Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-05-17

hoping ia be able TO weap tAla ereaiAey
1t Is terribly mussed, as you see, ana
If the air does not take out some or
the wrinkles you will be ashamed OF
your American friend
To my utter amazement, Sofia darted
at the garment, removed 1t from the
railing In the twinkling Of an eye and
had 1t back into my room again before
she took time even to speak to me.
"What In the world are you doingY
gasped.
do you want people to suppose you
have your clothes made here In .Bogo-
tar she demanded.
Then she went on to explain: every
one who can. afford 1t has her dresses
sent from New York or Paris, and OF
course the things are wrinkled when
they get here. We are very glad when
they are, because that shows that
they're imported. If I have a gown
made here, always put 1t under my
mattress and sleep on 1t for night or
two before I wear it. Then 1t looks as
If it had been packed and sent from
abroad. And you would actually have
put your real New York dress out In
the ARR
/ went that evening looking, as ]
thought, fright, but l believe Sofia
was very proud of me.
About thirty persons were at the
party, and only two besides myself
were not related to all the others.
There were six engaged couples pres
ent and they sat-as afterward found
out was the invariable custom-side by
side on sofas, as far as the sofas held
out, and those who arrived too late to
secure sofas had chairs placed two by
two as close together as 1t was possible
to put them. Thus the couples sat i'm
movable throughout the evening, talk
ing to each other in low tones, perfect
ly oblivious Of the rest of the company.
1t was one of the funniest things l
ever knew to look around the room and
sec those six pairs gazing into each
was any one else In the world but
themselves.
But engaged couples can never, never
see each other alone, not for one mo-
ment. and If they did not sit and talk
together in public they would not talk
ut all, so who can blame them for not
wasting any of the little time that they
have in each others company by con-
versation with outsiders? We had cha
rades that evening, and the unengaged
young people went out Of the room
and then came back and acted, but the
pairs never moved from one end Of the
affair to the other except when they
were obliged to go into the dining room
to get something to eat
If girls fiance chances to call when
she is alone in the house she must in
struct the servant to say that she Is not
at home, for she could not possibly re-
ceive the man without q chaperOn. 1t
was mystery to me how young peo-
pie ever got engaged. l asked Sofia,
and she said it was usually at dance,
in the midst Of such a crowd that the
two were practically alone.
do they never, never kiss each 9th
er, then 2" 1 inquired alphabetically.
"Oh, WELL" said Sofia, her eyes cast
down, sometimes there is way"
1t goes without saying that the pre-
lminary courtships are carried on be-
fore the eyes of the world; indeed, most
of the wooing up to the time when the
man goes to the house and formally
asks the father for the girls hand Is
done In the street. Whenever the girl
goes out to walk, with her mother or
other chaperon, the man walks a little
distance behind or sometimes on the
opposite side of the street If the senO-
rita is favorably inclined toward her
follower she let's him know it by
glance now and then or the slightest
possible turn of the head In his direc-
ton. When she is in the house her
sutton walks up and down under her
balcony for hours at time, while she
peeps out at him through a shutter.
The lover always has friend Called
his "candelero"- literally, candlesticD,
who accompanies him and helps him
with his courtship. Thus, when the
principal is forced by his duties else
where to leave his post under the girls
balcony the candelerO remains in his
place, and should the girl come out Of
her door in the time Of her lovers alb
sence the candelero hastily seeks his
friend and informs him Of the dlrec-
ton that the girl and her chaperon
have taken; then both hurry after as
fast as they can go. This sort OF WOO
ing is kept up for weeks, during which
time not a word is spoken between the
couple until at last the admirer finds
some way of being introduced into the
girls home.
When the young couple become en-
gagged q betrothal dinner Is given. On
the afternoon Of the day Of the din
ner the man sends the girl an engage
ment ring. One that 1 saw was sent
with some rare and beautiful flowers,
made into a fan, the sticks Of which
were tied with ruby cOlored ribbon,
and in the knot Of the ribbon was the
ring, large ruby surrounded by dia-
monds. The whole thing was carried
on a tray by servant to the girls
house. Fancy an American man CIV
ing an engagement ring in that man.
ner! AT the dinner the couple ex-
changed plain gold rings, but no ring