The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-01-24
Domestic Relations of the Different
Nations.

NdJ1OUS-
That monogamy is not the ONLY kind
of marriage, we are, indeed. early
taught by our Bible lessons. But
though the conception of polygamv Is
thus made somewhat familiar. it does
not occur to us that polyandry is also a
possible arrangement; and we are sur
prised on first learning that It not only
exists, but was once extremely general.
When we contemplate these marital in
stitutions unlike our own, we cannot at
first imagine that they can be practiced
with a sense of propriety like that with
which we practice ours. Yet Living
stone narrates that In a tribe bordering
one of the central African lakes, the wO-
men were quite disgusted on hearing
that in England a man has only oaa
wife. This is a feeling by no means
peculiar to them. An intelligent Kan
dvan chief with whom Mr.. Bailey visit
ed these Veddahs was perfectly scandal
lied at the utter barbarism of living
with only one wife, and never parting
until separated by death. 1t was, he
said, ''just like the wanderooss' (mOn-
keys.) Again, one would suppose that,
as a matter of course, monOgamy, poly
gamy and polyandry, in its several varie-
ties, exhausted the possible forms of
marriage. An utterly unexpected form
is furnished us by one of the African
tribes. Marriage, among them, IS for
so many days In the week commonly
for four days in the week, which is said
to be the q custom - in the best families:
the wife during the of-days being re-
garded as an independent woman who
may do what she pleases. We are a lit
tie surprised, too, on reading that by
some of the Hill tribes of India, un-
faithfulness on the part of the husband
is held TO be a grave offense, but un-
faithfuness ON the part of the wife
| trivial one. We assume. as sclf-evident,
! that good usage of wife by q husband
! implies, among other things. absence of
violence; and hence it seems scarcely
! imaginable that In some places the OPP
/ posite criterion holds. Yet it does so
among the Tartars. 4 nurse maid of
mine, writes Mrs. Anderson in her
Tartar Steps, " left me to be married,
! and some short time after she went to
the Natchalnick of the place to make a
/ complaint against her husband He in
| quired into the matter, when she coolly
/ told him her husband did not love her.
/ He asked how she knew he did not love
her; g because, - she replied, che never
whipped her" A statement which
might be rejected as Incredible were l.
not for the analogous fact that, among
the South African races, a white master
who does not thrash his men is ridicul-
! ed and reproached by them as not
worthy to be called a master Among
domestic customs, again, who, if he
had been set to imagine all possible an
omalies, would have hit upon that which
is found among the Basquss, and has
existed among other races-the custom
that on the birth of a child the
husband goes to bed and receives
the congratulations of his friends,
while his wife returns to her household
work? Or who, among the results of
having a son born, would dream OF that
which occurs among some Polynesian
races, where the father is forthwith dis
posed of his property, and becomes
simply guardian of it on behalf of the
infant? The varieties of filial relations
and of accompanying sentiments con
tinually show us things equally strange,
and at first sight equally unaccountable,
it seems hardly credible that it should
anywhere be thought duty on tho part
of children to bury their parents alive
Yet it is thought among the Fiiians; of
whom we read also that the parents
thus put out of the way go to their
graves with smiling faces. Scarcely
less incredible does it seem that man s
affection should be regarded as more fit
ly shown toward the children of Others
than toward his own children. Yet th,
Hill tribes of India supply an example.