The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-03-25
ODD WAY OF GETTING A WIFE.
The Peculiar Manner in Which tho
Farce Islanders Do Their
LOve-MakinE.

Between Christmas and Lent dane
ing in the Farce islands reaches itR
elimination in frequency. On Christ
mas night the great saga of "Oluya
Kvadet" is sung. The unhappy Queen
Oluva's faithfulness to the king, which
is the theme of the song, is doubtless
intended as a reminder to young
couples who engage themselves during
dancing time, says a London journal
AS if in defiance of the warning
youths and maidens seem to prefer to
link their lives together under they very
notes of the OLIVIA refrain. At any
rate, the great majority of betroth-
ais occur during dancing time.
There being no parlors in Farce cot
tages, nor corners to hide in and tell
the fairy tales of the heart the young
people are obliged to do their court
ing in the open, that is, as the dance
goes on. and under the eyes of every
one partaking. 1fyou have been court
ing Faroese girl for some time and
wish to get her Eyes" or no." YOU
will have to line up alongside of her
in the dance and make your proposal
then.
Take care that sharp eyes do not de-
tect your secret and your purpose be-
fore yon have got what you want-the
girls Eyes" If they find you out be-
fore you succeed they will point their
fingers at you, and sing ditties with
sarcastic little filings at you.
At the same time, the tempo of the.
dance will be increased, and II yon
don't withdraw, it is likely to develop,
into sort of native can-can. OF conrse,
as soon as the dirty making sport of
you begins to circulate among the
crowd the girls all prick up their ears
and the particular girl you may bs
heading for gets out of your reach at
once.
If you are shrewd man you will re-
treat: you can always try again. If yor
are obstinate, you may always be sure
of a refusal, for no Faroese girl wilE
take man who is too clumsy to get
hold of her hand without other peo-
pie noticing it.
Absolutely nothing is said during
the counting. The man says nothing,
and the girl says nothing. If he can
but get hold of her hand-that is his
only chance.
A slight pressure from hers, ana
he is accepted Then both are sup
posed to blush and clap hands.
The dance stops. With smiling
faces and expectant looks the crowd
| faces the lovers in deep silence TO see
that the first kiss is bestowed accord
| ing to Faroese rule. The dance is.
then renewed with vigor.
| That's a neat and handy and
straightforward way of courting-
The Faroese style is well suited to.
people who know their own mind,
and marriages there are happy, di-
vorces exceedingly scarce.
A refusal is even more prompt
The young man, having secured the
girls hand, she quickly snatche
away from him, and turns her b !
on him. There he stands then, the
target for a shower of sarcastic,
speeches, the blushing, awkward VIC
tim of the cold shoulder literally
A Faroese wedding without dane
ing before and after was never heard
of. Not infrequently the priest gath
ers up his long sable robe and joins
the dancers. The dancing and sing
ing are sometimes kept up for sew
eral days after the wedding, but no
orgies ever occur, as the Faroese is
very sensible man and moderate
| drinker