The Columbus journal., 1888-11-14
METHODS OF COURTING.
THE SAVAGE LOVER GENERALLY
SHOWS A LACK OF TENDERNESS.


tns Australian Captures His Bz3d-Ths
Style In Certain Parts oe Asia Curl
Gus Custom in Holland.
Among tho ancient Assyrians all mar
riageable young girls were assembled at
n place, end the public crier put them
up for sale one after the other. The
money which was received for those who
were handsome, and consequently sold
well. Was bestowed as q wedding portion
on those who were plain. When the most
beautiful had been disposed Of the more
ordinary looking one were offered for q
certain sum. and allotted to those willing
to take them.
In ancient Greece the lover was seldom
favored with an opportunity of telling
his passion to his mistress, and he used
to publish it by inscribing her name on
the walls, on the bark of the trees in the
public walks, and upon the leaves of
books. He would decorate the door Of
lions of wine before it. in the manner
that was practiced in the Temple Of
Cupid.
According to Dr.. Hayes, courtship
among the Esquimaux has not much
tenderness about it. The match is made
by the parents OF the couple. The lover
must 60 out and capture q Polar bear as
az evidence of his courage and strength.
That accomplished, he sneaks behind the
door Of his s~weetheartis house, and when
she comes out he pounces upon her and
tries to carry her to his dog sledge. She
screams, bites. kicks and breaks away
from him. He gives chase, whereupon all
the old women Of the settlement rush out
and beat her with frozen strips of seal
skin. She falls down exhausted, the
lover lashes her to his sledge. whips up
his dogs. dashes swiftly over tho frozen
snow, and the wedding is consummated.
The Australian lover is still more lack
ing in tenderness, if the statement madc
by Myers Deley is true. The lover makes
up his mind as TO which woman shall be
his bride. and then hides in the bushes in
the vicinity of her dwelling. As soon as
she IN near the spot where he is con-
cealed he knocks her down with O club,
and carries her off before she comes to. II
he does not get her to his hut before she
RECEIVERS there is likely to be a lively fight
in the bush. for tho Australian damsel is
generally q vigorous one, and may have
reasons of her own for Directing to his at
tentions. The lover may then be obliged to
club her again, and as that is considered
to be somewhat of q reflection on the ardor
with which his earlier effort was made, he
is apt to put a. much soul and muscle
into his first love tap as he can summon.
In some parts of Asia the question of a
mans title to q bride must be settled BY
q fierce fight between the friends of the
contracting parties. If his forces are vic
torious, his sweetheart becomes his
trophy. If her friends are victorious, he
must pay such price as tho victors de-
mand. All over that country some Ger
emory Of violence or exhibition Of ply
steal power must p-ecede o wedding.
some native tribes insist upon n foot race
between the bride and bridegroom to de-
eide the question of marriage, and others
require a long chase on horseback. In
some sections of Asia the lover must
carry off his bride on his back. If he
reaches his hut with her. there can be no
protes: against the marriage. Failing in
that. he must pay her parents for her in
cattle. The willing bride makes no out
cry; the unwilling bride rouses the whole
village, the residents Of which try to res
II her.
In the Isthmus Of Darien either sex can
do the counting. while in the Ukraine
the girl generally attends to it. When
she falls in love with q man, she goes to
his house and declares her passion. II he
declines to accept her, she remains there,
and his case becomes rather distressing.
To turn her out would provoke her kin
dred to avenge the insult. The young
fellow has no resort left him but to run
away from home until the damsel is other
wise disposed of.
A curious custom prevails in Oud
Beierland, Holland. October is the AUS
picious month. and on the first Sunday
iknown as review day. the lads and ~lasses,
attired in their best, promenade tho
village separately, stare each other out Of
couRtenance, and then retire to make up
their minds on the second Sunday, which
is called decision day. The young men
60 up and pay their compliments to the
fair ones Of their choice, to learn if they
arc regarded with favor. On the third
Sunday, or day of purchase. the swain is
expected to snatch the pocket handker-
chief Of his adored one, and if she sub
mits to it with good grace he I'M
derstands that his chances Of winning
her are fattsring. Ihe captured
pledge is, restored to the fair owner
on the fourth Sunday, the Sunday of
Taking Possession" and it rarely hap
pens that the damsel refuses tie lover for
whom she has indicated a preference. On
the Sunday following. the sutton, accord
ing to custom, calls at the house of his
inamorata, where he is asked to tea. ia
piece of the crust of q ginger bread loaf is
handed to him. there Is nothing left for
him but to retire. If, on the other hand,
the parents offer the young man a piece
of the crumb. he is allowed to come again
and is admitted into tho family.
On tho Island of Himia, opposite
Rhodes, a girl is not allowed to have a
lover until she has brought up a certain
quantity Of sponges, and given proof of
her agility to take them from a certain
depth. On the Island of Nicarus the girl
is not consulted. Her father gives her to
tho best diver among her suitors. He
who can stay longest under the water and
gather the most sponges marries the
uaid.-Frank II. Stauffer in The Epoch.
The Soft Shen and Hard Shell.
It is q popular fallacy that soft shell
crabs are a different species from hard
crahs- Practical Eshermon and