The Monticellonian., 1908-05-21
The Rural Swair1
'Zekel crep' up quite unbeknown An peeked in thru the winder, An thar sot Huldy all alone
 'Ith no one nigh to hinder"

An peeked in thru the winder,
 An thar sot Huldy all alone
 'Ith no one nigh to hinder.'
 Cupid works overtimes in the coun- try. A hard-worked little god he is Indeed in the rural districts. If it be true or false that 1t is love that makes the world go round" 1t Is cer- tainly fact that the main world for the boy between IT and 21 in the farm lands, is that deleetable land of Hearts Desire, bounded on the east west, north and south by the vision of his best girl" and festooned by dreams of various circuses, band con certs, dances. Sunday school gather lngs, fish frys," picnics, barbecues, and buggy rides.
 To see boy emerge from the chrys alis stage of 16 or whereabouts, into the full=grewn butterfly of IT or IS, is { Something marvellous to behold, and ! Instructive to contemplate. The trans formation is invariably accomplished by means of red-wheeled buggy This really marks the time when he strikes off the shackles of boyhood and emerges into the fierce white < light of country society. He becomes at once a target for the side-splitting Z wittieisms of the country editor with his: Jake Beaver seems to be driv- ' Ing out pretty regular towards the Osgeed farm now. Sunday nights. Hey, Jake, When shall We send our Congratulations? ?" This makes Jake" feel as though he had drawn capital prize at some grand lottery.
 A boy without a buggy is absolutely not in the running" at all. A great deal of sparkling" is done while on the road to the various entertain ments, and Cupid in the country would be especially appropriate with wings, for the boys usually drive at break neck pace, just to scare the girls and Impress their sweethearts with their prowess as drivers A boy who Is driving the old mans rig, feels about as important as if he was wearing his elder brothers old clothes, and every one knew 1t. But with a new buggy, with heavy near-fur robe for winter. and fancy blanket for summer. and a new buggy whip. and a "steppy' nag to leave the dust in the other fellows face, the rural swain is in his element, and on the top wave of delight.
 We saw great deal of the evolu- ton of the rustic cavalier at the farm. Saturdays and Sundays especially were his busy days. and the road in front of the house was scalloped with AL H. may be sure that the question of dress WAS a most particular point with him, and so save time and be strictly en rega.e, he always wore patent leath- ef''ehoes Soft hats were the style. b1aex in the fall and winter, and light in the summer and spring. Some of tho boys were prone to silk muf- 1ers and elaborate ties. and were really gotten up regardless.
 AS is usual in such cases, there is always some one boy who is known : as s-the best dressed fellow in the : toWn-hip," and he is especially care ful to live up to the reputation. even If 1t takes nearly all he can earn to appear with the latest novelties in ! dress Some of the boys were yari : ously the best dancers, the best box ors. the best swimmers, skaters, etc, but the most important member of uociety in the community. the Ward McAllister" Of the district. was the boy who was the best dancer and ~coller-off at the dances. for he could make or unmake either boy or 61rl who wanted to shine at these as semblages.
 A curious feature of the "courting" which was carried on was the gath erlnes of the young boys and girls who played games among themselves, but who did not dance. These embryo oociety events would often be attend "a by eager crowds of as many as 30 pr 10 couples, most of them girls and boys of about IA to 16, and they al W1ys went home early, and 1t was as H Cupid was merely making tenta- t1vo Arrangements for more serious oflniPs Sometimes at these little ~sparties," as they were called, there would be an attempt to have quad rille or two before the party broke up, some of the more ambitious of the girls wanting to try their wings before budding" out at the regulation dances.
 Then after a year or more you would see some of the boys and girls who attended these parties" at dances, and you would know that hevermore would they be seen with tho Youngsters. but that they had fairly entered the arena of society, and wore now escorted by the boys who owned their own buggies, and who were preparing to enter the doabtful state of matrimony in the Immediate future.
 Ron and girls marry early on the foxno. A great many of them are
 0fs1od, the boys at 21. the girls at 0 e9 younger A good many are mar riod 6oys before they are 20. girls at lo. 4his makes for early grand potN11oge. and extensive families. coqxe1nip. therefore. is confined to pefioG Of from two to three years, to 1vo ~e the furthest. A years court n fairly long time and mar IT. - giving In marriage occupies