The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-06-29
NEws-HERALD. HILLsBORO, o.-THURsDAY, JUNE 90
couRJsHlP WITHOUT RoMANcs.

Marriages Arranged for Young People In
spain-The Ever-Present Duenna.
In Spain, when one attains mar
riageable age, the parents, as rule, re-
lieve the young people of any respon-
sibility by choosing for their son or
daughter, the daughter or son, as the
case may be, of the family whose es-
tates adjoin, so as to increase their
worldly goods, not taking into con-
sideration the fact that one may have
heart whose warm blood is quickened
into action at the approach of neigh
Dor further removed. Of course there is
plenty of courting in Spain, but as a
woman enjoys no freedom the court
ing is done by the young man standing
in the street and the lady of his love
behind her iron-barred window. OPP
portunities are not scarce where
young people hold conversations
in drawing-roorns or in the patio
(court yard.) AS there Is always q
duenna or doncella present the chances
of whispering those soft nothings so
dear to the feminine heart are few.
Besides, adds the Syracuse Herald, few
men care to have listener to all those
little speeches that have no meaning.
One reason why the ladies Of Spain en-
Joy so little freedom is because the
Spaniard is fierce and bold in his pas
sionate love-making. Young ladies are
always chaperoned by an elderly one.
Notwithstanding the guardianship, the
Spaniard, on seeing the object of his
affection approach the chapel door,
will stride forward and deftly remov-
ing his long coat spread 1t before the
entrance for the fair ladies to step on.
Another way of love-making is for
number of young gentlemen to con-
gregate near the font of holy water,
which is always outside the door Of
the chapel, and as the lady approaches
all the young gentlemen dip the two
fingers into the holy water and proffer
it to the young lady, and as every we'll
behaved young lady would never think
of entering the chapel door without
using the holy water, she generally
touches the fingers of the young gentle
man of her choice, and, making the
sign of the cross, enters the place Of
worship. Flirting in ohapels and in
theaters Is of common occurrence.
The young man signals 10 tho young
woman by certain signs Of the pocket
handkerchief, which she returns
with the expressive language Of
the "abanico," or fan. As all
the women of the world are noted for
their power Of speech. the proverbial
exception belongs to Spain-for ladies
of that country are silent-their fan
being the substitute for the tongue.
The Spanish marriage, rs 1t is per-
formed in Spain, should be minutely
observed by other countries, noting,
for personal benefit, its Importance.
We do not give a ring to our wife, sym
bolic Of the marriage state, but .
priest throws Q gold chain about the
necks Of the bride and groom, and,
handing small key to the groom, de-
claring them man and wife," explain
ing to them the key is from that mo-
ment to the hour of his death the SYM
Dol Of honor that must guard his
wife's safety through the trials of
earth; turning to the bride, explaining
her duties in the most earnest tone, to
the effect that she is to obey her
lord and master in everything, with the
exception of committing murder, rob-
berry or ignoring the grace and infinite
power of our Lord and Saviour 1t is
necessary to present the bride with
thirty pieces of money, dollars with
the poor, and ouzas-viz., gold piece
of the value of sixteen dollars-to the
rich. Therefore poor man receives
thirty dollars, while a rich man re-
ceives sixteen times thirty, or four
hundred and eighty dollars. The priest
blesses this money, and prays that in
the near future the newlymarried may
be prosperous in worldly goods and
wealthy in faith and acts of Christian
ity. In the country towns or villages
the presents of horses, wagons, furni-
ture and everything needed to start
housekeeping form part of the we'd
ding procession. All these worldly
goods accompany the bride and groom
to the church door. and after the GER
emony to their new home.