The Forrest City times., 1900-03-02
LOVES QUAINT SHARES.
Some Queer O1d-Timc Country Cus- toms of Bucks County, Penn-
 syIyania.

Time and progress have obliterated many of the social customs that were established :n the colony that Penn founded. In the county of Bucks, where many of Penn's descendants re- side. and where he owned vast tracts of land. the ancient customs appertain- ing to courtship and marriage are still largely observed.
 First of all, the country swain is not qualified to pay court 10 the girls of his reiphborhood until he has horse and carriage, and that is generally his first possession. either by gift from his fa- ther 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 a public gathering of both sexes, where he picks out maiden who suits his fancy, and if she has not an escort, and is willing, he drives her home, and that is the open ing for future calls and drives.
 Then. too. the team comes in adyan- tageously during the Sunday School picnic season. the woods meetings con- dueted 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 tions to the roof of the barn or other outbulding, or, perchance, on top of a haystack, and there put the vehicle to- gether. The wooer, coming for his team after the last lingering farewell to the object of his adoration, would be amazed to see his carriage in the place where his tormentors had left ii. His alternative was to walk home or be- stride his horse and return the next day for his carriage, meanwhile being the subject of merciless raillery.
 Sometimes the prank took the form Of reversing the wheels of the carriage. placing the rear higher wheels in front and the lower front wheels in the place of the rear. Again. the horse might be uuhitched from the carriage and placed back in the shafts with it's head toward the vehicle. These pranks have been abolished, however, as they became so annoying that arrests resulted, and the fun" was discontinued.
 Presuming that the tship has progressed 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 q Saturday afternoon mutually agreed upon and drives 10 the home of the bride-elect, who goes with him to a clergyman, or a justice of the peace, sometimes a distance from home in or der 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 acquaintances. who make deaf ening noise by beating all sorts of tin cans, footing horns, etc, A favorite in- strument for such an occasion is n dry goods box upon which rosin has been liberally sprinkled. and then fiat fence rail as fiddle bow is used.
 The noise is endured as long as possi- ble. Then the bridegroom steps to the front door and invites the calithump- ians, as they are called. inside, and sup plies refreshments, or he gives them a 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 a rope across the highway and hold up the couple until the demand ed price was paid. This money, too, went for tipple at the nearest public house.
 All this has changed where more modern ideas prevail. but the cali thumpian band still exists in even the more refined communities.-N. Y. Journal.
 Sad Filipino Children.
 IL is sad news that the person in