The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1889-12-12
COURTSHIP In GREECE.
Queer Marriage Customs Among
the Modern Hellenes.

Courtins by Proxy-Most of tho Private
Arrangements Made by Old women
Stolen Kisses and Hugs-Pictur-
osque Rites and Feasts
When a young Greek determines to
take wife to himself he does not go a.
courting, but, according to a London
Standard correspondent, he takes his
oldest female relatives into his conf
dence, and they at once go hunting for a
suitable mate for him. Manageable
maidens are visited and silently ap-
praised. They receive old danes cour-
teously, answer all their questions and
never venture to ask the nature of their
errand. The visitors never mention the
young mans name, and never drop O
hint that they are wife hunting. From
their demeanor one would suppose that
they were simply paying friendly visit
AS soon as the visitors have made a
choice the wooer dispatches them again
to the maiden's home with instructions
to ask her hand in marriage. They 60
to her parents house and, standing on
the threshold, say: "We come to you
your daughter in marriage seeking. To
us be not Disappointing" Tho Syrian
Greeks chant this in Arabic, thus:
Iaincoum Khaatbeen
Lab h-binteoum Tahlbeen
Lab terronddoons klaibcen.
If the maiden's parents do not object
to the proposed match they invite the
visitors to enter the house and partake
of their hospitality. The evening is
spent in feasting and making arrange
ments for the wedding. The girls par
ents announce the amount of her dowry
and tho young mans relatives give an
inventory of his worldly possessions.
The wooer himself visits the girl on the
following day and is formally betrothed
to her, the ceremony being performed
by priest, who simply hands to the
girl small present from her wooer.
Thenceforward, until the wedding takes
place, he may visit her every day, but
he will have no chance to be alone
with her. When he enters the house
her mother has her eye on him, and
she is supposed to keep her eye on him
until he leaves. That she dozes occa.
sionally, however, is proved by the
fact that there are few amorous Greeks
who do not manage to get taste Of
their sweethearts' lips long before they
are married to them. A few stolen
kisses, however, are all the luxuries
they can hope to obtain during the
ante-nuptial period, for the girls are
guarded most carefully, not because
the parents distrust the suitors, but be-
cause they consider it their duty to pro-
tect their daughters honor as long as
they are under their roofs.
Their guardianship does not last
long after suitor declares himself. To
get married Is his object, and he easily
persuades his betrothed to have the
ceremony performed during the next re-
ligious festival. When the wedding day
at last arrives he gathers his friends in
his own house at noon and spreads q
marriage feast before them. His be-
trothed gathers her friends likewise and
entertains them in her parents home.
So in the two homes tho day is spent in
feasting and merrymalling. Friends
flock from all directions, and those who
enter the mans house say in greeting:
"May good luck like this soon befall all
bachelors" while those who enter the
girls house say: "May happiness like
this soon be the lot OF all young maid
ens."
Not till midnight, however, does tho
ceremony itself begin. Then all the
young mans friends light their torches
and go with him to the house of his be-
trothed. The maiden and her friends
await them, and without delay all form
, ,v,I I, L. DO
young mans house. Professional sing
ers lead the way, filling the air with
music, and blazing torches cast their
ruddy light on the glad faces of the
jewellers and the beautiful faces and
attire of the stately Greek maidens.
When they reach tho house they find
priest ready to perform the marriage
ceremony. To the young couple stand
ing before him he reads the ritual Of
the Greek church, and then, after plac-
ing his hands on their heads first simply
and afterwards crosswise, he joins their
hands and pronounces them man and
wife.
The guests now offer congratulations
and gifts, and the bridegroom in return
offers them beakers of wine and
other lavish hospitality. So during the
night and long after dawn the feast is
continued, and not until the sun is high
in heaven has the bridegroom a chance
to be alone with tho bride. BY that
time the last guest has departed, and
the only persons in the house are the
married couple, the BRIDES mother and
the bridegroom's parents. The two
mothers conduct the married couple to
their apartment, close the door on them,
return to an adjoining room, and lying
on couches remain there until the bride
and groom come out to break their fast.
If they are satisfied that all is we'll
the parents go off to sleep and the BRIDE
groom fills his pocket with cakes and
sweetmeats and goes for promenade.
At every step he meets friend, who
congratulates him warmly, and gets in
return handful of sweetmeats.
A week later there is regular "house
warming" to which all Of the friends Of
the bride and bridegroom are invited.
This is succeeded by feasts and soirees
in the houses of the wedding guests. At