Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-05-03
nBslia8 stistss
love N MENIcO.
How the Mexican SWANS Coo to
Their Duleinas.
The Romance Of Life 10 the Balmy
Land Of the Monte
ZumaS.


inc orsafIv from those of the United States,
are in the main not unlike those OF France,
spain and Italy. While there is much IN
Southern etiquette that to US seems absurd,
and reminds one Of the ancient saW'anent
straining at rnats and swallowing esmels' It
must be confessed that our own tree and
easy ways. which 90 somewhat beyond the
golden mean, are not above criticism. It's
an undoubled fact that the average Ameri-
can is the most blunt, brusqe, If not
boorish of all civilized people, while
our women, though proyerbisliy
yirtuous and pure minded, con-
duct themselves with such disregard Of CON
ventionality as to bsve become byRord IN
Europe and an abominatiou in the Orient.
We will rot discuss the question whether
the careful guarding Of the southern maiden
until she is delivered into the hands OF her
husband makes her better wife and moth
er than the independent American girl, IN
whom sense OF honor and personal respon
sibility have been fostered from her cradle;
neither will we leave out Of account the
wide differences of temperament and climatic
influence, nor the fact tina; rules which may
work well enough with cold, phlegmstic
Northeners, might lead to other results
among the volatile, ho;-blooded races OF the
tropics. A passionate Juliet does not seem
outof place in the land where Shakespeare
portrayed her, but imagine the same love-
lorn creation, fyou can, in New York, Bos
ton or Chicago.
IfEberty between the sexes may De re-
garded as Indicative of progress, Mexico
has advanced considerably beyond those
Eastern nations which in many respects,
she closely resembles Her style of srchi-
lecture, manner of conducting business,
MANY details OGiamily lite, etc, are essen
italy Moorish, Syrian, Oriental; yet her
social customs are q judicious compromise
between the absolute freedom of the North
and those Of lands whose yelled and Sc
cluded beauties are treated as prisoners be-
fore marriage ard slaves afterwards.
In Mexico ladies Of the better class are
never seen upon the streets slone, and are
seldom permitted to even 90 to church IN.
attended Their neighbOrly visits, which
are incessant, for their narrow lives ere BY
no means free from the female propensity to
gossip, are invariably made in beVIes or
couples or in the care of trusted servants.
Even their shopping is mostly done by proxy
(poor things for few OF them have ever
seen the inside Of store IN their lives. 10
the city of Mexico and one or Two other
of the more cosmopolitan places it IS the
fashion for ladies to sit in their closed car
risges at the shop doors while obseqVioIs
clerks bring out their stock, piece by piece,
for inspection; but in most portions Of the
Republic merchants send goods to the
6 nj n and
fro until the fair customer is suited or meek
ly gives up the point and takes what she can
get
Perhaps the reason one sees so much ex-
ecrable dressing in Mexico, and colOrs
which swear at one another IN CHASTITY com
biuatioDs, is not that our gentle neighb1rS
are deficient in good taste. but because they
are obliged to depend almost wholly upon
masculine selections remember pretty
little sonora in Monterey, who was plunged
into the deepest despair because her new
Casino costume-for the Governors ball,
tCos-pIesen,ed as many iucOngruous colOrs
in material aud trimming as JOseph's his
tOric coat. and who teartully declared that
all men are color blind, WHY don you go
and match !, Yourself? l veutured to
suggest 4 look OF horror Crep. over
her face, actually q blush upon the olive
cheek as with many expressive gestures she
explained how yerguenzs (ashaued) she
would be to do so unlsdyhke a thing Let
no one imagine that these restrictions are
forced upon the ladies Of Mexico by their
stern male relatives. Whatever psterfsni.
lass opinions may be, the softer sex, as
rule, keep instinctively within prescribed
limits, and would be distressed beyond
measure 10 be compelled TO deyiste from
them. The laws of Medes and PersiaGs
may change and death and taxes De evaded,
but among such women social customs are
immutable, whether from hereditary habit,
or the Catholic education which renders
couventual life attractive.
In this country it must, indeed, De true
that matches are made in heaven for Next
can youth have few opportunities Of perform
ing that pleasant business for themselves.
Here senOritas are never permitted to go to
balls or theatres, to drive or promenade, or
even to sit at home in their own psrlors
with gentlemen who are not their nearest
kin without the vigilsnt supervision OF
mother, duena, or chaPerone. If our more
matter.oEiact Northern gentlemen were &C
corded none Of the privileges OF social
propinquity, it is greatly to be feared that
sn alarming increase Of Old-maidism would
ensue. and corresponding decrease OF
matrimonial statistics. But the old, old
story. as new and charming to every modern
lover IS to the first psir in Ellen, will be
learned BY Southern youth, despite all re-
s,rictions
When Mexican gallant fixes his afec-
tons upon a girl, he has generally greater
probation and tribulstion to undergo before
be can win her than the Bible lover had who
served seven years. Of course, he has no
special acquaintance with her, and may not
90 boldly 10 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 in attracting
her ENTHUSIASTICALLY attracting the at
tention OF the whole neighborhood as well,
ifnot that of the police, the family bulldog,
and paterfamiisss pistol. II the damsers
affections are not otherwise bestowed, you
may be sure she is not slow to respond, for
to her dreamy and monotonous existence
romance comes as o boon from heaven.
When she begins TO smile but ever
so coyly upon him, he holder grows, aud
losses bouquets between her easement bars
when the old folks are not lOOkiug) with
billets doux hidden in their hearts Ike love
among the roses" This is called making
the bear" why, / do not know except that
those restless Quadrupeds are supposed to
be constantly pacing to and fro. Sometimes
II is kept up for years, the faithful Romeo
being nightly found beneath his JuGets
window. She, secure behind the cruel bars
or alott upon her balcony, leanStorth in the
moonlight, smiling sweet responses to his
serenades, or renders him rspturous BY
improyising alover's telegraph from spool
Of thread, BY means of which imprisoned
messages may travel between them, or oou-
quets and other cages dsmour be hauled
up. To him that fragile line is ike Jacobs
ladder, leading straight to heaven, and an
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