Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1857-01-10
HONOLULU, H. l., JANUARY TO- 1857.
LapIand LOVe-NIaIGing.

!
stock of brandy, and his parents, relatives and
friends meet in as great numbers as possible, to
treat the friends of the bride desired. Neither
bride nor bridegroom is expected to betray anxiety
or interest in the proceedings; the Arctic Mrs.
Grundy, who is very strict in such matters, would
be very much scandalized if they should. Besides
the great mass of relatives and friends, OF annts
and fourth cousins, who must attend, there is still
greater of outsiders, who arc attracted by their Gu
riosity to see whether anybody gets the mitien.
The intensity of their curiosity is TO some extent
determined by the amount of brandy circulating
On the side of the gallant there is a spokesman
called SOgROndire Brandy flask in hand, he goes
over to the other party, and offers liquid hospitality
to the father and mother of the young lady. This
is the signal for an indlscrminate attack of sim
liar nature by the entire invading party upon the
ladys friends. Everybody drinks to her father,
everybody drinks to her mother, and she herself is
borne in grateful memory. When all are sufficient
ly elated the proposal Is embodied in long speech,
vibrating between poetry and prose. Her parents
ask to see the kleh, the wooing presents. If they
are accepted, the matter is settled, and there is
nothing but to 60 the next day to the parsOn,
to get them published. Most matches are made at
the fairs and great festivals, but they are never
made without brandy. Indeed, Courting with
Brandy is proyerb among Lapandcrs equivalent
TO the French cOHiHlc Il faUt. When the lady Is
rich and the suitor is not he very often throws his
brandy away. The influence of riches IN matri-
monial matters is nowhere felt more strongly than
here; dress counts for nothing; one shecpskn Is
as good as another. Rank is determined only by
the number of reindeer a man owns. Practically,
marriage is a mere matter of bargain and sale.
Still, the Llplanders recognize the saGredness Of
the relation in their way. The silver which they
pay for their brides must not be in the shape Of rx
dolars-it must be made mp into ornaments. This
Is better than nothing. If marriage Is broken off
the party who takes divorce generally returns he
bridal presents, and the more conscientious add
gift for the wasted brandy. So, too when the pa
rents say TO" many are so generous to pay for
/ the brandy. As all the relatives have word to
/ say, there is generally good deal Of quarreing
/ before the answer is agreed RpOn and some nan
cement Is required, oitcntmcs, to make It favor
able.
! Pastor Fiestrom tells Of a wedding in Jockmock
| in which he was interested for the woocr. Several
attempts had been made in vain before he was en-
gagged as spokesman. An old woman overwhelmed
everything and deafened everybody with her oppo-
sion to the match. When lie came in she yelled
out: No, no. it shan't be not even it the flesh
eaters son comes he shan't have her." Fjestrom,
then Il student, saw that nothing could be done so
long this old harpy arouud, and whispered to
a ma gistrate, who was also enlisted on the same
side, to get the old woman out of the way somehow
or other. Soon she found herself in the street: she
growed about the door like CAD fly in an empty
barrel; ratified and slammed, shriekcd and swore,
but could not get in the magistrate held the door,
Meantime the matter was successfully concluded.
! Fjelstrom had brought better brandy; his father
was the parson, he spoke better, and offered few
more presents. When they were ready to go to
the parsons the door opened and the old hag
rushed in bat she was too late.
| The Importance of having an influential spokes-
man can hardly be over estimated. They are often
paid for their services. An odd affair came off III
ArIcpoug, at the last fair. An old widower, bear
ing the euphOnious name of StyX, was struck with
the crazy idea-sO all his country people thought
| it-of making advances to the widow Of 4 for
eIgncr, who held her head above everybody else in
the village, as her husband had been district mag
istrate. Styx, who that the matter would be
one of great difficulty, as well deicaCy, went to
the richest man IN the village, and begged him to be
his spokesman. He thought that his age and
standing would have their influence, and offered
him, in case OF success, brass kettle, which, like
IomeT's heroes, he described. They could not
agree, however; the desired spokesman wanted the
kettle at any rate while Styx would only give it 10
him if he succeeded. The whole party was re-
markable; Syx was seventy years od-his Duci-
nea sixty, and the spokesman over eighty. AL
though Styx could not make the brass kettle bar
gain he kept his courage up, and resolved tn do as
well as he could in person. He went to her and
said % You have cows. have reindeer-lOOk at
me; am Just like your first husband, and more of
the same sort. The whole thing seemed so comic to
the proud Sigrld Sozada, that for from getting an
/ CRY at the poor fellows advances. she began to
talk with him. and kept him as long rs possible in
suspense as to his fate. Ills efforts and his ankle
/ ty continually rose in righteousness, until at last
dinner time cane, and he got a shameful miten.
| TIE DANGER OF FLIRTINe WITH A LADY OF THE
! HAREM.--In n letter from the Turkish captal, the
UarerS gives us the following picture of the man
ners of the fair sex in Turkey
! "The Turkish ladies in general, and those of the
/ Imperial harem in particular have resolved to par
uicipae in the blessings of liberty awarded to the
rougher sex by the T'anzinat. They have of late
adopted a most transparent kind of qakHlas tveil)
and make an offer of their hearts to any young fel
low who may happen to cross their path whatever
| be his nation or creed. You may hear them ar
ranging an interview from their t0HkaS (the car
riages Of the country with the greatest freedom.
This has led to some traglcal scenes. The second
ikJale (hs is the name given to the favoIes who
succeed to the cadiaaS, when death causes some
vacancy in the ranks) had fallen violently in love
with young American merchant, whose shop she
consequently freGuenled with great Gssldul,y, pur-
chasing quantities Of goods from him at exorbitant
prices. Her advances we're probably listened TO
with willing ear for Emir Aga, the chief of the
Imperial harem, having discovered that she had
recently given him ring worth 10000 piastres,
ordered one of the baiiadjiS (Gxe-bearers) of the
palace, to murder the young man. Accordingly,
one night the latter was suddenly attacked IN the
streets by the officer of the serago above named,
and received a stab in the lett side. lie had
strength enough, however, to draw the murderous