CHAPTER XIV.
Politeness, and the Demands of Etiquette--The Daily Life of the Tarahumare--The Woman's Position is High--Standard of Beauty--Women Do the Courting--Love's Young Dream--Marriage Ceremonies, Primitive and Civilised--Childbirth--Childhood.
For a barbarian, the Tarahumare is a very polite personage.

In his language he even has a word "reko" which is the equivalent of the English "please," and which he uses constantly.

When passing a stranger, or leaving a person, he draws attention to his action by saying, "I am going." As he grows civilised, however, he loses his good manners.
In spite of this he is not hospitable; the guest gets food, but there is no room for him in the house of a Tarahumare.

A visitor never thinks of entering a house without first giving the family ample time to get ready to receive him.

When he approaches a friend's home, good manners require him to stop sometimes as far as twenty or thirty yards off.