West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-07-03
MEXICAN COURTSHIP.
Romance in the Land of the Mon
tezumas.
Tho Untold Agonios Experienced by
smitten Romeos and Patient Ju-
nets-The Groom's Duties
and Obligations.

" 'A''A N Ah'NANtAli EhlAiilN liNiN MS W
tention upon girl he has generally
greater probation and tribulation TO un-
dergo before he can win her than the
Bible-lover who served seven years.
lie has no special acquaintance
with her, and may not 90 boldly
to the paternal casa TO call upon her.
so he meanders back and forth before
her windows, day after day and night
after night, until he has succeeded iu
attracting her attentiOn-naturallv at
tracing the attention of the whole
ncighborhood as well, il not thai of the
police, the family bulldog and patcr-
familias' pistol. If the damsors afIcc-
tons are not otherwise bestowed vou
may be sure she is not slow 20 respond,
for TO her dreams and monotonous ex-
istence romance comes as boon
from Heaven When she commences
to smile but ever so coyly upon him. he
bolder grows, and tosses bouquets be-
tween her easement bars (when the old
folks are not looking) with biAets-aOur
hidden in their hearts like Glove AMONG
the roses. This is called making tho
bear why, do not know, except that
those restless quadrupeds are supposed
to be constantly pacing to and fro
Sometimes it is kept up for years, the
faithful Romeo being nightly found be-
meath his Julict's window She. secure
behind the cruel bars or aloft upon her
balcony, leans forth i'm the moonlight.
smiling sweet responses TO his scrc-
nadcs, or renders him rapturOus by i'm
provising n lovers telegraph from n
spool of thread, by means Of which i'm
passioned messages may travel between
them, or bouquets and other Qaqcg
d'dniour be hauled up. To him that
fragile line is like Jacobs ladder lead-
ing straight TO Heaven, and an angel is
at the other end of il.
One couple Of my acquaintance have
been doing this sort Of thing for six
long years. The wcdding-day is no
nearer than ever, for this Romeo has
never yet spoken to his Juliet or touched
her tiny hand. Call these not wasteJ
years. but rather the happiest season Of
life, the spring time of love whose ideal
joys have no returning! Why should he
haste TO brush the bloom from hi.
peach, when IL is beyond the power of
earth or Heaven TO restore IL again p
merged into matrimony. would soon
degenerate to the commonplace. Per-
haps, as Byron philosophically opines:
When linked together for every weather.
They pluck loves feather from out his
wing.
Hen stay forever. but sadly shiver
without his plumage, whom pasf tho spring.
During these spooning days IL is as
tonishing how devOutly religious the
lovers become, attending church con
stantlY, and their precious health like
wise demands vast amount Of exerc' So
In the plazas, for these are the onlv
places whore, by any possibility they
may meet II is the custom amOpV
these good Catholics TO attend mass very
early In tho morning, in fact go to
church ~ oil times and all seasons, and
the young peoples routes thereto in
variably lie through the plazas. Day by
day, from the first glimmer Of dawuing
young men may be seen lettering in
these iiowcry tTysting places awai inv
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.
venture TO assert, many n kneeinQ lov-
er has worshiped living saint rather
than dead once
And then in those same plazas on
moonlight evenings when bands play
and al the town turns out among the
roses, Juliet is certain % be there.
securely hedged and guarded bv rola-
tives, but her starry eyes bctrav the iu-
ward query: Romeo, Romeo where
fore art thou RomeoP' P'-and grow ten
der at his approach Round and round
they promenade, the ladies always iu
one direction, the gentlemen I'm tho
other, SO that they ore continually
meeting; and though this fruiuos. unn-
tomime seems TO us rather unsars-
factory 10 is 10 be- presumed chat
heart arvwereth unto heart. 90. deep
cailcth unto deep the Same a- when
we old fogIes were young and -lu.
Truly these pazas are delightful