The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-08-11
JAVA MARRIAGE.
LEGENDS OF THE JAVANEsE
Dancing Gir's and Tam Tams-The Bride
Diligently Fanned-COOllcs Bring
Ing Presents-The Bamboo
Platform Tropical.

AS small party of us were sitting ON |
the wide piazza of our dwelling-house
in Java, early one evening, our atten-
ton was called to sounds of Malay
music, evidently approaching us. Look
ing down the street we saw procession
OF native men Javanese) marching
along to the music, and four abreast.
In the second row there were five.
The center one was covered by
large umbrella. / inquired why this
man was so honored, and was
told that he was to be married.
The next day / was taken to see
the house where the bride lived, and
where they were making grand prepa-
rations for the marriage. They were
constructing large and covered plat
form of bamboo for the accommodation
Of the guests and the Malay band of
music. On the succeeding day we heard
the same performers and saw longer
procession than the first one. At the
mead OF this procession came two wood
EN- figures (man and woman) about eight
feet high. These were hollow, so that the
boys could Grand operate to give them
motion. Next behind them were the
musicians; then an open carriage drawn
by two ponies covered with flowers and
variously colored papers cut up i'm
| patterns. Inside sat the bride and
groom. The bride was decked in flowers
and jewels, and her face, head and dress
/ were completely covered with ochre
| powder. a number of carriages fol-
lowed the party with relatives and
| friends, who were also adorned with
third day / was invited
to attend the wedding, so we walked
down to the brides house. There we
found the bamboo platform occupied by
a band of music and an exhibition of
marionettes, which personated charac-
ters in legends of japanese people. The
hadii, or native priest, was conducting
this novel show, which took hours to go
through. |, however, was more anxious
to see the bride, and accordingly was
ushered into the principal room. 1t WAS
a large square apartment, the front
being opened by four large double
doors. In one of the remote cor
J ners of the stone floor were seated on q
handsome mat the bride elect, with
! dOwn-cast eyes, and in the adjacent cor
ner sat the bridegroom. The bride was
famed by two little girls and the groom
by two little boys. In the center of the
tlOOr their feast was spread. The festiV-
= tiles lasted through the night, and re.
freshmentS abundantly served to the
= guests in and about the house at any
! time and all times Just as they called
, for them. At intervals the dancing girls
were introduced and the tam-tams fol
, their dance music. At break of day, the
: groom claimed his wife and escorted hel
: to his own house. They then had pro
, cesSion similar to the first one, eNcep
+ that the brides presents We're seen car
! ried in front by the coolies. At TIN
F., groom'S house, festivities wer
: continued according to the length Of hi
r purse. 1t often happens that thes
? people use all the money they have OF
such occasions. They are improvident
: and ordinarily live on very small sums
{ obtaining easily the little they need TO
q York Graphic.