The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-04
MEXICAN LOVE MAKING.
THE SOCIAL LAW OF MEXICO WHICH
SEPARATES LOVERS.

the Peculiar SOciat Customs va VuS
Sister Republic Which Is Sometimes
Waived.
An American, just arrived in the city OF
| Mexico, made, as he thought, a sensational
| discovery. He was going out OF bis hotel
| one afternoon, when the actions of a Mexican
in an upper window across the street attract
ed him. The Mexican was well dressed. His
| silk hat was glossy. His little high heeied
| boots were polished, and he carried an orna-
| mental walking stick. He was keeping back
| from the window with the evident design Of
| concealing himself from general view, and
| at the same time was trying to get somebody
in the upper part of the hotel to look his
way.
"a masherl" the American said to himself.
"And a mighty bold one" he added, after
watching the antics for ten minutes and fail
| ing to discover that any response was made
to them.
The next day about the same hour the
American repeated his discovery. Mr.. Mexi-
| can, in all his glory, was at the upper win
dow, and tho one sided %pantonime for the
benefit Of somebody in the hotel was still
| going on. This hotel was the one most
patronized by visitors from the states. The
American minister was living there. SO
were the representatives OF a big American
syndicate engaged in concentrating a land
deal. Altogether there were probably as
many American as Mexican guests. hat
if this persistent gallant was trying to force
his mwelcome attentions upon an American
LADY, The thought was enough t. start d
throb of patriotic indignation. The Ameri-
| can went on about his business, but he said
| 10 himself, with a menacing look toward the
| supposed masher. Somebody viii be kicked
down stairs before he j. much older
That night MIR. Fresh, the American, got
together two or three Of his fellow country
men at the hotel. told what he had seen and
invited suggestions as TO the proper rHiety.
The Americans listened, looked at each other
and grinncd. There was one in the party a
six footer from West Point. In his minds
eye the discovcrcr Of the masher had already
seen the big lieutenant administering phn'
ishment t. tn impudent Mexican. But the
widest grin OF all was that which spread over
The army mans face.
"liy friend, said the American lieutenant
you've run mp against :. case OF hicef ell oso
Ia Other words, sou now know what dong
the bear act means "a Mexico
o.. OF the curioa. social customs Of the
| sister r.plblic bars the door wisn two young
! people become engaged to Ire married.
fhuncciOrwari the lover VISIT his beloved
Onl, 10 the presence oi the raA Of iler family
| and ~ formal interval. Ia lieu of sitting
NJ with his girl he does the bear act. y
| This consists in finding an advantageous
position which commands "A view Of the sen
orita's window, and taking possession OF it
during leisure hours. Long loving looks are
exchanged, also pantomiIne, and OCCASION
ally when the street IS deserted the maiden
will come from behind the lattice, and stand
ing on the balcony carry on a rather re-
strained conversation with the wooer on the
pavement below or perhaps across the street.
This is what is called doing the bear act.
The young Mexican whose queer conduct
, opposite the hotel had excited indignation
was not u masher, but an exemplary young
gentleman OF most honorable Intentions. tie
was the accepted lover of a high born SEN
orita, whose father had apartments IN the
hotel, and lie was pursuing his courtship ac-
cording TO the customs Of his country. 1t
would have been a sad mistake 10 have
kicked him down stairs, and might have led
to international complications.
Sometimes engagements are prOtracted III
this country by circumstances over which
the lovers have no control. In these cases
the bear act goes OF season after season
! until everybody for blocks aroun gets in the
way Of expecting to see the faithful swain
put in his appearance at a certain hour Of
the day and misses him almost as much AZ
the girl does if lie stays away. Instances
where lovers have kept up this wooing at a
distance for three and four years are told Of.
The custom is not often waived. But bluff
old Gen. Alier y Teran set society at defiance
not long ago. His adopted daughter had be-
come engaged to a worthy young gentleman.
The latter had hired the use of u room in a
house across the street and had begun to carry
on the usual bantomime.
"Tell him to quit that, " said Gen. Teran to
the ladies OF his family, ''and to come hero
and see the girl whenever and rs much as he
likes. They are going TO be married in a
couple Of months and there needn't be any
nonsense about it,"
The young man came. Everybody talked,
but the comments didn't bother the old gem
eral half as much as the buzzing Of so many
flies would during his siesta.
An American railroad engineer on the
Mexican National, who married n Mexican
lady, told how he put his foot down against
the idea that an engaged couple must DO al
lowed nc privacy. After it had been ar
ranged that there was to be a wedding he
went TO see his betrothed. The members OF
her family, one and all, came into the room
Immediately and cndeavored to make things
agreeable for him. They sat him out and he
went away disappointed. The second visit
was no different. Mother, sisters, brothers
and even the father remained in the room
all the time.
''The third time | called" said the engi-
neer, II took the old gentleman one side and
reasoned with him. lie said it was the Gus.
tom of the country not to leave engaged peo-
pie by themselves. | told him it wasn't the
custom of my country, aud l didn't ike it.
II / was to be trusted with the girl after
marriaOe | could be trusted with her before.