The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1876-10-12
Marriage Ceremonies.

Marriage ceremonies
The ancient practice of marriage
by capture, which has left some
traces even in our custom and sports
notable in the popular game of
"kiss-in-the-ring," mimic represen-
tation of the great game of marriage,
finds many illustrationsin Mongol
life. Rubuquis, who visited the
hordes of Tartary, and was enter
tanned in the tent of the immediate
successors of Jenghis Kahn, describes
Il Mongol marriage thus;
Therefore, when any man has
bargaincd with another for a maid,
the father of the damsel makes him
a feast; in the. meantime she flies
away to some of her kin folks to hide
herself. Then the father says to the
bridegroom, My daughter is yours;
take, her wherever you can find her.
Then hc,and his friends seek her,
and, having found her, he takes her
by force, and carries her to his own
house"
This simple form of marriage CON
tract is still preserved among the
Koarks and Tehuctchus, tribes of
northeastern Siberia. There the
damsel is pursued by her admircr,
and hides herself among the plogos,
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 fngcr,nail upon the tender skin
is the betrothal completed,
The analogous customs in ancient
Roman marriages here strike one
with the myth of the rape of the Sa.
bincs; but we need not go so far away,
The customs of a Welsh wedding, up
to very recent date, included MIN
ic pursuit of the bride by the bride
groom, both on horseback; and even
in our English manner where the
bridegroom invariably goes to seek
his bride on the wedding morn.-I
But the value of womankind in n
pastoral life where there is so much
for her to do in the way of milking,
cheese and butter making, and so on,
brings a further element into the re-
lationship. A price must be paid
for the future companion, and the
wedding portion enters largely into
the question.
Amoro modern Mongol wedding is |
described by Hue, the most amusing
of Jesuit fathers. The religious GER
emonies are those of Buddhism, The
marriage is arranged by the parents,
who settle the dover that is to be
paid to the father of the bride by
means Of mcdiators. When the con-
tract has been concluded, the father
of the bridegroom, accompanied by
had time to utter word Mrs, earle.
ton burst into the room, holding the
missing ring in the palm of her hand.
"Thcro is your ring" she said,
handing it to her husband; q servant
has just found it.
"Whcrc?' stammcrcd Mr., Carleton
with look of Stupofod amazomct.
Just in your plate" she answer
ed, laughing mcrrily,
Every well, Annie, leave us for an
instant and we will join you in the
drawing.room." AS the door closed
behind his wife, Mr. Carleton came
up to me and seized me by both
hands.
Before you say one word, sir, hear
my story" | cried, and then with
rapid, fovorish eloqucncc, told him
of my struggles, my affection for my
sister, Of my sulGrings at seeing hcr
suffer, and, finally, of the heart wiring.
ing scene of the morning,
"And this is why preferred to
pass for thief rather than have it
known that my fathers daughter was