Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1893 — A Scotch Courtship. [ARTICLE]

A Scotch Courtship.

On the shores of the Moray firth—the spot need not be more specifically localized, says Chambers’ Journal — there is a flourishing little village of some 1,400 inhabitants, consisting chiefly of fisher folk. The young man and maiden do uot court in the orthodox fashion. Tneir method ia much more prosaic, and what is characteristic of one case may generally be accepted as characteristic of them all. Theie is, of course, an occasional instance of genuine old-fashioned courtship, but that is rather a rare ■ xception. “Mother,” said one young man on his return from a successful herring fishing. “I’m goan to get merrid.” “Weel, Jeems, a’ think ye sh’d just gang an’ ask yer cousin Marack.” And, as he had no particular prefer- ■ nce, he went straight away to ask her. “Wull ye tak me, Marack?” was the brusque and businesslike query which he tut to the young woman in the presence of her sister Bella. But Mary had promised her hand' to another that same evening. “I canna tak ye, Jeem,” was her reply, and then, turning to her sister, “Tak ye ’im Beliak!” And the sister took him.