Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-08
GIRLS DO THE LovEMAKING.
How Marriage In Some Lands Are
Brought About.

GEOLOGY know that women have cultl-
waited an attitude Of effeminate coyness
along with the thousands and one con-
yentionalities that have been thrust on
them. In spite Of these opinions, says
the Chicago Tribune, in the days gone
by It was almost as common for the
women as the men to do the counting.
Today there are parts Of the world
where young women feel they are do
Ing nothing wrong by taking this pleas
ure and responsibility on themselves.
In Polynesia there are no women's
clubs and the doctrines Of women's
rights have never been heard, and still
these half emancipated young girls
feel they have the right to extend an
offer of marriage to an equal or to an
inferior. Their proposals are some
times accepted, again rejected. When
their love Is unanswered they do not
commit suicide or take poison, as an
American novelist might make US be-
lieve. They may grieve little while,
only to console themselves with the
thought, "if at first you don't succeed,
try, try again." These proposals are
often spoken in most romantic words.
A Fijian maiden desperately in love
with a young man asked his father II
she might love his son, and receiving
no encouragement she said:
Let me only live outside Of his home.
will sleep upon the woodpile. II
may only light his cigarettes for him /
shall rejoice.
81 may only hear his voice from a
distance; 1t will suffice. Life will be
pleasant to me-"
Between the northern and southern
extremity Of New Guinea lies Tories
Strait. The largest island In the strait
Is inhabited by Melanesians, whose
customs are insular and unique-they
are Of special interest to students oc-
cupied with the phenomena Of love and
marriage. They are, with one excep- |
ton, of the Papuan type, frizzled hair
people who cultivate the soil, use the
bow and arrow. and, un-Australian
like, treat the women with considera-
| ton.
Prof. A. C. Haddon, the most eminent
authority on these people, says that the
women of the region are wonderfully
independent. The most a man ever
dares Is to suggest he is fond Of girl,
but IL he actually proposed he would
be the laughing stock Of the whole dis
trict. On the island of Tuo boys are
taught:
"You no like girls first; II you do
girls laugh and call you woman"
When a girl likes man she tells his
sister and gives her ring Of string.
She tells the brother she has some
good news for him, and II he approves
they select a rendezvous, where the
conversation Is carried on In this man
ner:
"You like me proper"
Yes" she declares. II like you
proper, with my heart inside. Eye
along heart see you-you my man."
Half frightened, he continues: How
you like me?"
She usually answers: Il like your
your skin good. You my man."
In a neighboring island courtship as
sumes a more practical form. The
lovesick maiden sends her young man
food, and plenty Of 1t. He waits some
time and II he decides he approves or
her he acknowledges her favor by eat
ing all she has sent him. A good dam
IL, olu oap In thaqp iQlQ nd9 |
mans being married does not pre-
vent his being courted again. Girls
have enough tact not to make this
known to the wife. A sister Is Sc
lected.
Some Of the girls are wonderfully
persistent. Haddon tells of girl who
was In love with q cook. She made the
advances, but he paid no heed, and so
she accused him Of trying to steal her.
She carried on a long lawsuit, though
the case was decided In the mans IA
vor In spite of these advances most
of these women become the properly
of their husbands when married.
sometimes to the extent If man gets
angry he kills his wife. and his sister
II she demonstrates.
In New Zealand women do their
counting In a most romantic fashion.
The young girl visits the counting
house set apart for this purpose.
Standing up In the dark she says: Il
love So and So and l want him for my
husband" whereupon the chosen low
er, If willing, says Yes" or enough to
signify assent.
The Pueblo girl Is even more inde-
pendent; after many a delightful and
sometimes romantic filtration she
comes to the conclusion she Is fonder
Of one suitor than the others and she
tells her father she Is determined to
have the young man. The father usu-
ally acquaints the young man with the
fact 1t seldom happens that any OBJ
jections are raised but the father or
the bridegroom must reimburse the
parents of the maiden for the loss OF
their daughter. This Is done by an Of
fer of presents in keeping with their
wealth and rank
The young people are thoroughly In
dependent and II they learn they do
not love each other as much as they
imagined, they separate and leave their
children to be cared for by the grand
parents.
The Moqui girls are so strenuous In
their love affairs they are satisfied with
a verbal contract. Goods, personal eff
1ectS anu VdludDleS VI lIe "Oiicl otii
belong TO them. If a woman leaves her
husband she takes all with her. The
husband Is often indebted to a wife
for a loan. and this keeps them togeth-
er when otherwise divorce would en-
sue. Among the Spokane Indians when
the man falls In love he must consult
the father and the GIRL though 1t is
more usual for the girl to make the
advances. They usually marry from
the same tribe, but II man marries
out Of his tribe he must join his wife.
1t is thought she can work better In
country that Is known to her.
The Indian girls Of the Hudson, ac-
cording to several reliable authorities,
signify openly their desire for ma.tri-
monial life. when one Of them takes
a rotion to marry she covers her face
with a veil and sits covered as an In
dication Of her desire. II she attracts
a sutor negotiations ensue, presents
are given by relatives and friends and
the bride taken.
A pretty girl. Manjiknawis she was
called. was fond Of a contained,
egotistical young man who had no spe-
cial fondness for her beauty. She had
a notion that her ability as house
keeper might win him, though her
beauty did not. She was solicitous In
attending his wants. mended his moe
hAl