The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1879-12-11

BREACH OF PROMISE IN CHINA.
How They Manage Such Things in the
Celestial Empire.
Shanghai Shen Pao
In a country village near Nangkin
lived two men named Chen and Yu. Yu
had a daughter, who was formally be-
trothed to Chen's son, and, probably on
account Of her parents poverty, was
sent to her future father-iE-law's house,
to be brought up there. After a time
Yu, who is a weaver, went to live in
Ranking, and his daughter came to pay
a visit to her mother. The girl. who
was now grown up, was very discon-
tented with her loi, complaining of nav
ing to work in the fields, and of her
father-in-law's roughness and coarse
ness; and her parents began to repent
Of the engagement, and determined to
try and break it off. Next door to
them was scholar named Chin, who
was waiting for the next examinations,
and occupying himself meanwhile as
schoolmaster. Constantly seeing the
girl, he took fancy to her, and formed
an intrigue with her.
The future tather-in-law, Chen, find
ing the girl was not sent back to his
house, and hearing a rumor, of Chin's
attentions, began to suspect that Yu was
trying to break off the match, and sent
a matchmaker to hurry on the mar
riage. Yu replied that he had never
accepted any betrothal presents, and
that no one could make him take them,
and that he would not give his consent
to the marriage. Chen then went him.
self with the matchmaker, but with
no further result than great deal of
mutual abuse. Chen next filed petit
ton in the magistrates court, and Yu
presented a counter petition written for
him by Chin. The case came on for
hearing, and the magistrate soon
soundly, he turned to Chen and said:
"You can take the girl or not, as you
like, but strongly advise you not to-"
Chen persisted in having her, and the
magistrate ordered the two parties to
draw up a formal contract. Chin, who
was present in court, motioned to Yu
not to sign the contract. He was de-
tected, however, by the magistrate in so
doing, and was called up and questioned,
and then cautioned that man in his
position should not mix himself up
in a case of this sort. The magistrate
then looked up the almanac and chose
a lucky day in June for the wedding
day, whereupon Chin stepped forward
and in Yu's behalf begged that the
marriage might he held for the autumn.
This interference thoroughly exasper-
ated the magistrate, who thumped the
table and ordered Chin to be kept in
confinement till after the marriage was
completed. In few days. time the
matchmaker presented herselfat Yu's
house with the customary presents.
When she was well inside, the door
was closed, and father and daughter
fell upon her and beat her horribly.
The woman, after this foretaste, not
knowing what would happen on the
real wedding day.. appealed to the
magistrate. who again called up the
parties. Yu could only allege in ex-
cuse that the son-in-law had not come
in person to his house. Chen said that
the custom was given up in the country,
and besides, his son mad not the money
to buy a proper dress for the occasion.
The magistrate replied that the BRIDE
groom should certainly 60 to the house,
and, as ne was poor, the magistrate
would give him the money for the
dress. Moreover, when the day came,
the magistrate said he would send two
policemen with the bridegroom, and if
there was any trouble the girl should
be carried to the magistrates Yamen
and married there. When the day
came, the policeman escorted the party
to the brides house and then came
back to the bride-groom's, and waited
till the marriage ceremony mad actually
been performed, when they retired.
DALLAS, in Texas, has cosmopolitan
population. The patient on the first
bed as you enter the city hospital is
nooro tho novt Suo6o tho fh;rG bod