The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-06-04
Roumanian Oourtships.
A REGULAR DAY FOR DIsPosING OF ALI.
THE MARRIAGEABLE GIRLS.

An English gentleman who visited
Roumania last year was present al the
marriage fair that is held every year,
at the feast of the apostles Peter and
Paul, on the crest of Mount Gaina, one
of the most lofty of the Carpathian
Mountains, which is about 6000 feet
above the level of the sea. Here, he
states all the manageable girls in
large and populous district are assem-
bled, with their parents and friends, in
order to be viewed by men desirous OF
obtaining wives The cautious moth
ers in Roumania do not encourage love-
making at home, and do not counte-
nance long clurtships. They choose to
have their daughters stay at home and
work till they are of an age 10 have
husbands selected for them, at which
time regular business is made of it.
One week in every year is given up to
matchmaking. Every girl over 6 who
desires husband--as what girl does
not ?-is dressed in the finest garments
that can be obtained, decorated with
flJwers and jewlery, and taken to the
great marriage fair grounds. The
girls are accompanied oy their parents
and friends, who bring with them
trunks and baskets filed with articles
OF value that are to compose a part of
the prospective brides dowry. Not
infrequently cattle, horses, goats, sheep
and hives of bees are taken along by
farmers who have daughters to dispose
of. A fine tent is provided for each
girl and her attendants, and IN it are
displayed the articles that are to con-
stitule her dowry. The men seeking
brides pass from tent to tent, inspect
the girls, chat with the parents, and
examine the goods that are on exhibi-
tion. Girls who have engaged them
selves in secret come to the fair as
others do, and allow their lovers to
propose for them After the brides
have been selected, hermit monk,
who resides on the mountain, conducts
the ceremony of public betrothal.
1t would save vast amount Of time
money, care and anxiety if match.
making was conducted in this business
like way IN this country. Here a
managing mamma is not infrequently
employed most of the time for five or
six years in getting daughter off her
hands. During this time the girl must
have from seventeen to thirty-eight
new dresses, and no end to FANS, shoes,
parasDls and bonnets. She must take
lessons in music, drawing, riding and
gymnastics in order to make her at
tractive. She must be drought out"
in order to be properly displayed be-
fore the young men in the neighbor-
hood where she lives and then most
likely taken to Niagara, Saratoga, New
port and Long Branch for exhibition.
All these articles aud journeys are ex-
pensive. If the money spent on them
was set apart for dowry, it would he
much better for every one except shop
men, teachers, transportation companies
and hotel keepers. Long courtships
mean long gas bills. and often resul:
in nothing else. Correct business
principles should be applied to match
making as to all other human concerns.
If all girls were kept in the obscurity
of quiet home till they were of an
age to be married, and then exhibited
at public fair, smaller proportion
of them would grow up old maids.
Many young men decline to marry be-
cause they know the girls they have
seen too well. If they saw them but
once, and knew that they were likely
to be selected by others in the course
of a few hours, they would propose
for them at once. The cost of match
making in Roumania has been reduced
to minimum, and old maids are al.
most unknown. In all parts of this
country, and especially in Massachu-
setts, there is too much sentiment and
not enough business tact displayed in
matchmaking, and as onsequence
the number cf old maids is very large.