The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-05

ship and marriage are still largely OBJ
served.
First of all, the country swain is
not qualified to pay court to the girls
of his neighborhood until he has a
horse and carriage, and that Is general
ly his first possession, either by gift
from his father or the result of the
boarding of small savings. The team
acquired, the young man is prepared to
become the lover. He drives usually,
not to some girls house, but to church
or public gathering of both sexes,
where he picks out maiden who suits
his fancy, and if she has not her escort
and is willing he drives her home, and
that is the opening for future calls and
drives
| The country singing school and the
] lyceum, now nearly mere memories
have been the occasions for the Begin
ming Of dreams of love that later led to
matrimony.
Then, too, the team comes in advan-
tageously during the Sunday school pic
mic season, the woods MEETINGS conduct
ed by the Methodist churches, and for
dance parties and other social occa-
SionS
The wooer's team has, in the past been
the cause of much worriment on certain
occasions. Some evening, when he was
spending the time pleasantly in the
house of his sweetheart, his friends
having located him., proceeded to take
the carriage apart and carry the Sec
lions to the roof of the barn, or, per-
chance. on top Of haystack, and there
put the vehicle together. The wooer,
coming for his team after the last ling |
ering farewell to the object Of his adora-
ton, would be amazed to see his car |
riage in the place where his Tormentors |
had left it. HIS only alternative was
to walk home or bestride his horse and |
return the next day for his carriage, |
meanwhile the subject of mercIess rail- |
lery.
Sometimes the prank took the form Of |
reversing the wheels on the carriage |
placing the rear higher wheels in front
and the lower front wheels in the rear.
Again the horse might be unhitched
from the carriage and placed back in
the, shafts with its head toward the
vehicle. These FRANKS have been abol-
ished, however as they became SO an
noying that arrests resulted, and the
fun" was discontinued
Presuming that the courtship has
satisfactorily to all parties
concerned, the wedding Is the next
step Real country weddings are some-
times celebrated with considerable eclat,
but the primitive customs still prevail
In the rural communities in Bucks
county The young man quits work
little earlier than usual on a Saturday
afternoon mutually agreed upon and
drives to the home of the bride-elect,
who goes with him to clergyman, or
a Justice Of the Peace, sometimes a
distance from home in order to keep
the event a secret for time, and they
are made man and wife.
They return to the brides home,
where her husband leaves her, and he
goes back and finishes his weeks work.
Or, possibly, he takes supper with the
brides family, and, then woe betide him
If news Of his wedding has spread
abroad. That means a serenade by his
male acquaintance, who make a deaf
aning noise by beating tin cans, footing
horns, &c. A favorite instrument for
such an occasion Is a dry goods box
upon which resin has been literally
sprinkled, and then a fiat fence rail as
1 fiddle bow is used.
The noise is endured as long as posi-
de- Then the bridegroom steps to the
'front.' door and invites the calithumpi- :
ms, as they are called, inside, and sup
olies refreshments, or gives them sum
If money and they speed to the nearest
avern to regale themselves at their
trends expense.