The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-11-09

twetve O'Clock a corner OF the garments
OF the boy is tied 10 that of the girls, and
they are madetto go round the goddess
OF tr several times. This completes the
ceremony, and the nuptial knot /, u D
posed 20 be tied, which none, nav not
even the death of the husband, can un-
tie.
The whole procedure is fearfully
firing to tho poor children, who very
often faint with sheer exhaust on,
caused by sleepIuess and excitement.
II is more trying for the girl than the
BOY, Tor the former has to keep a thick
veil $50 that no n may have a glimpse
OF her face, not even the husband, but
who, perhaps, considering his age,
would be the last person DESTROYS OF
looklag at his future partner for life.
This custom of not letting the face OF
the girl be seen sometimes gives occa-
sion for the committing Of fraud; and a
case came under the notice of the wri-
ter, which, on account of its rarity, is
we'll worth mentioning. A young man
was by some chance or other O mar.
ried in his Infancy, but being DESTROYS
OF marriage, he sent for the barber, and
commanded him to hunt up a wife for
him. The barber, in compliance with
his wish, went to a neighboring village
In quest of one, when he met a man
who said he had a grown up daughter
who would just do for the young
man. The barber, thinking himselfto be
very fortunate, at once settled the en-
gagement, and as the parties were about
the usual age, settled the marriage day,
too. On the fixed day the bridegroom
arrived with one or TWO friends to be
married. The usual ceremony was gone
J. -. uyIfl n - utBnen %,nr rs
course, the young man could not see,
Tie next morning the father of the girl
put her i'll a palaquin to be taken to the
bridegrooms home. The custom usually
is for the bridegroom to ride with the
oaiamkeen, which our young friend &C.
o rGrnoly did.
On the way, in an out-of-the, way place,
The bride asked the bearers of the pal
ankeen to stop tor a few minutes, who
accordingly put the palanquin down and
/; withdrew to a short distance, it being
considered extremely impolite to look
at a bride. On their withdrawal the
bride got out of the %palanpuin and dis
appeared, The bridegroom, getting
alarmed at her non-appearance for Il
long time, made a search for her In the
neighborhood, but to no purpose. for
the bride had run away with all the
lt"SiIS "Iiiltl ~ nav piCStlltCN w e
1t was afterward discovered that the
unfortunate young man underwent the
whole ceremony with a man disguised
as a woman, and that the supposed re-
latlons of the girl were a gang of sharp
ers. This [ hope will show the great
fault OF not allowing the face OF the girl
to be seen at the marriage ceremony.
But to sumo The ceremony being
over; the next two days are spent in en-.
t%ertaining the bridegroom's party. The
entertaining generally consists of feast
ing and the dancing Of Nautch girls at
night.
On the third day the party r%etires,
taking the bride with them. 1t is often
a pitiable sight to see a married girl of
eight years of age leaving her parents
house and going, although only for II
day or two, to her b~ridegroom's home.
After this she is considered a married
woman, and enjoys all the privileges OF
n i'll her fathers home.
Three or four years after this my
third period begins, which, as already
| mentioned. lis called the contamination of
marriage. This consists of the husband
coming and taking home his wife. This
is done, unfortunately, at a period when
the husband is scarcely yer fourteen or
fifteen years of age. What effect this
early marriage has on a boy of fifteen,
who ought to be, and generally is now,
in Il school, | leave the reader to con.
template. Just fancy to yourself each
Elton boy possessing a wife! Indian
youths who nave OBTAINED English edu-
cation hate the custom, yet they are
married in infnncy, and they cannot
help it.
1t is to be hoped, however, that some
reformers will soon arise in India, ant
some more phiianthropists will go out
from this Christian country to free In,
dia from this most ruinous of curses.