The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-29
A Tongthoo Wedding.


. Early one morning we went to see q
Tongthoo marriage, having obtained an
invitation from the bride. When VIC
reached her house, we were met by a
man dealing out lemonade or
limenade who would not let
us pass till we drank some I'm
mediately we were met by another man,
who offered us each bunch of plantains,
a handful of betel leaves, nuts, ETC., and
large pinch of kind of vegetable
mixture seeming to have been only
wilted over the fire. When we had
taken these things to carry, we were al
lowed to pass up the ladder into the
house. In the front room OF veranda,
the men were sitting on mats, feasting
ON the good things las they call them)
set before them, just such things as had
been given to us. Afterwards we passed
into the ladies' room, which was really
the kitchen, where was fireplace with
little fire and much smoke. The floor
was well covered with dirt, and the
women were sitting on it all around the
room. found space for sitting between
the napee jar and woman smoking;
but as had put on a clean dress for the
occasion, did not like to sit on the
dirty floor, so, after standing awhile, |
put my umbrella down and sat on that,
after which mat was brought me to sit
on. As the smoke was preferable to the
smell of napee, l turned a friendly face
to the woman smoking A tray was
placed in the midst of the company,
into which they dropped their piece,
which, | suppose, was to- go toward pay
ing for the feast.
After waiting some time--an hour. 1
think-two men came into the room.
distributing various articles tobacco.
betel, plantains and another kind Of
vegetable cut up fne-and then fol-
lowed man with the lid of a betel-box
and bottle, pouring out and dealing
the contents of the bottle in the boy
lid to the company. When it came to
me, it looked so much like water, and
had so little smell, that l touched my
lips to it and found it strong spirits, so
our party declined to drink, though
urged very strongly. Pretty soon we
heard great shouting and laughing out
side; and, looking over the wall, we
saw that the bridegroom had arrived.
| but was not allowed to come up the lad
der till his friend had paid money to
those who held silk handkerchief
across the top of the ladder After
much talking and much fun, the hand
kerchief was withdrawn and the bride
groom came up the ladder, where he
found his way again stopped before
the door of the ladies' room, until he
had paid two rupees. Having been
| finally admitted, he was instructed to
sit on the floor with his groomsman
| by the tray of pice, on which were
! two little betel-box-lids, filed with
spirits and a ball of cotton
yarn. After while, the bride came
out of the bedroom, opening into
the room, and with her bridesmaid
sat down opposite the two men. Then
an old man, who also sat by the tray,
took the ball of yarn, dipped the end IN
the cup of spirits, and wound around
the bridegroom's wrists, muttering over
something as he did SO. After four or
five windings to each wrist, he again
dipped the end into the spirits, touched
the mans hand with it, and proceeded
to wind the brides wrists in the same
manner Then he treated the grooms-
man and bridesmaid Just the same, after
which they were all made to hold their
hands before them, touching the tray,
the men holding theirs cup-shaped, and
the girls holding theirs open with one
laid in the other, while the old man NUT
tered away for three or five minutes.
He then took the two cups, put one into
the hands of the bridegroom the other
into the brides hands, and they were
made to sip, and then exchange cups
and sip again, exchanging and slipping
until they seemed tired and put the cups
down of their own accord, when they
| were taken up and presented to the
groomsman and bridesmaid to sip and
exchange as the married couple had
done Then the old man gathered up
all the money on the tray into betel-
box, and presented it to the husband
with a little speech, and he presented it
to his wife, and she took it into her
room. which ended the ceremony. The
young husband and his friends got up
and returned home, and we followed
their example, bringing our plantains
with us.-.Cor. Albany argus.