Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 April 1881 — Engaged Girls. [ARTICLE]

Engaged Girls.

The luau Den of eugagd girls, says Clara Belle, are subject to constant modification at the caprice of fashion. As soon as a virgin becomes a betrothed wife she is placed under surveillance by dociety, and is not released from close scrutiny until she has stood at tne alter. * Among Scrupulously conventional people, a girl was formerly expeeled, under sucti circumstances, to be more circumspect than ever before; she was not permitted to be much alone with ber'sweetheart, nor to concede to him a hug or a kiss; she maintained a primness which was suggestive of a nunnery. However, fashion has decreed a change in this matter. The engaged couples of 1881 are not commanded to. hide their endearments under a bushel. They may even kiss in company if they are chaste aooul it. 1 saw a daughter of one -of the wealthiest ami most refined of our families, touch lips with her husband-to-be before a hundred persons, in a picture-room of the Academy of Design the other day. He lutd been out of town for a week, 1 was fold, and their meeting here was by chance. &he greeted him aiecliouately, hut without ado, and put-up Iter mouth in the most selfposseseed way imaginable. He was not so cool about it; yet he gave ber a smuckiug salute with a good grace, right in tlte presence of his future mothef-iu-law. The girl did not blush nor simper, ejuch u public kiss would have been scandalous in March, loftu but in 1881 it is fashionable, and therefore proper. Theory that an accepted lover is not to be trusted, seems t-Ahave givengplace to a confidence in bis honor. He is now allowed to take his allianced bride to places of amusement without a chupervu (a proceeding which used to be discountenauced by the high clique of lower Second avenue, that ultra-exclusive quarter of the metropolis; and to take possession of her to ' a considerable degree. This makes courtship costlier, but more enjoyable. A new custom is for a more preferred suitor to his lady love supplied with flowers, candy and trifit. A small fortune can be spent in this way with perfect propriety. Gifts of jewelry and other unperisliable thingd are not considered quite the proper thing. Many tellows make contracts with fiorists to deliver boqueta regularly every morning to their girls; and - the opportunity of studying and gratifying peculiarities of floral preference, is taken advantage of. The flowers thus sent are commonly used for the adornment of hair and corsage, and sentiment is thus kept warm on both sides. Candy lor courtship purposes is very expeusive, for the confectioners not only devise dolfar-pouml mixtures, but put them in elaborate baskets and boxes. A satin receptacle for gum-drops, made of satin with hand-painted pictures on it, may cost anywhere from $1 to $lO. As for fruits, it is the aim of the enterprising lover to give his adored one, her first taste of the season in this line. To this end he haunts the market and pays fabulous prices for the first lots of strawberries etc. The betrothed wife is therefore living high this spring. On her own part, however, tne latest usage sanctions equal expenditure. The worsted work and rag patchery of former times will not do. She must make presents of the elegant art objects now in vogue. The best thing she can do, in estimation of fashion, is to beautify his room With an ‘elaborate mantel cloth, and some of these are marvels of skill work, and, cost. Thus do the wealthy adorn their courtship, but, after all they do not produce happy marriages with any more certainty than the plainer methods of poor people.