The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-14

maiden who suits his fancy and If she
has not her escort and Ia 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 occasions.
| The wooer's team has in the past been
the cause of much worriment on Ger
tain 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 a haystack, and there
put the vehicle together. The wooer,
coming for his team after the last
lingering farewell to the object of his
alteration, would be amazed to see his
carriage in the place where his torment
ors had left it. His only alternative was
to walk home or bestride his horse and
return the next day for his carriage
meanwhile being the subject Of meroi-
less raillery.
Sometimes the prank took the form of
reversing the wheels on the carriage,
placing the rear 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 it's head toward the
vehicle. These pranks have been abol-
ished, however, as they became so an
noyng that arrests resulted, and the
fun" was discontinued
Presenting that the courtship has
progressed satisfactorily to all parties
concerned, the wedding is the next step.
Real country weddings are sometimes
celebrated with considerable eclat, but
the primitive customs still prevail in the
rural communities In Bucks county.
The young man quits work little ear
Her 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 distance from home,
in order to keep the event 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 upper with the
brides family and, then, woe betide him
If news Of his wedding has spread
abroad That means serenade by his
male acquaintances, who make deaf
ening noise by beating tin cans, footing
horns. etc A favorite instrument Is a
dry goods box upon which resin has
been literally sprinkled, and then fiat |
fence rail as a fiddle bow is used.
The noise is endured as long as pos
sible Then the bridegroom steps to the
front door and invites the calithumpi- |
ans, as they are called inside, and sup
plies refreshments, or he gives them
sum of money and they speed to the
nearest tavern to regale themselves at
their friends expense.
Sometimes it was the custom to watch
for the bride and bridegroom on their
first drive after the wedding and stretch
rope dCTUSS Tie highway dhu iiodN
up" the couple until the demanded price
was paid. This money, too, went for
tiple at the nearest public house.
If the young husband Is without means
he frequently goes to reside with the
brides parents, and often becomes an
smploye of his father-in-law. Where
here Ia some wealth the couple are
started in life on farm pur-
.hased by the brides parents, or by the
husbands family. Both sides, II finan-
tally able, contribute the house fur
fishing. Very often the outfit includes
amily relics handed down from genera
ions to generations. G
Thus does Pennsylvania rural fam
" become established in the community
n which perhaps both husband and wife
we're born and where their ancestors :
welt in peace and happiness before
hem. Philadelphia Press.