Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-24
METHODS OF COURTING.
THE SAVAGE LOVER GENERALLY
SHOWS A LACK OF TENDERNESS.

! Courtship Among the Esquimaux-How
| the Australian Captures His Bride-Ths
Style In Certain Parts of Asi2-A Curl
Gus Custom in holland.
Among the ancient Assyrians all mar
riageable young girls were assembled ct
one place, and the public erier put them
| up for sale one after the other. The
money which was received for those who
were handsome. and consequently sold
| well, YVES bestowed as wedding portion
on those who were plain. When the most
beautiful had been disposed Of the more
ordinary looking ones were offered for a
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. lie would decorate the door Of
her house with garlands, and make Gba-
tons 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
an evidence of his courage and strength.
That accomplished, he sneaks behind the
door of his sweetheart's 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, tho
lover lashes her to his sledge, whips up
his dogs, dashes swiftly over the frozen
snow, and the wedding is consummsted.
The Australian lover is still more lack
ing in tenderness, if the statement made
by Myers Deley is true. The lover makes
up his mind as to which woman shall DO
his bride, and then hides in the bushes in
the vicinity of her dwelling. AS soon as
sho comes near the spot where he is con
cealed he knocks her down with 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 lively fight
in the bush, for the Australian damsel is
generally O 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 reflection on the srdor
with which his earlier effort was made, he
is apt to put as much soul and muscle
into his first love tap as he can summon.
In some parts of Asia the question of a
%, Ia 70 hid la Id H.,
a 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 the victoTs de-
mand. al over that country SOHO GER
emory of violence or exhibition of ply
steal power must precede wedding.
Some native tribes insist upon 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 tho lover must
carry off his bride on his back. If he
reaches his hut with her, there can be no
protest 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
cue her.
In the Isthmus of Darien either sex can
do the counting, whilo in the Ukraine
tho girl generally attends to it. When
she falls IL love with man, sho goes to
his house and declares her passion. If he
declines to accept her, she remains there,
and his case becomes rather distressing.
To turn her out would provoke her kin
bred to avenge the insult. The young
fellow has no resort left him but to run
away from home until the dsmscl is other
wise disposed Of
4 curious custom prevails IN Oud
Beforehand, Holland. October is the aus
picious month, and Oh the first Sunday
(known as review day the lads and lasses,
attired in their best, promenade the
village separately, stare each other out OF
countenance, and then retire TO make up
their minds on the second Sunday, which
is called decision day. The young men
go up and pay their com pliments to tbs
fair ones Of their choice, TO learn if they
are regarded with favor On the third
Sunday, or day Of purchase, the swain is
expected to snatch the pocket haudkcr
chief of his adored one, and if she sub
mits to it with good grace he IN
derStaDdS that his chances OF winning
her are Gathering. Tho 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 the lover for
whom she has indicated preference. On
tho Sunday following, the sutton, accord
ing to custom, calls at the house of his
inGnorata, where he is asked to tea. If q
piece Of the crust of a ginger bread loaf is
handed to him, there is nothing LETT for
him but 10 retire. If, on tho other hand,
the parents offer the young man piece
of the crumb, he is allowed TO come again
and is admitted into the family.
On the Island of Himia, opposite
Rhodes, girl is not allowed to have a
lover until she has brought up certain
quantity of sponges, and given proof of
her agility to take them from a certain
depth On tho Island of Nica1us the girl
is not consulted. Her father gives her to
the best diver among her suitors. he
who can stay longest under the water and
gather the most sponges marries the
id-Frank H StaufTer In Tie Epoch.