Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-11-19
mOnroi Marriage Ceremonies.

Theanccntpractice OF marriage by capt
ure which has lefl some traces even In
our customs and sports notably in that
popular game OF kiss-In.tho-ring, mimic
representation Of the great game of mar.
riagc-finds many illustrations in Mongol
life. Rubruquis, who visited the hordes
of Tartary, and was entertained in the tent
of the immediate successors Of Yenghis
Kahn, describes a Mongol marriage thus:
Therefore, when any nan hath bargained
with another for maid, the father of q
damscl makes him a feast; In the mean.
time she flies away 10 some Of her kins.
folk TO hide herself Then the father says
20 the bridegroom; My daughter is
yours; take her wheresoever you can find
her. Then he and his friends seek her
till they find her, and, having found her,
he takes her by force and carries her 10
his own house" This simple form of
marriage contract Is still preserved among
tho Koraks and Tchuctchus tribes OF
Northeastern Siberia. There the damsel Is
pursued by her admirer, and hides herself
among the pologs or cabins made of skins,
which form the internal compartments of
their dwellings. The womankind assist
her In her pretended evasion, and not till
the bridegroom has caught his bride and
left the impression of his fingernail upon
her tender skin is the betrothal completed.
The analogous customs in ancient Roman
marriages here strike one with the myth
of the rape Of the Sabines; but we need
not go so far afeld. The customs of a
Welsh wedding up to q very recent date
included a mimic pursuit of the bride by
the bridegroom, both on horseback; and
even in our English manner, when the
bridegroom invariably goes 10 seek his
bride on the wedding morn. But the
value of womankind in pastoral life
where there is so much for her to do in the
way Of milking, cheese and butter making
and so on brings further element into
the relationship. A price must be paid
for the future companion, and the kalim
or wedding portion enters largely into the
question. A moro modern Mongol we'd
ding is described by Hue, that most anus
ing of Jesuit fathers. The religious cere.
monies are those of BiHldhism. The mar
riage is arranged by the parents, who
settle the dover that is to be paid 10 the
father of the bride by means of mediators.
When the contract has been concluded the
father of the bridegroom, accompanied by
his nearest relatives, carries the news to
the family of the bride. They PROSTATE
themselves before the domestic altar and
oiier up boiled sleeps head, milk and
sash of white silk. During the repast all
tne IelduOnS OF lne Dflue receive piece OI
money, which they deposit in vase filled
with wine made of fermented milk 1--WE
have, or had, similar custom of hiding a
ring or money in the wedding-cake) the
father of the bride drinks the milk and
keeps the money. The lamas, or priests,
fix an auspicious day, when the BRIDE
groem sends deputation to escort the
bride. There is feigued opposition to
the departure of the bride, who is placed
on horse and led three times (note the
three mystic circles) round the paternal
house, and then taken at full gallop to the
tent prepared for the purpose near the
dwelling of her father-in-aw. All the
Tartars of the neighborhood repair to the
wedding-feast, which consists Of beasts
and eatables These go to the father of
the bridegroom, and often recoup him the
sum he has paid for the bride. Rather a
shame, one would think, of that selfish
papa, did we not reflect that he will have
TO support his son and daughter, or at all
events set them up with sheep and cattle
from his hocks and herds.-BelgrdUia
MdQdziae