The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-07-31
COurtship in Mexico.

When the evening kindly lends its shell
tering cloak, even though the moon
smiles fullfaced at the many love scenes
she is Witnessing, the girl opens her
easement window, and, with guitar in
her hand or dreamily watching the stars,
she awaits her lover. If her room is
on the ground floor she is in paradise,
for then they can converSe-he can even
touch her hand through the bars. But
if she is consigned to room above she
steps out on the balcony. If the dis
tance is not too great they can still con-
verse, but otherwise, with the aid of
pencil, paper, and tiny cord, they man
age to spend the evening blissfully with
out burning papa's coal and gas and
staying up until unseemingly hours.
The lovers are unmindtul of the peo-
pie who pass and repass, and the kind
hearted policeman never thinks of tell
ing the young man to move on If
the house is secluded the lover tells his
devotions in musical strains. Night is
not only devoted to love making, but
in the broad light of day the young man
will stand across the street and from
the partly opened easement OF the fair
one are visible a hand and a nose-of
course she has full view, but that is all
that can be seen of her. With the hand
they converse in deaf and dumb language
which, added to their own signs, makes
large dictionary. 1t is not likely
there exists Mexican who is not an
adept in the sign language. Courting
is too vulgar word for them, so they
call it-translated in English-playing
the beaH
Sometimes they play the bear for
from seven to fifteen years-that is, if
the parents are very weaIthy-and even
then not get the girl, for, with all their
passionate love, they number many firts.
Often one girl will have two or more
playing the bear at the same time. If
they chance to meet they inquire fierce
ly: Whom are you after2 If the an
swer demonstrates the same girl one will
request the other to step aside. If he
refuses duel follows. After that the
girl is bound, by the custom of her coun-
try, to relinquish both. If brother or
father discovers bear, the latter must
submit to a thrashing from their hands
if he still desires to retain the girls love.
If father notices the attention of
bear and looks with favor upon him,
he does not disturb his playing. When
he concludes he has served long enough
he is invited into the house. This means
the same as if he had asked her hand in
marriage and has been accepted. He
is the intended husband, but never for
moment is he alone with his fiance.
He may aspire to take the drivers place
sometimes, or to take the entire family
to the theatre
If man gets impatient and feels like
becoming responsible for the price of
his sweetheart's bonnetS he asks the
father. If he is rejected he can go to
public official and swear out notice to
:he effect his and the girls happiness
He then secures warrant which gives
him the privilege of taking the girl away
bodily from the home of her parents.
This is a Mexican elopement. If, on
the other hand, he is accepted, the we'd
ding day is named and agreements are
drawn up as to how much will be the
daughters portion at the death of her
parents. Before that period she receives
nothing. The intended husband fur
nishes the wedding outfit, and all the
wearing apparel she has been using is
returned to her parents. She has abso-
lutely nothing. The groom buys the
customary outft-white satin boots,
white dress, and veil.