Victorian Americans had a rather peculiar expectation about what marriage should (or perhaps, could) be. To the writer of this vintage newspaper article, Courtship was indeed "a glimpse into Paradise, where all is sunshine and love." The same writer, tongue-in-cheek, teases the young and foolishly in love.
This article so aptly fits with my current WIP (work in progress): The Silver-Strike Bride. I'm having a bit too much fun showing Caroline and Tom (newlyweds) that their glimpse into paradise was a bit of a lie. Their new marriage is in trouble, and neither quite knows how to correct matters.
Vintage Newspaper Article
![Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 1. Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 1.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmpOyeX_2-lNX-ZowmIxkrnIHjhXBSODoezIB_4G0wwbU6C4GW1tAK_r40peGkoRbKHCuofPK8iSvWwpMfVtK5PR0NcQtkEEGH-sUsn-77ACaY08ZKFzqLqfO3i9jIAVBhTP6lr46i10g/s1600/Courtship%252C+A+Glimpse+into+Paradise+1.png) |
Part 1 |
![Quote from vintage newspaper article: "The man who is very sure and calm in his courtship, who has no anxiety and is not sometimes assailed by doubt and wretchedness, is, obviously, not very deeply in love." From The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Quote from vintage newspaper article: "The man who is very sure and calm in his courtship, who has no anxiety and is not sometimes assailed by doubt and wretchedness, is, obviously, not very deeply in love." From The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqCBpI3h8xiM4eAiPcM6LiacbQ-Vlmp4zMKs4od8dom_2ijaFZgKfC9fVr4SOcEg3BtYqVU55Ga49F4kdb8CCDxVIySz8VP9BNDW9XMRnFa0Ax75eSbyGmRB25qgted9S65BYBM6wEvA/s1600/Quote.+The+man+who+is+very+sure+and+calm+in+his+courtship+is+not+deeply+in+love.png) |
Quote from within vintage newspaper article, The Meade Republican |
![Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 2. Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 2.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGttgkRGk4Rw8OEYy4QuisFOoWkRf437GwgjRpItEEz-iTRW-C0VE6QWNjSYn-DDiR5yv5fVDa0cTI2vzX6K1yU1HTU3fzxpJSb9tEOYwHeyo5NQN2xtTiBoDxGqSd4edY6Zcej-obo8/s1600/Courtship%252C+A+Glimpse+into+Paradise+2.png) |
Part 2 |
![Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 3. Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 3.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bGvRK0ryR67E_5zUhlj0O3CR_h3xgZf43OE6FBQabt7HC_Ya-gf3wIZHDqTmf6oQwpaGTIx-bAmFGPCrzs-zYk9rqwjW2w_r_9kIYTocHhQj_9yj59GdP6_dT5g1i2zh4JT8UzNjrss/s1600/Courtship%252C+A+Glimpse+into+Paradise+3.png) |
Part 3 |
![Kristin Holt | Quote from within a vintage article regarding courtship and the intentions of the young man, his chosen bride, and her family. From 1891. Kristin Holt | Quote from within a vintage article regarding courtship and the intentions of the young man, his chosen bride, and her family. From 1891.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4reFJ7dk4ywF2oYzvB2OVQtnKC7wTjfHbuFRItEorhg1u0hfnvrH-yvBNsFXbL1j0NV5p7iJFNnZOfQZfi0O5CAPsl3etu4BRbWxo9qNdHkgrq9llyp6V4zdzYnBSdxogqgGyXv7J3w/s1600/Quote.+His+intentions+are+plain.png) |
Quote from within vintage newspaper article, The Meade Republican |
![Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 4. Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 4.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUIyx_kPh7v3IqBrSk4qdeohnTtZ_dV0Nfion1EJZTEzUCgKk8eHHaSpLml7zloaw15jXvlgKPR2S6WBmYIzFz19gB1NYwG1RDp82-cpgj3NPM_Y4S89yRLYzp4Q8M6aLLEN6msiKXhA/s1600/Courtship%252C+A+Glimpse+into+Paradise+4.png) |
Part 4 |
![Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 5. Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 5.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_2nYiKAjHHDgyMhLAY3iYJdegg4y9ttXnlV4FXRsfvZmbglQWJeNVbVFU01VcAggAB77SfRmzDVnRz9etvrYsYZ7CppzgBRX1oZtfnFM7ALHRiZWLto8aCHWehnxDObNREoJJblzwxA/s1600/Courtship%252C+A+Glimpse+into+Paradise+5.png) |
Part 5 |
![Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 6. Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 6.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkiLeAb6KsS5PQcCY-KTTvgJhK8BPkcyM_JMF4hYb3lBVht21uebcWA5Pnl5-BXOIvxCTffv9EvtJjBNq5ZB_9v7EzzG7WnQcpRelBEcAhqAZYppPgqTG-3agqOvx3nyidt692lgyLlMU/s1600/Courtship%252C+A+Glimpse+into+Paradise+6.png) |
Part 6 |
![Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 7. Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 7.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-qkdZuSaiTdPWEegyvZmBvrmuwfKVU9hr3I-7M3gqByF-tduJwgK7V45JIbi7iCxgcZ9RY-AfVgv68TcXXbZPdw-cUr1VTYjIeuWbqGPUxHgZ-xH1WEk24O1Q0zXMfmLiyjDmIyOQ0nw/s1600/Courtship%252C+A+Glimpse+into+Paradise+7.png) |
Part 7 |
Courting Couples Play Games
![Kristin Holt | Quote from Vintage Newspaper Article; young courting couples play games. 1891. Kristin Holt | Quote from Vintage Newspaper Article; young courting couples play games. 1891.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGNzpgvMiFfU_mfUkE6EO2v5_jPNu46OPR3mKREjUZGsP5IL_HuMQkasNntwodM7rkPQhdlu9bsyO2YXNeM351BmGFRugQ3Ccs5FDkTOumcGyvCnGqUZKIteXffczQ5pla9sRH8NpGWQ/s1600/Quote.+She+Avoids+what+she+would+most+have.png) |
Quote from Vintage Newspaper Article, 1891. |
![Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 8. Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 8.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbyHhcS1pOQ-5RuvG6LkUajl8XYja04eEV1WDtA_z5mgXWZ7PV_6wnaDElXwJLZhOUiJvu9kZ_F0sXuVbqLKfMgHpROc_PjDm5B5JtL7yS62Ob2OStDgCblVBQcT0lpzfgID0NtNL5lO4/s1600/Courtship%252C+A+Glimpse+into+Paradise+8.png) |
Part 8 |
![Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 9. Kristin Holt | Courtship. A Glimpse Into a Paradise Where All is Sunshine and Love. Published in The Meade Republican of Meade, Kansas on September 30, 1891. Part 9.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Ub9ePylbmZAsl7NvsgT0UXRQJk9GyWwoN0S2jlHzD-Xevpkkfr4oDm1B-vLPqScoShr-ohgbGwD_ljReC2m3bdJWjvnF7F2gHfRaP0W9sm97ZYRLwFKau1fZoA1MXFoXDAv2iT4ip70/s1600/Courtship%252C+A+Glimpse+into+Paradise+9.png) |
Part 9 |
Isn't it fun to catch a glimpse of Victorian-American life through their newspapers?
What thoughts do you have as you read this vintage article?
Have you seen behaviors such as those illustrated in this 1891 article in today's dating couples? Have you read historical romances with similar experiences with courtship and proposals of marriage?
by Kristin Holt
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