is in
great demand, just as belle is in your
society. A girl with handsome face
fine black eyes and flowing hair as black
and glossy as a ravens wing, and g
willowy, graceful form, is the object oi
great deal of attention from the young
men of the tribe, and often of the Older
men too. A lovely Indian girl is a:
much sought after in her circle as q
great beauty is in London drawing.
room. But, oh, how different the two
kinds of courtship are7 We have nc
parties in the wigwams to which young
folks 60 and get acquainted and court
The young men and girls have no thea
tire to attend, and no long walks home
after the play is over. They never &C
riding together, nor strolling through
the woods along the river bank. They
never idle together in the canoe on tht
water, plucking lilies and flowers. AL
though they seem to enjoy much great
er liberty TO roam and wander whittier
soever their fancy may lead them, ye
they are kept as close as prisoners
Piute courtship lacks freedom, and ye
it is not devoid of that intense excite
ment that attends love-making tht
world over.
You may suppose that the girls an(
young men would steal out of thei
lodges of moonlight nights, and hav
clandestine meetings and WOO in tina
way, but they never dare to do it. In
deed, they never speak together. 4
word never passes between them. Blu
still a girl very soon knows when
young man is interested in her. HI
tries to catch her attention by his horse
manship, or his skill with the bow, o
his athletic accomplishments. He ride
by her at furious speed and return
again and again. In this way he at
tracts her attention and informs her
although he does not speak a word
that he loves her and would like tc
marry her. But this does not compris
all of his courtship. At night, whel
the Indians have retired to their wig
vans and are sleeping, the young mai
rises from his bed of leaves and skin
and goes to the lodge occupied by tn
girl he loves. He enters silently ant
sits down beside her couch.
A lodge is circular shape, and a
night, when the inmates go to bed
they heap brushwood and logs on tn
fire in the centre of the tent, and thel
lie down with their feet toward the fir
and their heads toward the outside O
circumference of the wigwam. Th
Indians sleep on leaves and robes, ant
are covered when sleeping with skins
AS the young man enters the lodge h
can see by the freight where the younI
girl is sleeping, and he goes directly t.
her side, often stepping over othe
sleepers, and sits down by her bed.
is customary for the young girl to slee
near her grandmother, who is expecte'
to rest lightly after the girl has mad
her debut. AS soon as she sees tn
Young man enter she awakens the girl
who rises and goes to where her mothe
is sleeping and lies down beside hel
AS soon as she does this the young ma
rises and goes out as silently as he cam
in. Not a word is spoken. He doe
not touch the girl while he is sitting b
her as she sleeps. Her grandmothe
does not speak word of encourage
ment to him, neither does her mothe
indicate that he is welcome suitol
The next night he comes again an
takes up his position beside the gir
and keeps this. up for long time
During all the time he is courting i
this way he is treated as an absolut
stranger by the girls relatives. The
may have entertained him before h
began his attention to the girl; he
brothers may have hunted with hi
and shared the game with him, bl
when he once begins to woo the gi
familiarity and friendship ceases. H
is never invited to eat of food prepare
by the family of the girl, and HI