Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-06-10
MEXICAN COURTSHIP.
o Romance of Life i'm the Land
Of the EIOntezumas.
-r.nnie B. Ward in New York sun

W orninr that pleasant business fc
pei,,saIyes. Here senoritas are neve
'''r,,,i+tcd 10 90 to balls or theatres. (
1.,,a or promenade, or even to sit ?
,,,, in their own parlors with gentle
.,,on who are not their nearest kin, with
fine yigilant supervision OF mother
,,,n9 or chaperone. If our more matter
yifart northern gentlemen were accorde,
g,na of the privileges of social propin
,;tr. II is greatly to be feared that al
gy,rnfnr increase of old-maidism woul,
Snsrc. and corresponding decrease O
,aatrimonial statistics. But the old. oil,
story rs new and charming to ever,
,,ojern lover as to the first pair in Eden
Willie learned by southern youth, despit,
glres,rctions.
When a Mexican gallant fixes his affec
+ons upon a girl, he has generally greater
n-ohltiOn and tribulatiOn to undergo be
iara he can win her than the Bible lover
had who served seven years. Or course
he has no special acquaintance with her
and NAV not 90 boldly to the paterna
CASA 70 cali upon her, 50 he meanders
hqrk and forth before her windows. day
qitar dav and night after night, until he
has succeeded in attracting her attention
naturally attracting the attention of the
whole neighborhood as well, If not that OF
thp police, the family bull dog. and pa
t4rgmiGas' pistol If the damsePs af-
iarons are not otherwise bestowed. YOU
NAV he sure she Is not slow to respond.
forte her dreamy and monOtonous exist
ence romance comes as a boon from
heaven. When she begins to smile but
ever so coyly upon him, he holder grows.
and losses bouquets between her case
ment bars (when the Old folks are not
b5kiug) with billets douX hidden in their
hearts like Glove among the roses" This
IS called making the bear" why, | do
not know, except that those restless
cnalrupeds are supposed to be constantly
racing to and fro.
sometimes it is kept up for years, the
faithful Romeo being nightly found be-
Meath his Juliet's window. She, secure
behind the cruel bars or aloft upon the
balcony, leans forth in the moonlight,
smiling sweet responses to his serenades,
mpnlers him raptuous by imprOvising
aloyer's telegraph from spool of thread,
lvmeans OF which imprisoned MESA
yes NAV travel between them, or bou-
0uets and other cages d amour be hauled
up One couple of my acquaintance
have been doing this sort of a thing for
SIX long years. The wedding day is no
nearer than ever, for this Romeo has
never yet spoken to his Juliet, or touched
her tiny hand.
During these spooning days it is as
/ tonishing how devOutly religious the
lovers become, attending church con-
ttantly, and their precious health like
#wise demands vast amount of exercise
in the plazas, for these are about the
only places where by any possibility they
may meet. 1t is the custom among these
good Catholics to attend mass very early
III the morning, in fact to go to church at
all times and all seasons, and the young
peoples routes thereto invariable lie
through the plazas. Day by day, from
the first gLimmer of dawning, young men
may be seen lettering i'm these hOwerv
uystlng places awaiting the arrival of
their Dulcineas. They glance and smile,
but may not speak TO one another, and
silently each devoted swain follows the
maiden of his choice into the dim old
sanctuary, where, l venture to assert,
many a kneeling lover has wOrShipped a
-hlIA SUM- idlilCl llldll NtCdll OllCS.
Even after a couple are duly engaged
and the paternal blessing bestowed,
which happy climax is brought about by
athird party, who negotiates for the lover
with the young lady's family, Romeo is
not permitted TO see his Juliet for one
moment alone. He may call at stated in
teryals, ii the parents consent, and con-
verse with his fiancee in the presence of
her family; but, although the formal
beuo,hal is a legal ceremony, duly wit
messed and recorded, and almost as bind
M as marriage itself, not until the hy-
Meneal knot is securely tied can he eX-
change one word with her in private, or
Join in her perlmbulations on the plaza,
wa,tend her anywhere in public. Such
uItng details as ascertaining her tastes
and getting acquainted with her temper
are reserved for cOnnubial bliss. How
ever unsuitable the union may prove,
there is no release but death under this
catholic regime, which makes divorce
impossible. Naturally domestic tragedies
@Metimes occur, but truth compels us
@alm, that they are lar more rare than
49r own land, where every opportunity
ha-gled for intimate mountaineering
gae marriage.
hmanv Mexican cities it is customary
oGaoauce the engagement by printed
cards, similar TO those used for weddings,
liberals and honras for the dead. Among
my numerous collection here is one IN
IIauItIess Spanish, which says that Senior
Don Nauro Narciso Sepulveday Aarate
and Senorita Dolores Refugio Vilasena
nave contracted matrimony Il. e., are be-
I0'hedl, and have the honor to oiter
themselves a su disposition de Vat the
readers disposal. In Mexico, as IN SPAN
ana other southern countries, lady
realms her maiden cognomen after mar
Hage, and though she attaches her hus-
u".aS to it by means OF a de, is still
universally known by her own family
Two separate and distinct ceremonies
GIt required to satisfy the demands OF
ooJh state aud church. That of the latter
5a.n exceedingly long and tedious rite,
SuIIlg the progress OF which the con-
G&"cOng parties are obliged to kneel many
uuieS, and while in that position a heavy
iole OF white silk, firmly tied in a true
aver knot, is thrown over their Shout
IIoo,,s' Symbolizing hymeneal bondage. l
I I@e never seen or heard Of bride be-
rg1,sIig to the better classes in Mexico
s "ro was not married in white silk or
Ni1uL' with the traditional veil, orange
o orSsonS and all, and / doubt whether
5 a5 would consider herself lawfully we'd
%, Il otherwise attired, for there must
ca mo deviation from established custom,
y1 ,yn though the parties are poor in all
ave good f9p,ilv,
d, ~Ie& q festivities, frequently kept up for
lr%5G loHow the marriage ceremony. The
2rot s ana groom leave the church in sep
WeIo carriages, he Fastening ahead to
lLIoIie ms wife at the door of the home
~ has prepared for her One can imag-