Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-05-27

tongue Of many bashful swain.
There 10 something for boys hands
to do. and his feet are under cover.
The awkwardness Of hanging on
to . chair and trying to think Of
something to say Is gotten rid of, and
the motion of the flying buggy cheers,
but does not inebriate him. Ho y
therefore more at an advantage, % to
carrying on conversation, and many
q proposal is jolted out on q buggy
ride which otherwise might remain
unspoken.
The fashion mainly in our neighbor.
hood was for the girls to 60 bare.
headed on these drives, and Sunday
afternoon and evening the dull rever.
beration of wheels along the road,
and the distant rumble over nearby
bridges, told that Cupid's cohorts were
bestirring themselves. In the winter
time there was of course the shifting
from buggies to sleighs and cutters,
and even the old-time bob-sleds, when
parties went out. Skating parties
were also popular, and at all seasons
they held the dances.
Bridge whist" needless to say, was
unknown. Progressive euchre'' an
unknown quantity. Receptions"
there were none, and as for "tea-pour-
ing or any such lack.a-daisaical per-
formances, they were unheard of.
Cupid depended mostly on the red
wheeled buggies and the country
dances, and his success justified his
selections. OF course the time.honor-
ed institution of sparkling" was not
done away with. This interesting proc
ess, however, is mostly confined to
Sunday nights, and may be, and usual
~ is protracted until around Monday
morning early, say close to one o'clock
a. m. Sunday nights the lights in
many farm house shone out over
the fields, and inside the houses the
various couples talked over their
dances, and parties, their neighbor-
hood topics and matters of local inter
est. and scanned the family album,
and gossiped and bantered one an.
other.
And here, too, Cupid appeared be-
hind the scenes, and, matrimonially
inclined, wove the webs of mutual
trust and confidence between the
couples, and aided in unfolding the
mystery of his divine art Outside the
stars cleaned, and the trees waved
by still fields. Inside, perhaps the
organ sounded softly, or fire glowed
in an old-fashioned fireplace or in a
more modern stove.
After the "old folks went to bed
and there was nothing to disturb the
quiet Of indoors but the monotone of
the two responding voices, Cupid be-
took himself to other times and spaces.
confident that his spell was already
progressing bravely.
In the country papers the "corre-
spondents" from the various quarters
of the township regularly reported all
these different counting bees" and
the usual jokes were leveled at the
swain when the paper made it's ap-
pearance. Indeed, he would be some
! what disappointed if he thought that
his comings and goings were to pass
unrecorded, and generally had a re-
tort ready for the greetings which he
| may be sure will follow his appear
| ance in public.
And how quickly marriage follows
| on in the country! And be sure that
whoever are invited to the wedding,
all the country round knows of it..
And the thoughtful groom, knowing
the custom of the country, provides
himself with various boxes of cigars,
and the newly-made bride cooks plen-
tiful quantities of toOthsome viands,
and together they sit down in their
darkened home, awaiting with pleased
expectancy the arrival of the band of
neighbors intent on "shivareeing"
| them.
With fearsome blast from shot
guns, dinner-horns, sleigh-bells, cow
horns, dinner-bells, cow-bells, etc., and
q terrific din made by beating a sus-
| pended circular saw with a sledge-
hammer, the entertainment opens, and
the reluctant couple are finally
driven to open the doors and welcome
"all hands, Cigars are passed
around, and pies, sandwiches, dough-
| nuts, cakes and other eatables disap-
pear as if by magic, there is great
| deal of hand-shaking and hearty good
wishes from all assembled, to the
bride and groom, and at last, with a
| parting salute from all artillery and
noise-producing instruments, the
serenaders file out and fade in the sur.
rounding darkness.
And then the happy couple come
out and sit on the porch and discuss
those matters and things over which
no one has special interests hut them
selves, and the katy-dids strike up
while the stars shine down in an en-
tirely friendly and disinterested man
ner, having seen these things be-
fore.
As usual, Cupid has won again.
ERNEST MGAFFEY.
Planting cocoanuts In Samoa.
E. G. Simon, a cocoanut planter OF