The Dickinson press., 1889-06-08
BELLE OF THE BALL.
SIMPLE CUSTOMS IN THE RURAL
DISTRICTS OF SCOTLAND.

DISTRICTS OF SCOTLAND.
The Bridegroom's Race After tho Girl of
His Heart-What His Failure Means.
Selecting Judge of Beauty from the
Strangers OH tho Highway.
The ball at which the queen of beauty was
chosen was that which followed marriage.
The wedding itself wns simple affair in tho
house of the BRIDES parents, at which the
guests stood around si,eepishly, thinking of
the excitement to come. Suppose tho couple
united in wedlock by the minister, who has
also received his present of Bible or a new
hat. Now come to tho door. The scene is a
small farm-one of the many little farms
whose tenants only made livelihood by
working at two occupations There arc u
dozen or twenty horses i'll tho yard, and but
for tho absence OF bright colors We might be
going a-hunting a glance at tho steeds,
however, shows that they are, more or less,
cart horses. Ono says more or less; for there
is the horse that always has n cart or plow
behind it, tho horse that now and again pulls
its masters gig to market, and the gig horse
that is occasionally put into the cart" Only
some of these horses are to be ridden today
by their owners; others havo been lent to
plowmen.
ON FIERY sTEEDs.
Tho guests como out of the house wiping
their mouths with their sleeves, and in tho open
air they become hilarious. One, with flower
in his button hole, is the target at which
banter of kind not very refined is fired
Hc is the bridegroom; and though he takes
tho jokes stoidly, or even attempts to reply,
ho is not quite at ease. He is told that if he
shakes so much he twill not catch hcr;" ut
which ho closes his teeth. There is general
merrimcnt if he cannot vault gallantly into
tho saddle In short time all tho nlale mem
bers of the company are on horseback, somo
of them riding bare back. Next tho bride is
accompanied from the house by her relatives,
who mount her on horse This horse is
then led a hundred yards or moro from tho
door The bridegroom canters to within say
fifty yards of her Then the signal is given
and the race begins.
The idea is this: The bride makes for tho
house which is to become her home. or for
the more commodious hall in which the ball
is to take place. After her clattcr the horse
men, tho bridegroom being allowed short
start Should he not succeed in capturing
her before the others como up, he hns begun
his married life badly; and If ono of them is
her captor, he has the privilege Of sauting
her. All are disgraced if she reaches the
common destination alone. This curious gal
lop is quite unknown in many parts of Scot
land, though the chase after tho bride seems
to have been common to many countries.
Tho race being over, the preparations for
I'm Io11 I,,,.
has been got ready for tho dancers each of
whom pays his way" 1t depends thus on
the lbcrality of the 'guests" whether fcnst
is provided, hut, feast or no feast, there is
abundance of whisky Alters some preliminary
chatter among the men and women, and proh-
ably some preliminary drinking, the time ar.
rives for tho selection of the belle of the ball
| Observe how impartial these gentlemen are.
Each of them has n sweetheart in the room
or is trying to get ono Suppose they were
to decide by fcats of strength or skill, who is
to choose the queen Of beauty, tho victor
would only follow Ivanhoe's example. They
take another method.
SELECTING TIE BELLE OF TIE BALL
The committee, SO to speak, pull themscive
together and march out of the ball room
They go into tho high road, and the frs
man they encounter must return with then
and choose tho belle. He is not likely to bo
neighbor; for all the young men who car
come aro taking part in tho celebrations ant
tho married men avoid tho scene of rcvclry
Frequently he was no better than vagrant
Or boy, or he might be n mysterious stran
ger. This would have been fino chance fol
Darse Latimer in quest of adventure. If tho
man is chllrl, with no appreciation of the
honor tho gods aro offering him, he may re
fuse to obey tho summons; in which case ht
is either told that ho must or more gra
cious judge is sought for. In country part
few people arc abroad Mt this time of til,
evening, but tho committee daro not return
empty handed
When they re-cnter tho room with thei
victim they find the other revclcrs ready fol-
them. The ladies havo been arranged in
row and await tho verdict, some with avertct
faces, but most laughing with assumed case
The Judge examines them individually, nnC
If he be success nothing escapes him
Bright eyes, red cheeks and buxom figure
arc essentials, but he may frown at large cars
or hair of 4 color that is not pleasing to hi.
taste. Black hair, for instance has little
| chance with sunny locks and red hair is toe
| common to satisfy Tho competitors study
their judge, If more covertly, quite us anx
| iously Us he regards them Long before he
reaches No 2 she knows whether hers is the
style Of feature that attracts him, for sho is
very like No. 2, and his opinion of the latter
can be read in his face. Some arc ready tc
| smile if ho seems to prefer the animated beau
| ty, and to he prim if ho has weakness for
| Occurrences of aspect. Tho lady who has
been tho belle Of three balls starcs him audn
ciousy in tho face, she who has been the
belle of one is perhaps less bold, for she is not
| yet certain of her charms
| No man residing in the ncighborhood dares
| do the judges duty conscientiously-it would
make him SO many enemies for ono friend
but the stranger may never bo seen in these
parts again. Should he in the end select the
beauty of former balls she becomes more
insuifcrable in her airs than ever, and in their
hearts the others feel that she must be beau.
| tful If his choice falls on lady who has
not been so honored before, and cannot coolly
step into the proud position thus accorded
her, She is very badly treated by the dsap
pointed competitors.
| AS for tho judge, if his work has been ur-
| 'luous the reward is considerable. He remains
until the ball breaks up and he alone has
nothing to pay Furthermore. he opens the
| dancing with the bcle Us bis partner She
| remains tho belle of the district until another
ball takes place, when tho verdict Of the Judge
may be reversed -Lanarkshire Remnisccnce
| in ST JnmeS GaZeffa