The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-07-04
MATCHMAKING IN IRELAND.
Customs that Prevail Among the Farming
People.

When farmer with, say thirty acres
OF good land, held ut a moderate rent,
has a daughter who has arrived at n
marriageable age, which is about
twenty or twenty-one years, he begins
to look about for suitable mate for |
her II there Is not in his immediate
neighborhood one who possesses the |
qualifications necessary, he makes i'm
quiries, generally from some one of the |
numerous beggars, who, travelling over |
the country within n radius of ten |
miles, call at each house Mt regular in |
tervals, and through these walking |
newspapers, as they may be termed, |
having found man who having a farm |
of land about the same size as his own,
and who has marriageable son, he
starts off on Saturday morning for
the market town usually frequented by
this man, whose son he wishes to get
for his daughter. Toward the after
noon, after the business of the day is
over, the farmer, who is husband-seek
ing, looks around until he finds the
party he is in search of and, having ac
costed him. invites him into saloon to
join him in a quart of porter After
they have refreshed the inner man by
several glasses-for most probably his
companion has treated him to another
quart-he breaches the object for which
he has the sought the company of his
friend, and asks him how much land
would he be prepared to give over
to the possession of his son if
he could get a good match of
girl for wife. (The parlance usually
employed on such occasions.) q The
friend thus appealed to will probably
ask, before he commits himself to def
mite reply: "How much fortune will
you give your daughter?" Though it is
his intention to give, say four hundred
dollars, which is about the sum farmer
in the west of Ireland, with thirty acres
of land, would give with his daughter,
he will probably offer three hundred
and fifty dollars as a feeler until he
finds out what the other man is inclined
to do. The party thus appealed to will
say he intends to give perhaps ten acres
out of his farm of twenty-five or thirty
acres, or, as is most frequently ar
ranged, about four acres of land suita-
BILE for growing crops, and the grazing
of so many cows and calves, sheep, etc.
The man anxious for the welfare of his
daughter will try and make better
terms by getting the other to promise
more land, or increased grazing privil-
eges; he agrees to give his daughter
fifty dollars more if the other increases
the sons allowance. After bargaining,
it may be for some hours, during which
time the quart measure has been re-
plenished again and again, each be-
comes satisfied with the arrangements
promised by the other. There is no
signing of any documents by either
party; they are quite satisfied to accept
the promises made verbally. and rarely
indeed are they violated. The next
point for discussion is to arrange for a
meeting, generally at the home of the
bridegroom-elect, where the money, the
girls fortune, is to be paid over, the
day for the wedding selected and the
number of couples each contracting
party is to invite to the wedding settled,
each paying an equal proportion of the
cost of the viands to be provided for the
wedding feast.
On the appointed evening the parents
of the girl repair 20 the home of their
future son-in-law, where probably they
see the young man for the first time,
but of one thing they will be assured
before commencing even the initial
negotiations; that is, that the young
man is perfectly sound and whole No
race of people in the world are more
particular in this respect than are the
peasantry of Ireland. They will not,
unless under unusual circumstances,
permit a son or daughter to marry one
who has any bodily deformity or defect.
They care little about personal appear
, ance, and young man will not receive
ten dollars extra because of his good
looks. There is generally little feast
, prepared for the expected guests. This
consists of a large homemade cake
with plenty of good tea, butter, eggs
ETC., and after the supper some hot
punch (toddy) will be handed around
Then the four hundred dollars is paid
over into the hands of the parents OF
! the bridegroom-to-b be. Not the slightest
, fear has he that the other parties will
fail to fulfill their part of the agree
, ment. The money is retained by the
, old couple for their own individual usc
and benefit, the young couple deriving
no benefit from it, Probably it will be
expended in the providing of suitable
husband for a daughter of their own
=. The day fixed upon for the wedding is
, generally ut least within week or Sc
of that on which the money is paid
over. In many cases the two most in
tercsted in all these negotiations may
. have never met before the day on which
+ they are to be united for life, or it may
be they have seen each other at church
: or at some fair, but, as n general rule
they have been strangers to each Other
8 Until they meet in the church. All be
ing arranged, the wedding day is come
, and the bride and bridegroom, with
, their friends, meet, as | have said be.
fore, perhaps for the first time, outside
the church door. Near by will be seen
a a motley array of vehicles, the Irish
1 jaunting car, which is peculiar to Ire,
y land, predominating There are gen,
orally number of young men on
horseback who accompany the bridal
party home after the ceremony is over
indianapolis Journal.
What is .'Style?"
The 6ifferanpn in oDnaoronca hat tyyanT