HOW RUSSIAN GIRLS ARE COURTED.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3552, 27 November 1882, Page 4

HOW RUSSIAN GIRLS ARE COURTED.

Love is tho same tho world over, but ' courting' is managed very differently in different countries. Russian courtship, among the middle classes, is peculiar. The first Whit-sunday after the young girl is acknowledged by her mother to be of marriageable years, she is taken to the Petersburgh summer-garden, to join the 'Bridal Promenade.' This consists'of the daughters of the Hussian tradesmen walking in procession, followed by their parents. Up and down they go, pretending to chat with each other and to take no notice of the young men—the tradesmen's sons, dressed in their best clothes—who walk in another procession on the other side. However, every now and then, some young fellow slips out of his proper rank and adds himself to the line of girls on the other side, speaking to one particularly. The parents of the girl join in the conversation in a few moments, and soon they leave the promenade and arc joined by the parents of the young man. Generally the old folks have talked it well over before, but on this occassion every one pretends to be surprised. On the next day a female confidante calls on the girl's parents and request -her hand. This granted, all the relations on both sides meet and argue about the portion to be given with the girl. If this is not satisfactory all is at an end ; if it is what is expected, the betrothal takes place.

The bride and bridegroom kneel clown upon a great fur mat, and the bride takes a ring from her finger and gives it to the bridegroom, who returns the gift by another. The bride's mother meanwhile crumbles a piece of bread over her daughter's head, and her father holds the image of his daughter's patron saint over his future son-in-law's well-brushed locks. As they arise the bridemaids sing a wedding song. The guests each bring forward a present of some sort. Wine is handed about, and some one says it is bitter and needs sweetening. Upon this the bridegroom kisses the bride—the sweetness being supposed to be provided by this kiss —salutes the company, and takes his leave, on which the bridemaids sing a song with a chorus something like this : ■' Farewell, hippy bridegroom, But return to be still more happy." Courting time has now begun. Every evening the lover comes to his lady's home with a pi'esent which is always something good to eat—generally cakes or sugar-plums. He gmakes love under rather awkward circumstances, for the bridemaids sit about the betrothed pair, in a circle, singing songs descriptive of their happiness. One pities the poor young Russians a little at this point, but the wedding day is not long delayed. The last evening of the courtship is enlivened by the presentation of the gifts of the bridegroom, which must include brushes, combs, soap, and perfumery. On receiving these, the bridemaids instantly carry the bride away and wash her, dress her hair, and perfume her pocket-handkerchief. Thus touched up, she returns to the company, and the bride's father gives his future son-in-law the marriage portion, which he takes home with him in a next bag.

The next morning he returns for the lady herself. She receives him -with her hair unbraided and flowing down her back. They are married by the ceremonies of the Greek church, and the old folks never go to the wedding dinner. Those eternal bridemaids, whom they must hate by this time, are there, however, still on duty, and the evening closes by the bride kneeling down and pulling off her husband's boots to prove her intention to bo an obedient and submissive wife.

Good-natured bridegrooms generally hide jewellery or money in their boots, which the bride may take possession of as balm for her pride. After the wedding clay the parents begin to give feasts, and keep it up a week, and it is not until all this is over that the ' young couple ' see those blessed bridemaids take their departure. They are then compelled to kiss them, and give them each a present. How would you like to be courted in the Russian way, my dear ?