The L'Anse sentinel., 1907-12-14
OLD MAIDS SCARCE
ONLY ONE FOUND in VIRGINIA
MOUNTAINS.
Course Of True Love Among the Moon.
shiners Runs Constant " Not A.
ways smooth-pecuIiar Customs.

ontnerB NUNS Conetant " NOT Az
ways smooth-pecuIiar Customs.
Unmarried women are scarce in the
Virginia mountains. In a summers
sojourn in a mountain country Of old
Virginia tourist made the acquaint-
ance Of fully 700 persons, and found
but one ''old maid" and she was
"talkin'." To talk" in the mountain
vernacular. means ITO pay court or to
accept it."
Girls begin to ''talk" at 13-even 12.
IN localities far removed from the
railroads. The little maid leaves on
her red calico sleeve apron" the
head band" that has held back her
loose hair, puts her hair In . big knob
on the back Of her head and 1ets her
dress down-ail advertisements of
readiness for marriage.
When q young man selects girl to
whom to pay court he will brook no
other youths 'talkin'" to her. He
may talk" to several girls II he likes.
In several neighborhoods, but he gives
himself the right to quarrel with one
II she talks" to another than him
selA
The chief counting places are the
log churches, where the elders sit on
the rough benches inside and worship
and the young ones sit under the
shade Of the trees outside and talk"
,and the evening entertainments at the
'homes-"play parties" and cake cut
tings," which last, with their dancing
of Boston" and SNAP" from dusk
until dawn.
Courtship is conducted in the most
open fashion. Public demonstrations
of affection are not censured. At the
play parties and cake cuttings the
lovers pay NO attention to any one
eise, sit with arms about each other
and exchange kisses and honeyed
words.
The engaged girl is very open in ex-
pressing her ownership of q young
man. She pins ribbon on her hair
and button picture on the ribbon,
and let's 1t bang over her forehead
She claims" her beau over any other
girl; and II at a dance 1t is his turn to
swing girl she doesn't like she has
been known to seize him bodily and
pull him out Of the dance.
When the wedding day comes.
usually after very short courtship.
the young couple slip of at night, and
call It running away" even, though
they haveD their parents consent.
Real runaways are but few.
The usual obstacle in the course of
true love is the enmity of the mother
Of "the other girl" One mother be-
comes so angered because a young
man quits "talkin'" to her daughter
to talk to more attractive girl that
she threatens to reveal the moon
shine" business Of the youths family
to the "revenuers," proceeding she
knows would ruin the family.
The mountain folk seldom remain
single after widowing. AS long as a
man is not confined to his chair by Ord
age he considers himself plenty young
enough to marry" Nor does he wait
very long after the death of his wife
to find another. II Marthy dies in
April Dick is "talkin'" by July and
married by September, and when
Martby's funeral is preached In Oc-
;tober LOUSY, her successor. prepares
the big dinner for the funeral guests.
Love marriages are the rule in the
mountains. but the marriage Of CON.
venience is not unknown. particularly
in the second marriage.
An aged widower wife-seeker hires
. woman to keep house and do his
cooking for . few months. 'I1l try
her, and ef she IL Of any account to
work I'll marry her." he announces
70 his friends, "and eff she hain't, I
wont"-Rehoboth Sunday HeralS-
Danger In Single Passion.
Prince Haseba Of Japan. in an inter
view in Spokane, said recently:
"Japan's danger now Hes in her
prosperity. She 10 in danger Of max
ing money her god. To make money
ones god is bad thing. It is pas
sion like the maternal Instinct, like
the mothers love for her young
which causes the mother to be in
considerate and cruel to husband
servants-all the world save her lit
tie child.
There is a young mother here in
Spokane at whom laughed the other
day.
"She had engaged a new nurse for
her baby. The nurse came to her
and said:
"T don't know what's the matter,
madam, but the little one cries and
cries. I can do nothing to quiet it.
The mother thought . moment.
Then. Frightening up, she said:
II remember now. Baby's last
nurse was southern nanny. You
win find the stove polish on the third
shelf Of the Kitchen closet.
a