The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1916-06-09
MUSIC IN MEXICO.
Every Little Hamlet Has a Band
Stand of Its Own.
A HELP IN THE GAME OF LOVE.

To tho Strains of Melody the Youths
and Maidens "PIay Bear,' q Peculiar
National Diversion That Is the Cor
rect Road to Matrimony.
Music plays q very prominent part in
the social life of Mexico, not alone I'm
the capital and other larger cities, but
all over that picturesque land. A Mex
lean who can play no musical instru-
ment is nothing less than a curiosity.
There is no hamlet so insignificant that
1t has no band. Eight or ten men get
together and decide to form band.
Having reached that decision, they go
to the jefe politico, or mayor.
"All right" he will tell them. you
are to play Wednesday evenings from
to and Sunday mornings from to
12," and record is made.
And during these hours, rain or
shine, hot or cold. through famine.
war and pestilence. as long as those
men are alive and in the town, the
band is in the band stand playing for
such as choose to linger in the plaza.
or public square.
About the evening concerts much of
the social and domestic life of Mexico
centers. 1t is at the concerts that
many a youth and maiden first meet
and begin to "play bear" game in
digenous and peculiar to Mexico, with
out which no self respecting Mexican
couple adventures on matrimony.
The general plan Of every plaza is
much the same. In the center is the
band stand. Immediately surrounding
the band stand is an open paved space
Then there are flower bordered walks
with plenty Of benches.
Round the edge Of the plaza, outside
the trees and flowers, is another broad
paved walk. Upon this outer walk
are grouped the poorer Mexicans, the
poems. On the benches sit the fathers,
the mothers, the older folk, Of the bet
ter classes. Round the walk that sur
rounds the band stand saunter tireless-
ly the youths and maidens of the same
class.
The women circle to the left on the
outside. the men in the opposite direc-
ton, on the inside. Thus every one
sees every one else innumerable times
dious circling youth sets eyes on a
maiden who strikes his fancy-the
game Of playing bear" has begun.
He looks steadily at his charmer ev-
cry time they pass. and she, If she Is
pleased, glances at him In return. Aft
er they have passed each other ten or
a dozen times he is at the edge Of the
procession in which he walks, and she
has moved to the edge of the column
of young women.
Then the young man, with a friend
withdraws to some cantina, or cafe,
and writes an ardent note. On the
next round his friend in passing slips
1t into the hand Of her companion.
Then they continue their strolling un-
til the concert is at an end.
On the next concert evening the per-
formance is repeated, only this time
the young lady is the one who presents
the note, which she has written in her
home. If she rejects her suitor's ad-
vances he persists or desists, according
as he is faint hearted or not.
If he meets with success he begins
the next phase of the game Each
evening he will be seen opposite his
lady's house. passing back and forth
like sentry walking his post. Even
during business hours he will rise sud-
denly from his stool, seize his hat,
rush frantically to his accustomed beat
and for several minutes walk up and
down, gazing reproachfully at the bar
red windows across the way.
As time goes on. after six weeks or
two months. say. have passed, the girl
is at last to be seen seated in the win
dow Then ensues another period Of
from two weeks to a month. The
young mans walks gradually shorten,
and one evening he is to be seen under
meath the window. gazing mournfully
upward for hours, much to the discom-
fort Of passersby. But no one grum-
bles. All the world loves q lover
especially in Mexico.
After this stage father and son call
formally on the father Of the young
lady and make proposal Of marriage.
When all the arrangements have
been made the young man for the first
time calls at the home of his affianced
wife and meets her face to face, but
never except in the company of third
person - mother. father or aunt
Youths Companion.
Aben coI;d troo Eloake