The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-05-01
MIS- CELL a y Z o L s IT..
Market for Selling Young Women in
Hungary.

L.
which comes on in the latter days OF June,
he peasantry of the district, (Bihar) meet
togelher al a certain place. for the purpose
Of general fair. Tins fair has . very
Uecular interest for the young men and
ibe Young maidens, for II Is there that,
while purchasing household utensils and
family necessaries, they choose for them
selves partners and conclude marriages.
The parents bring their marrIageable
Jaughters. with each one her little dover
accompanying her, loaded up IN small
cart. This dover Is OF course proper
lionate to the lowly condition OF these
mountaineers, some sheep, sometimes q
few hogs, or even chickens. These girls
are attired in their best, or what pieces of
gold and silver they may possess are
strung upon a string and neatly attached
lo the braids Of their hair
Thus fitted oul, every girl who desires
10 find husband. betakes herself 10 the
fair. She quits the home OF her father,
perhaps forever. and bids her mother adIeu.
quite ignorant of what roof Is TO shelter,
or what fate awaits her al her journeys
end. As 10 her fortune. it Is IN the little
cart that attends her. The object of her
tourney Is never mistaken, nobody Won
ders al II, nor Is there occasion for public
officers to make record of the deed. On
the other hand. the youths who wish 10
procure themselves wires, hasten 10 the
fair. arrayed in the very best skin garments
their chests contain. These savage look
ing chaps. who would be quite enough 10
make our young ladies run and hide them
selves, proceed with good deal Of interest
and zest TO inspect the fair mountain lass
g that are brought thIther by their fathers
and their uncles, casting many side CLAN
ces and wishful looks toward the captive
merchandise. He gives his fancy free
rein. and when he finds one that seems to
claim his preference. he al once addresses
her parent, asks what they have given
her. and asks what price they have set on
The lot so exposed for sale-at the same
time stating has own properly and stand
ing. If q parent asks too much, these
gallant 'boys'' make their own offer,
which If II does not SUN the other 10 agree
TO, the fond lover passes 10 seek some
other.
We may suppose that the proud young
men always keep ''top eye" open TO the
correspondence of loveliness on the one
hand and the size of the dover upon the
other. At last he finds for whom he Is
willing 10 give the price, and toud clap
ping of the hands together announces to
the bystanders ihatthe bargain Is complete.
What heavy blow this must be 10 some
lazy rival who has not decided quick
enough, who Is halting and considering
whether she will suit him, and whether
she is as lovely and accomplished in
household matters as are some of the 9TH
ers. However, the deed Is done, and the
bargain is completed, and forthwith the
young girl (poor girl!) proceeds also 10
clasp the hand of her future husband
What moment Of interest and anxiety
20 her! The destiny of her life Is sealed
by this rude clasp of the hand. In this
she as much as says: "1es, will be
yours for life, and | consent TO Partake Of
your Joys and your troubles, to follow you
through veal and through woe =
The families of the betrothed pair then
surround them, offering their cOngratula-
lions, and at once, without delay, the
priest, who Is on the ground for the occa-
sion, pronounces the nuPtial benedlcti0n.
The young lady presses the parting hand
of the family who have reared her, but of
which she is no longer part-mOunts the
cart of her new husband, whom bat few
hours before she never so much as knew,
and, escorted by her dover. is conducted
TO the house thenceforward TO be her
home
The Hungarian Government have long
tried, but tried in vain, TO suppress these
fairs for young girls. Positive orders have
been given that they should no longer lake
place, but such is the force of being an
established custom, united to the necessI~
ties Of this pastoral race, that all such or
ders have been disregarded. The fair still
continues, and every year such eavalcades
as we have described, may be seen de-
scendIng into the plains OF Kalmasa, there
10 barter of the precious jewels of the
household tree, as though thew were sense
less beeyes, or mere produce of the soil.
Hon. Henry Clay reached Louisville.
KY, on Friday night last, on the steamer
Peytona, from New Orleans. He was in
fine spirits and improved health.
Lord Brougham has deferred has inten-