New-York tribune., 1904-10-30
aids TO MATRIMONY.
Hallozceen Is One-Muscle Helps q
Lot, also.

garding those whom fate has destined for their
future life companions.
Halloween is of the deepest significance to the
marriageable young folks Of Holland. where a
curious custom prevails in Ould Beierland On
the first Sunday of this month. which is known
as review day." the lads and Iasses, attired in
their best, promenade the village separately,
stare another out of countenance. and then
retire to make up their minds On the second
Sunday, which is called decision day the
young men go up and pay their compliments to
the fair ones Of their choice. to learn if they
are regarded with favor. On the third Sunday,
OF day Of purchase" the swain Is expected to
snatch the pocket handkerchief of his adored
one. and il she submits to it with good grace ne
understands that his chances of winning her are
hattering The captured pledge is restored to
the fair owner on the fourth Sunday. the sun
day Of taking possession" and it rarely hap
pens that the damsel refuses the lover for whom
she has indicated a preference On the sunday
following the suitor, according to custom. calls
at the house Of his inamorata, where he Is asked
to tea If piece of the crust of gingerbread
loaf is handed to him there is nothing left for
him but to retire. If, on the other hand. the
parents offer the young man piece of the
crumb he Is allowed to come again and Is ad-
mitted into the family
In many benighted lands. however. there is
no Halloween to aid those matrimonially m
clined and cruder methods hold sway.
Among the ancient Assyrians all marriage
able young girls were assembled at one place.
and the public crier put them up for sale one
after the other. The money which was received
for those who were handsome. and consequently
sold WE'LL was bestowed wedding portion ON
those who were plain According to travellers.
courtship among the Esquimaus has not much
tenderness about il. The match is made by the
parents of the couple. The lover must go out
and capture a polar bear as an evidence OF MS
courage and strength That accomplished ne
sneaks behind the door of his sweethearts house'
and when she comes out he pOunces upon her
and tries to carry her 10 his dog sledge. she
screams bites kicks and breaks away from him.
He gives chase. whereupon all the old woilvl OK
the settlement rush out and beat her with tro&eh
strips Of seaIskin. She falls down exhausted. the
lover Iashes her to his sledge. whips up his dogs
dashes swiftly over the frozen snow. and the
wedding is over
The Australian native lover makes up his
mind as 10 which woman shall be his bride. and
then hides In the bushes near her dwelling AS
soon as she comes near the spot where he IS
concealed he knocks her down with CLUB anu
carries he's of before she comes to. If he doeS
not get her TO his hut before she RECEIVERS
there is likely to be a lively fight in the bush.
for the Australian girl is usually n vigorous
cne and may have reasons of her own fer eb-
jecting to his attentions. The lover may then
be obliged to club her again. and. as that is
considered to be somewhat of a reflection on
the ardor with which his earlier effort was made
he is apt to put much soul and muscle into
his first love tap as he summon.
In some parts of Asia the lover must carry
off his bride his hack II he reaches his
hut with her there he protest against
the marriage. Failing in that. he must pay her
parents for her in cattle. The willing bride
makes cutlery: the unwilling bride arOUSes
the whole village the residents of which try
to rescue her.
In the Ukraine when a girl falls in love with
man. she goes to his house and declares her
passion. III he declines to accept her she remains
there and his case becomes rather distressing.
To turn her out would provoke her kindred To
avenge the insult The young fellow has
sort left but to run away from home until the
damsel is otherwise disposed Of
On the island of Himla opposite Rhodes
girl Is not allowed to have a lover until she
has brought up certain number of SpongeS
and given proof of her agility to take them
from certain depth.
According to THE Chronicles of Ingerhe,'
William the Conqueror conducted his wOOing in
a strenuous manner We are told that he met
Matilda In the streets of Bruges as she was re-
turning from mass. He seized her. struck her
several times with his fist rolled her in the dirt.
thereby spelling her rich array" then rode or
at full speed Convinced of the intensity of his
ardor, Matilda subsequently consented to marry