The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1891-06-11
IN SUNNY CASTLE.
Lot Of a Spanish Girl from the
Cradle to the Altar.
Social Customs in the yenin.u' a-Baby's IS
Ears Must Bc Pierced Before Chris-
teninG-wooing Under Difficulties
-EI-iy BctrothalS.


-Eiriy Bctrotlials.
When girl is born in Spain, writes
q correspondent of the New York Star
from Cadiz, Spain, the first thing done.
even before the christening, is TO bore
holes i'll her cars and to put in them Il
pair of tiny earrings, present from
the godmothcr. This takes place when
the nina tgirl) is but day or two old,
and is the first link whereon a long
chain OF coquettishness and the love of
tinery are built. The cradle and robes
of the baby are adorned with pink bows.
Except in families that have adopted
foreign notions and habits the little
thing is n,ver bathed, only slightly
washed, wha. one might call "a lick and
a promise" Nothing can we'll be more
hideous to behold than truc-born Span
ish baby wrapped in it's swaddling-
clothes and win an ugly cap tied on its
head.
About week after the child is born
it is carried to the church to be
christencd. A girl is often given as
many as eight or nine names, and somc
Of them sound funny when translated
into English, such as Concha, she'll;
Annunciation. Trinity or Dolores
which means pains" The babe is held
at the font by the godmother while the
priest puts salt on its lips, makes
cross with oil on the back of it's neck,
and for the first and-such is the horror
Of the Spaniard for water-the last time
in its life pours cold water on its head.
For year, or even two years, tho
Gttlo girl is handed over to her anna, or
wet nurse, usually u low, vulgar peas
ant woman, who teaches her to speak
loudly, to cry for every thing, and spoils
her more completely than oven her own
mother might have done. These bad
habits, so carly inculcated, never fail to
cling to her through life. When, at last.
the nurse is dismissed, the child does
just what she likes. She Dimes at table
and eats of every dish. Her only play
mates are the servants, and she never
goes to bed until she chooses. have
seen little girls at my friends houses sit
up beyond midnight when but five or six
years old.
in the daytime, or is put into convent.
where she is taught little beyond sew
ing and embroidery. She embroiders.
however, beautifully.
AT ten she takes her first communion,
o2t without possessing tho slightest no.
tion the meaning OF the ceremony.
On that occasion her sole preoccupation
is the white dress she has on, and in
which she is photographed. Already at
that carly ago she goes 10 the thcater;
she sits in her mothers dra raving-room,
listens to all sorts of conversation, even
gives her own opinion. This makes her
q wise little woman indeed.
At thirteen her education is supposed
to be completed. She is put into long
dresses and her hair elaborately done
up. The novis, or sweetheart, then ap-
pears on the scene. 1t is generally an
unknown young man with incipiens
He walks up and down un-
der the balcony twice a day regularly
on his way to the university. On Sum
days he follows her to church or struts
behind her in the paseos, happy at a
glance given him now and then behind
back. Billet doux are thrown
to him from the balcony, piece of
string let down brings up an answer.
lie takes q stall whenever his belle
goes to the theater with hor parents,
and sits the whole evening with his
eyes rivctod on her face. OF course, this
first love always ends IN a quarrel; the
young man goes off and is soon replaced
by another.
When the young lady is eighteen tho
real tiance appears. lie is either intro
iuced to her at party or brought to tho
house by friend OF the family. For
years, sometimes, an engagement takes
no definite turn, and the Spanish court
ship is unlike that in any other country.
The young people are never left alone
Every evening tho young man comes to
sec mis- novia. She can not go anywhere
without his being invited also. AT q
ball or party, in spite of all the rules
Of politencss. they sit spooning apart.
and look for all the world as foolish as
possible. The mother of the young girl
has constantly to rcmain by or to walk
out with them. How intensely bored
she must be may be easily guessed, es
pecially when this state OF things goes
IN, as it often docs, for years.
The bclrothal of Spanish girl takes |
place only short time before the we'd !
ding. The father, mother OR nearest !
relative of the woocr calls upon the
girls parents and asks them to give her |
In marriage. If they are wealthy people |
and the happy owners Of a carriage they
drive to the house in great pomp. At
first the young lady does not put in an |
and on this particular occa-
sion retircs modcstly to her room until !
sent for, when the relatives of her fut- :
ure husband hand her bracelet in his /
name. This takes the place OF the En- |
glish engagement ring, it is usually a !
gold band with diamond inserted, and
the initials OF the happy young people
engraved inside. From that day the
young man can freely enter the house
and preparations for the wedding are i'll
order. These are soon hurried through.
First an elaborate trousseau, or bridea
outfit, containing many dozens of o9
jects, is sent to the young woman. The
things that go to make up this trousseau
e without chic, without daintiness,
aiM as unlike as possible what French
mothe take pride in giving her
5av
SWEPT BY DEATH.
1kDhtheriS. Taken From To Wfr~-