Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09
ROMANCE IN PORTUGAL
PLENTY OF SENTIMENT ALLOW
ED IN COURTSHIP.
Young Man Follows the Maid He
Would Woo-How She Re-
ceives Attention.

ceives Attention.
From the London Mail.
Marriage, in the lives OF many. is
certainly the most important event in
thar of the Portuguese woman. And,
what is more, in the early days of court
ship il is attended with some romance.
For there is less of business and more of
romance in the ways of the Portuguese
lover. This Is how the Portuguese cava-
lier conducts his affairs de occur. If he
sees pretty girl in the street with whom
he would like to become acquainted he
follows her. He follows her in the face
of all NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and duennas
right up to her very door, and he notes
the address
Next day he comes again. and if the
young lady approves of him she will
most certainly be on the lookout But
sometimes hard fate-an angry guardian
or stern parent--prevents her from so
doing. and then the gallant youth is kept
waiting.
The First Overtures
SO II during ramble through Portugal
one should notice young man lettering
a. the corner of the street or gazing in
tently at a house. one must not ina CINE
that ne is medtating a burglary any
thing so desperate, but know that he is
merely harmless and amorous youth
gazing at the windows Of his lady-love.
But be sure if there is way she will
not keep him waiting long. for the Por-
tuguese girl is past master in the art
of intrigue.
Soon she leans over the balcony and
smiles at him. and the happy youth thus
encouraged ties note. in which he de-
clares his undytng passion. TO the cord
which the fair lady has dropped from
the balcony. The next day the young
man, buoyed with hope. comes again.
but this time he Is holder. for he rings
at the door
If the inquiries, which the lady's par
ents will doubtless have made. prove
satisfactory. he Is admitted to make the
acquaintance of the young lady and her
family And then. should he please and
the lady's father be prepared to give the
necessary dot. wedding bells will end
this little romance. Think of the de-
lightful possibilities of walk in Por-
tugal. Who knows but what demure
little Emelia may not meet her future
partner for life?
At one time this was the usual way in
which couples became acquainted. but
nowadays when English customs and
ways are every day becoming more
adopted. who knows how soon this
| mantle custom may not die out alto
gether?
nance and all else is often sounded for
the Portuguese bride. Married often
when yet a child she has the cares of
wifehood and motherhood thrust upon
her
For. unlike her sisters Of France,
! marriage does not spell her emancipa-
ton, her freedom from the chaperon.
The bride of today has no more freedom
nf Of yyft
husband or chaperon she may not walk
abroad. A Jealous husband will often
keep her as closely guarded as though
she had taken the VEIL
A Marrow World.
The lives. therefore. Of the Portuguese
women are often as barren and devoid of
interest those of the women in the far
east. Certainly. among the rising gener-
alton there is growing unrest a yearn-
ing for culture, vague idea that there
is a world somewhere beyond Portugal,
but the lives of many are often just as
bounded and hedged in as their own back
gardens.
In fact to many their house and fam
lily, their kinar orange grove, repre-
sent their whole world-the only world
they know. 1t lis no unusual thing to find
a Portuguese woman who has been will
ingly incarcerated for several years. One
lady of my acquaintance told me she had
not been beyond the garden for four
years.
And you are not bored? exclaimed
in establishment You do not want to
go Out?
IF | should go out. she replied in
her pretty broken English, II rest not
till l am returned; for who knows what
may happen in my absence?
| 60 out" she continued, with shrug
OF her plump shoulders, for what for
should | go out? Here I have my chill
drcn. my husband my home-what more
can ! want?
What. indeed?
To the onlOoker the life Of tile average
Portuguese woman is dull deadly dull.
She cannot throw herself into housekeep-
ing as German would, because the
Portuguese menage is such very simple
affair 1t could not possibly occupy much
her nature to become really good haus-
frau.
Lack of Society.
than an onlooker at life, the worlds hap
penings can hardly be supposed to absorb
her interest OF society-save for The
visits of few relatives, she has none.
There are two things which save er
live from deadly monotony-her religion
and her balcony. In almost every house
in Portugal there Is one room which is
set apart chapel, and here. b-fore
the altar. the Portugal woman daily
spends some hours IN prayer ana medlta-
ton.
About the balcony a whole book might
be written. To lean over i. the women
arrange their hair and dress themselves
lust as deliberately though to pay II
visit Hours a day they waste in this
manner until finally their shoulders be-
come bowed with much leaning. Duh,
indeed would be the life of the Portu-