Sketcher. CHOCKTAW COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1580, 19 August 1882, Page 6

Sketcher. CHOCKTAW COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE.

When a young Choctaw, of Kemper or Neshoba county, sees a maiden who please^ his fancy, he watches his opportunity until he finds her alone. He then approaches within a few yards of her and gently Cast a pebble towards/ ,her, so that it may fall at her feet. He may have to do this frfro or three times 'before he attracts the maiden's attention, ( If, this pebble throwing is agreeable, she soon; makes it manifest ; ! if otherwis'ej'a 3sc'orriful t look f afid a decided " ekwali" indicate that his suit is in vaiii. S6irietimes instedd pf throwing' pebbles. the suitor , en- r jfcers the'wdmajits cabin' and ' lays\4(^ nat ! '•p' handkerchief pn the l/ed. - ' This' Optio n' is' interpreted 'as a desire on his'par^that she Should ! be the s!har6r } pf hTs cpucK» \J&j 'the man's suit isfaccepta.blef^ne^oman* 4>e'i?mita t>e h>t fi^'re4li|>J gb\|t' if Ih|^;;

unwilling to become his bride it is removed instantly. The rejected suitor, in either method erriployed, knows that it is useless to press his suit and beats as graceful a retreat as possible. When a marriage is agreed upon, the lovers appoint a time and place for the ceremony. On the marriage day the friends and relatives of the prospective couple meet at their respective houses or villages, aud thence march towards each other. When they arrive near the marriage ground — generally an intermediate space between the two villages— they halt within about a hundred yards of each other. The brothers of the woman then go across to the opposite party and bring forward the man and seat him on a blanket spread upon the marriage ground. The man's sisters then do likewise by going over and bringing forward the woman and seating her by the side of the man. Sometimes, to furnish a little merriment for the occasion, the woman is expected to break loose and run. Of course she is pursued and brought back. All parties now assemble around the expectant couple. A bag of bread is brought forward by the woman's relatives and deposited near her. In like mamier the man's relatives bring forward a bag of meat and deposit it near him. These bags of provisions are lingering symbols of the primitive days when the man was the hunter to provide the household with game, and the woman was to raise corn for the bread and hominy. The man's friends and relatives now begin to throw presents upon the head and shoulders of the woman. These presents are of any kind that the donors choose to give, as articles of clothing, money, trinkets, ribbons, etc. As soon as thrown they are quickly snatched off by the woman's relatives and distributed among themselves. During all this time the couple sit very quietly and demurely, not a word spoken by either. When all the presents have been thrown and distributed, the couple, now man and wife, arise, the provisions from the bags are spread, and, just as in civilized life, the eerinony ii rounded off with a festival The festival over, the company disperse, and the gallant groom conducts his bride to his home, where they enter upon the toil and responsibilities of the future. — American yaturalnt.