Sunday Washington globe., 1902-03-09
The men are FIRE and the women are tow,
Puf-comes the devil-awaY they go.

The men are fire and the women are tow,
PuH-comes the devil-away they go.
Thus runs an old Sevillan proverb
Small wonder is it then that Andalusian
man and maid must WOO through iron bars.
He would be a brave American gallant
who, day after day night after night. would
court his lady from beneath her window in
sight of all the world as it passed by and
shrugged its shoulders with that mockery,
half tenderness, which youthful love excites.
The Spanish swain is less easily discour-
aged. He will "eat iron" the whole year
through If necessary, enjoying an artistic
pleasure in thus murmuring to charmer
quite beyond his reach the gentle platitudes
of loves devotion, "pelando la pava. +"
'plucking the turkey" as the Spaniards
say, reminded of the subdued, monotonous
chatter Of the poultry women in the mar
ket.
A touch of Orientalism enlivens the dis
comforts of this medieval romance for its
sentimental actors.
Behold the first meeting of the lover and
his lady. In front of his favorite cafe on
the Sierpes the young beau stands, twirliug
his cigarette, as he ogles Carelessly the Sc
noras and the seuoritas promenading back
and forth. He re-arranges now and then
the glossy folds of his long black cloak to
give a better glimpse of its quilted, silken
lining to passersby Suddenly an earthly
vision Of delight breaks on his view, a girl
young, tall, with eyes like those Of Sui
tan's favorite, and lips full blown anu red
as the rose within the masses of her hair.
She glides along behind her mother glanc.
ing demurely out from the folds Of her
mantilla. She cOquets with her fan auda.
ciously, deliciously and her swelling bosom
hutters lightly the black lace draped about
her throat
The dandy strikes jaunty air and con.
centrates his admiration in his gaze
Rapturel She has caught sight of him
Her eyes, lustrous and not too spiritual
look into his intensely for an instant
With superb nouchalance she has glanced
away. Though she passes and repasses her
admirer many times in the next half hour
she does not favor him again with a single
regard
Lured on by her indifference, he follows
at respectful distance, when she turns
homewaTd with her duenna
Another rapturel She resides in the
second street from his own in that sky blue
house he has noticed many times, the one
decorated with garlands Of painted roses;
better yet, she lives on the ground floor,
and a man need not strain his neck and
lungs 10 WOO her while she leans upou
balcony rail above.
He hauuts the spot. Next day he sees
her at her window From his place across
the street he gazes upon her ardently. She
looks the other way; and hirts her fan with
grace fascinating enough to drive men
mad. In this manner for several days she
strives to keep alive the fame she has
kindled. When she thinks that it is strong
enough to burn of itself she deigns to glance
at her conquest, at first shyly and then
without reserve.
He huns some amorous air, like this
maybe:
Thou shalt be a white dove,
And l a blue
Wen join our little beaks,
And cry Cu-cu-rru.cu.
Or, if he be in tragico-whimsica mood
he will break forth in this wise:
In the dimple of your chin
They say that I'll be buried
What bliss, my own,
We're I dead alreadyW
BY this time the young lady's mother has
looked up pretty thoroughly the anteced-
ents and prospects of her daughters wooer
From the moment that she heard his
smothered 'Ole ole' of admiration the
first time he saw her Dolores she has been
weighing his credentials with expert judg-
ment. So that when her daughter begins to
sing his praises she has entirely made mp
her mind about the expediency OF encour-
aging his suit.
If there are no natural obstacles, if the
marriage settlements on his side are likely
to be satisfactory, the suitoI will hence
forth be admitted TO the house to see his
sweetheart in the presence of her family.
He will however, set no chance to talk with
her alone until she is his wife. At any
rate he has this much qualification that he
is her recognized fance. Preparations be-
gin for the wedding, ana presently he will
be united to his bride by civil and ecclesi-
astical ceremony. The marriage will be a
solemn affair, performed at night with little
ostentation. Only members Of both fam-
lilies will be present. The bridal party and
the guests will be attired in black, az elab-
orately as their means will permit
A Spanish wooing is not so serious pro-
vided it is smiled upon. Should the lady
frown and continue to look away when you
salute her with passionate glances You
have, of course, no hope at all. II she CON
sents and her parents oppose, the case is
not so difficult, for If your eloquence and
that of your true love gain fails to move
their obduracy you can gain your rights by
law
You have only to make full statement
on paper Of the situation, and to deposit II.
signed and attested with the mayor of the
township in which your lady's parents
dwell The mayor will send an officer 10
the house to ascertain the facts. If he 6nds
all correct aud just as you have sworn he
will make out an order giving you free right
Of entry into the house Ia question for a
certain number OF days for the purpose of
becoming acquainted with and carrying of
your sweetheart. If her parents still refuse
their consent to the match nothing remains
but to make their daughter a ward OF the
court, to put her in the charge of some suit-
able person, and pay her expenses during