The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-06-26
OLD TIME COURTSHIPS.
How the Puritan Maidens We're
Wooed and Won Two
Centuries Ago.

said a Boston maiden to an antiquar-
ian. The classic fossil made reply to
the effect that the social laws of the
colonists were somewhat stringent,
that love made itself manifest then as
now, but the difference between the
methods of 1860 and 1890 was great,
says the Pittsburg Dispatch. He
said: II think the maids n youths
were more innocent then than they
are now. more bashful, and the poor
enaInored youth was obliged to face
not only his lady love, but was for
ever under the eye of the father and
mother"
The antique gentleman stopped a
moment in hopes that his reply would
be satisfying, but his gallantry and
love for the ladies forced him to go
on at the demand of the curious
maiden.
ssWelI, . said he, "I'n tell you what
I have read, and l dare say you will
enjoy it. They made laws for every
thing in those days, and counting was
one of the important phases in the
life of every vital and healthy person.
No persons, says Banvard, under the
covert Of parents, were allowed to
marry without their parents consent.
Ii this could not be obtained they
were then to get permission of the
Governor or some of his assistants.
After this they were to be published
in the church, or their names posted
on trees. If any man offered propos-
ais of marriage to any young lady
without first obtaining the consent of
her parents or master, he was obliged
to pay a fine or suffer corporal pun
ishment.
t'lTo be exact, let me give you an in
stance. Mr., A. H, for making pro-
posals of marriage to a young lady,
Miss E. p, and prosecuting the same
contrary to the parents wishes, and
without their consent and strictly CON
trary to their mind and will, was sem
fenced to a fine Of SIS and to be put
under bonds for good behavior, and
desist from the use of any means to
obtain or retain her affections. Poor
chap, lovesick, no doubt, he must
have suffered no end of humiliation,
it being known by everybody that he
was spurned by the cold and unrecip-
foeating maiden.
Suppose he had won the affections
of the girl and they had, under the
forest trees, or in the great pantry,
talked over the matter of asking the
folks about getting married, can't you
imagine the young dreamer loafing
around the vicinity of the girls house
till it became dark, and then, with
shaking limbs and beating he art,
knocking at the door. His SUNNI on
brings the sturdy and matter-of-fac
father to the door, who, seeing the
youth standing there all trembling,
smiles inwardly and then, desiring to
help the chap along a little, speaks up
kindly and says, William, come in.'
Willie obeys, and with hat in hand he
enters the hall and then the great
sitting-room, where. to make him
more uncomfortable than ever, he
finds his Rebekah, her motherandtw
brothers. Here he is obliged to sit
and suffer and bottle up his prayer
for two or three hours. By 8 O'clock
all leave the room but the father and
| mother and Bill. After a silence of a
| half hour Bill plucks up courage and
SAYS in a stammering andshaky voice:
not the cold cold?' Senior Brandish
smiles and allows that the cold is
| cold.
LII 0t01Io IlS1iO Oob d1ktt
| savs:-sCan't Imarry Rebekah?'
1.-THE old lady drops her stocking
| which she's knitting, looks up at viii
lie, who bows his head and wishes he
was as near being consumed as the
| dull, black log on the open hearth.
You marry Rebekah? says Madam
Brandish, and she surveys poor Bills
turned up toes, his shapely leg, his
doublet and the top of his head, what
for?'
.Bill is lost, he shutters, mulnbles
something about she likes me; l like
her. and, feeling himself about as
small as a button he crosses his legs
and subsidies. At this instant O. sup
pressed smoker reaches his ears,
coming from the rafterS over
head. Old Brandish comes to
the rescue and stands bolt upright,
the action causes Bill to make move.
ment, in doing which his hat falls,
and in the attempt to uncross his legs
and reach for the hat he upsets the
chair, and for a moment the whole
house is in a roar. Brandish, much
amused, exclaims:-'All right, Viii
liam; you are a good fellow and know
how to work, and when you show IL:
$40 Becky's yours Bill turns red a,
a steak, savs.-Yes, sir; thank you
sir; guess III go and beats a retreai
to the glorious welcome air with
heart as light as the moonbeam'
which illuminate his joyous pathove
the hills to his home.
"That is one instance" says the an
tiquarian, land though it may be al
extreme type, the rest of them wer'
not far from being similar. After thu
ice is broken the lucky beau earl,
and often helps to wind the yarn
turn the wheel, draw water. does al
sorts OF errands for the folks, make
himself quite useful and saves hi
shillings. Huskings used to be TIL
great opportunity for developing Low
events, and in a more sonibre wa
lecture night gave the lovesick swail
a chance to pour out his devotion t
his dearest maid There were M
theatres, concerts or festivals, n
events which could bring the enan
ored into each others company
doubtless the sly youngsters stole al
hour with their girls in the kitche
when the old folks went out to q knit
ting party; and it often happene
that a young mar could cultivate a
intimacy with the father of the lad
hn 1nun1 hxr fla4rfnoe ohaolFet.u wiz