The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1892-06-17
PRIMITIVE couRTcHle.
Curious Customs That still Prev all in the
Mountains OF Albania.


Mountains OF Albania.
Allthrough the mountains and villages
of what was once known as Albania, but
which now is lost on the map of Europe as
a seIarate nation, the old and primitive
customs still exist. and the maiden of to-
day : wooed and won as was her great
grandmother in her youth.
Young girls throughout all this region
have more liberty than any other of the
oriental nations, except the Montenegrins,
partly because they are upright by nature
and partly because of an unwritten law
that makes young girl sacred in those
half savage lands.
Every male member of the young girls
family through countless generations
wouldN be bound to u perpetual vendetta
against every man of every branch of the
family whoever would wrong any girl, and
as the men Of these two nations are perfect
marksmen and men of the fiercest cour-
age any man would think many times be-
fore he would dare insult one of these girls.
Thus the girls go about on the mountains
with their little focks and herds in securi-
ty. and at sunset they all go with their
earthen pitchers to the village fountains OF
to the natural spring, from whence they
obtain the drinking water for the night
The girls and women all stand about,
/ brown and barefooted, with bright eyes
and gayly colored embroidered garments,
and with tinkling little pendants in their
hair and around their necks and wrists.
! All their wealth is thus spent, and the bar
barrie display is attractive. Homes are sim
ply shelters and places To sleep in, and in
even the well to do families little attempt
is made at decorating them, all the family
putting into dress and ornament their sur
plus, and what they buy goes down tC
grandchildren, as it is always of sterling
though crude value. Many girls have d
string of gold coins around the neck which
constitutes the dowry, 50 that the sutton
can see at glance her fortune.
These gatherings at the fountain, aside
from their useful purpose, serve for the
dissemination of news, and the matches
are also made there, for when "a young MAJ
feels that he wants particular young CIR
for his wife he first tells several of his young
men friends and then takes his rifle ant
starts with them toward the fountain, ant
tries TO time his arrival SO that he viii
reach there just as this particular youn!
woman has lifted her cruise Of water TO he
head and started toward her hon II
then raises his rifle and shoots directly "a
! tndJ cruise ana breaks IT, leJJlnS all III
water fall on the girl, after which he step
forward and takes her hand and they wal
bashfully to her parents, who quickly uI
derstand the matter and bring out brea
and wine aud dried fruits, which two lat
ter have been saved for the occasion of thei
daughters betrothal
Sometimes the parents object but yer
seldom, and the girl almost never. Tn
young man who would break cruise an
afterward refuse the young girls han
would be instantly killed by the girls reli
tives, and, failing relatives, other me
would do it as a just and religious vel
geance The young men gather at til
fountains and chat and laugh freely wit
all the girls, but never one word of loN
making is allowed or said before the ope
declaration 81 breaking the cruise of waite
After that the young couple can wand,
unchecked among the flowers and tree
until the wedding, which is never vel
long delayed
Girls marry very young in these place
and make contemted and loving wive
They labor hard and are very ignoran
and their highest ambition is to embroid
the richest and finest jacket and cloak f
their husbands and to have at least l,5
pieces of snowy linen in his fustanelle
white kilt which he wears They are ade
in this gold embroidery. 1t is quite pos
BILE that the young couple understand eat
other in some occult way before the fin
declaration is made Vienna Cor Ne
York Press.