Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 139, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1920 — LAND OF LONG COURTSHIPS [ARTICLE]

LAND OF LONG COURTSHIPS

lit’ Count y Districts of Holland the ' Young Couple-Think Nothing of * Walting Three Years. . There is .a story told In Holland that >«ae evening in the .catechumen's class Mi emcrrous youth was called upon to answer the first question in the Heidelberg catechism: “What is thine only comfort in life and death?" To which the young man replied: "To ; mkrry Geertie de Koning and to have a farm of my own.” A curious feature in the evolution of a Dutch courtship is that it begins at church.' Eyes meet eyes there. A visit Is then paid by the young man to the home of the esteemed beauty. “Papa" is approached as to whether the visitor may speak, privately, to the daughter, and, If no objection Is offered, both parents are called tn to ascertain the issue of the conference. If both parties are agreed to open courtship, it begins that night in coffee-drinking and social enjoyment and then the courtship lasts for at least three years, during which period of time the Dutch maiden will attend to the dairy wort: of the farm, baking, mending, and cooking. The young man will have amassed enough guilders to invest In a farm, and then the clergyman is called in, and the Neighbors revel for many days, celebrating the event in true, generous, hospitable fashion. Needless to say, this order of nuptialtying does not apply to cities.