The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-01-05
TWOSTYLESOF COURTING
The Southern Girls and the
Northern Girls Ways.
hTILDEGARDE, that's nice look

UILDEGARDE, that's nice look
ing young man going in the
house across the street; who is he"
asked the southern girl of her north
ern friend on the day of her arrival in
Brooklyn.
''Oh, isn't he stunning! He's Mss
Montague's fiance. They've only been
engaged two weeks and he comes every
night and every morning on his way
to business"
But it can't be he, for 1 saw him
let himself in with a latch-key. Has
she brother?" persisted the southern
girl.
''Of course that's her iance, and of
course he has key. You don't suppose
he wants to ring the bell every time he
comes, do you? Don't the southern
fellows have latch-keys when they are
engaged?" Miss Hildegarde Heights
asked, in surprise.
Certainly not" the southern girl
answered, very positively. Il never
heard of such a remarkable idea in my
Ife.''
''Well, my dear, you know they are
awfully old-fashioned down south, y
Miss Heights began, when her younger
sister broke in
''Hildegarde, really believe Marie is
almost engaged. All of the girls think
so, and she certainly acts very strange
ly."
almost engaged?" said the southern
girl, in bewilderment. 81 don't under
4lo,
be any almost in such a case?"
''Why, Lucy, you ask such funny
questions. Jessie means that there is
one special fellow who goes with Marie
all the time, takes her places and does
everything for her and they will be en-
gagged as soon as he proposes. Of
course, they can't be really engaged till
he asks her, can they? You wouldn't
have her announce it until he says
something, would you?"
mo, L would not" Lucy Grey an
swered. Il didn't know the northern
custom in these matters before. Tell
me some more"
what do you want to know, Lucy ?
thought engagements were the same
everywhere. How soon do they an
nounce them down south?" Miss
Heights asked, curiously.
mot at all. Both of my sisters mar
ried at 20, after being engaged three
or four years apiece, and not human
being knew it till two weeks before
hand, when the invitations were sent
out. Of course, people had their own
ideas and suspicious, but we all denied
it up to the very last. Neither of them
ever told mother and father till the day
was positively set and everything de-
cided, and then the young man asked
fathers permission"
asked his permission" the Brook
Ign girl interrupted. ''My dear, how
terribly old-fashioned! thought that
had gone out long ago."
''Why, Hildegarde, what do you
mean? Doesn't the father have any
say in the matter?" the southern girl
said, horror-struck.
''Of course the girl generally tells
him before it is announced, and he is
as glad as she is. But sometimes she
doesn't even let him know till it is in
all the papers. Don't you remember
Laura Greene, Jessie? Her papa was
about the last person to find it out, and
he was so surprised and tickled."
'My oldest sister was engaged four
years 10 man from Charleston, and,
of course, nobody at home dreamed Of
his existence. When he came on to
see her she passed him off as her cousin
and family friend, and she never spoke
to him or noticed him if any third per-
son was present. He gave her beauti-
full ring the year before they were mar
ried, and she kept it locked up in the
bureau drawer till the cards were out.
Mother caught her looking at it one
day, and she nearly died of embarrass-
ment."
81 never heard of such silly Gus
tom," Miss Heights announced, vehe-
mently. ''Why, there's no fun in be-
ing engaged if you keep it to yourself.
A chum of mine told several of us girls
she expected to be. engaged soon, and
at last, when it really happened, she
telephoned to us all that same night.
thought it was awfully dear of her.
Of course, we helped her to spread it
as fast as we could, and it was in II
papers. L call that fun
spread it, Hildegarde?' the south
ern girl asked in her innocence, passing
over the rest of the sentence, which was
unintelligible to her.
''Yes, spread it far and wide. Stop
everybody we saw and tell them. Grace
said, whcn she walked in church Sun