Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-06-10
COURTSHIP IN MEXICO
is NO EASY MATTER


THE WOMEN IN OUR SISTER RE
PUBLIC RUSES EMPLOYED
swEETHEARTs-BILL DoUX ON A
STRING.
Only in Moselem5countries are wo-
men more secluded than in Mexico.
One of the prettiest views have ever
had into this inner court of the native
life was one ofathe first. Wehad been
up the hill of the'G uadaloupe and seen
the shrine, and were on our way down
to the miraculous we'll by the steps
that pass the great stone walls, and
chanced to admire little child in the
care of its sister, girl of Is. The Child
was playing with a tiny cup of native
pottery and insisted that / take it, and
while we chatted with them the girl
was playing with a poor, cheap locket
hung by a bead string around her
plump, roundsneck. She saw that l
noticed it, and with the sweetest shy
ness and an adorable pride showed me
the picture 1t continued-just brown
Indian boy in new sOmebrero, and
when had looked at it with question
In my eyes she said almost in whisper;
cit is my noviO."
Novio means lover, and her eyes grew
large and luminous with the word. 1t
took but little urging to let her pour
out eagerly the whole story. She lived
in Santa Maria, one of family OF
fourteen. He dweIt in Tacubya and
was a burro boy. He had seen her at
fiesta and she said she loved him as
soon as she looked In bis face. She had
never seen him since then except once
In the streets with his burros. The pic
ture he had had taken and carried to
her with some clipped verses by tiny
muchacho, a boy so little that no one
would suspect him of being love mes
senger. Just then a..woman bearing a
lar of blessed water from the we'll ap-
preached, and the girl hid the locket.
It was her mother and she was afraid
! GAY CLAD PEASANTS.
There is much said OF the picture
soue peasantry of Europe, but l doubt
/ If any one country of them all can af-
ford the great variety of dress found
among the women in Mexico, and there
is none of the many dresses but seems
to add to the beauty of the wearer.
| This beauty is not for long, for they
mature early and begin to fade when
woman of the United Statesswould be
considered in her prime.
One day as was walking along the
side street in the best residence portion
of Merida saw bit of paper dangl-
ing from the end of string that led up
over a balcony and into window, the
shutter of which was almost entirely
closed, only a bare crack being visible.
The string jerked just sthe least bit,
causing the paper to bob up and down.
I turned as if to cross the street Tor
closer observation. Instantly the pa
ner which l was convinced was note
was drawn up. and retired to the next
corner, ,.where pausedia few momentf
ont of sheer curiosity to see what would
banpen. The note was lowered again
and soon there came sauntering by
handsome young man in "chorro" COS
!. tnme something unusual in the State
As he passed under thes.balcony h'
wbjpped out knife and servered th'
, string. put the note.in his hat and saun
, tered on.
Some of the.most beautiful women o
, Mexico are to tbe founds among th'
Jndians.o of the Tehuantepec lsthmus
Tbere on Sundays one will see hun
{ dreds of pretty church-goers wearing
: most extraordinary costumes. In
skirt is often of satin or silk. heavil
, lace trimmed sometimes and with
sbort-sleeved waist, The headdress
8 the principal feature. 1t is grea
!. s.ifr laundered accordion plated sor
r Of thing that can look very pretty an
!. can he what the wOmen's word ''sloI
}. py" means.
dI MODES OF MAKING LOVE.
n The Amatecas, both men and wOmei
e wear white cotton garments, on Whlc
d the embroidery is done in panels eith'
: down the front of the woman's SKI
or on the tHnic the men wear. The
10 a curious custom among them
lovers exchanging the twigs of certa
. trees in entire secrecy, except as ea
10 now twig is received it is carried TO t
l. father or mother or guardian of ea'
of the two, and assent is given 10 u
. continuance of the exchange till
appe blossoms are reached then 1t
as time for the priest. This pretty met
' cd of courting ls dying out, and it il
~ relic of Indian customs and Is q
couraged by the priests.
In nearly all parts of the country
" lovers process is the same. 1t is CT
- ed "playing bear" and is OF Span
II extraction. Of course, it is not nee
tary to play bear in those classes WI
oo m the young folks are thrown togeti
~ in the market, the field, the workro
and the highway, but even there alci
watch is kept on the girls and con'
10 alton with their adorers is fragm
MS. tary.
Key The beginningsof courtship is
ually the sight of each other on SC
red public day, some Fiesta, or WI
st. driving in the Paseo. the ioVer-1'
beholds face that causes his heart
tighten, then expand, and though
may have but glanced at him. II
fool does not know who she is he will fol
st . and ascertain her abode. That nj
II there will be twanging guitars with
,ree her windows, and he may attempt
suf. sing few young Mexicans puI IL
acb fair vOices) The next day purI
in epistles of deathless love arrive,