The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-06-29
WAYS OF coURTsHIP.
Odd Customs In Some Parts Of Penn
svlvana

Time and progress have obliterated
many Of the social customs that were
established In the colony that Penn
founded. In the county OF Busks,
where many OF Penn's descendants re-
side, and where he owned vast tracts
of land the ancient customs apper-
tanning TO courtship and marriage are
still largely observed.
First OF all, the country swain Is not
qualified to pay court to the girls OF
his neighborhod until he has a horse
and carriage, and that is generally his
first possession, either by gift from
his father or the result OF the hoard
ing of small savings The team
acquired, the young man Is prepared
10 become the lover. lie drives usu-
ally, not to some girls house, but 10
church or a public gathering Of both
sexes, where he picks out "A maiden
who suits his fancy, and II 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 occasion for the be-
ginnings Of dreams Of love that later
led 10 matrlmony.
Then. too, the team comes In adyan.
tageously during the Sunday school
picnic season, the woods meetings
conducted by the Methodist churches,
and for dance parties and other social
occasions
The woOers team has in the past
been the cause OF much worrment on
certain occasions. Some evening,
when he was spending the time pleas
antly in the house OF his sweetheart,
his friends, having located him. pro-
ceedcd TO take the carriage apart ana
carry the sections TO the roof Of the
barn; or, perchance, on top OF hay
stack, and there put the vehicle TO.
gcthcr. The wOOcr, coming for his
team after the last lingering farewell
to the object Of his alteration, would
be amazed TO see his carriage i'm tho
place where his tOrmcntors had left
IL. His only alternative was to walk
the next day for his carriage, mean
while being the subject Of mcrcilcss
raillery.
Sometimes the pranks took the form
OF reversing the wheels on the car
riage, placing the rear higher wheels
in front and the lower front wheels in
the rear. Again, the horse might be
unhitchcd from the carriage and
placed back in the shafts, with Its
head towards the vehicle. These
pranks have been abolished however,
as they became 80 annoying that ar.
rests resulted, and the Fun was dis.
continued.
Sometimes II was the custom "a
watch for the bride and bridegroom
on their first drive after the wedding,
and stretch n rope across the highway
and "hold up" the couple until the de-
mandcd price was paid. This money
too, went for tlpplc at the nearest
public house
All this has been changed where
more modern ideas prevail, but the
band still exists in even
the more refined communities.
If the young husband Is without
means he frequently goes to reside
with the brides parents, and often
becomes an employee Of his father.
in-law. Where there is some wealth
the couple are sometimes started i'm
life on n farm purchased by the
brides parents or by the husbands
family. Both sides, If financially
able, contribute the house furnishing.
Very often this outfit includes family
relics handed down from generation
to generation.
Thus does n Pennsylvania rural fam
lily become established in the com.
munity in which perhaps both hus-
band and wife were born, and where
their ancestors dwelt in peace and
happiness before them-phila Press.