Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-30
PROGRESS IN INDIA.
M gTriage by dyertisemento opens a New
Era for the Widows.

The native races in our India empire
are doing their best to show themselves
civilized people. They are rapidly sur
mounting their ridiculous and barbarous
prejudices against the consumption of al
cohol, they have already mastered a very
effective vocabulary of English eXple-
tives, and, in fact, in hundred interes-
ting ways are endeavoring to prove them
selves intelligent students Of occidental
culture. One OF the most striking mani
festatiOns of their progress is their adOp-
tion Of the Western popularity of mar
riage by advertisement. Everyone knows
that a short time ago the condition OF
Hindoo widows was most pitiable. When
young girl lost her husband, her rela-
tves held the view that the mans death
was punishment on her for some crime
committed in former life. According to
q recent writer she was not only con-
demned to perpetual widowhOOd, but was
subject 10 all manner of insult and ill
treatment from sheer dread that any act
of kindness shown to the 'cursed thing"
would be resented by the king OF hades,
who had on her account killed her hus-
band. She had TO eat only the most COM
mon and &C arse food, and that only once
u day. She was stripped of all ornaments,
IOfRt NNA lANA 1AAN AAAAAbb hNs anu nteNA w
wear the most coarse clothing. She slept
on the bare floor, and was the drudge Of
the whole family. She was never shown
any pity or compassion, however i'll she
might be. She was compelled never to
sing, and never TO laugh, never
to appear happy, nor to join in
any family feast or pleasure. All
this, continues the writer, and much more
insult and cruelty often drove the poor
victims Of it to desperation and despair,
which frequently ended either in plunge
into well or in disreputable life. One
name for widow in india is the common
term for harlot. which shows the light
in which poor widows were regarded in
Hindo0 society. These discredltable man.
itestatiOns OF degrading superstition nave
moved the more enlightened HiDdOOs to
form an organization for improving the
condition Of widows. This body publish
es "a Journal called the .SOcidl Ret'Ornter,
which advocates many objects Tor pro-
noting the social felicity OF the natives.
The widow question, Of course, is tore
most, and tue columns Of the S0ci1t Re
former are full OF advertisements from en-
lightened bachelors who desire to marry
widows, and from widows anxious to re-
enter the matrimonial state. A few of
them are worth producing. one states
that a widow Ola Bengal, Brahmtu caste,
IL years OF age, lost her husband six
months after marriage. Her father
wishes to give her in marriage to a Ben
gall Brahmin Of high clan" Another
paints more fascinating picture tor the
benefit o. Bengal benedicks. 1t runs
"a Bengal lady, of Brahmin caste, who
became "a widow when she was ii wears
of age, and who possesses fair complex
ion and long, beautiful hair, and whose
moral character is most unexceptiOnable,
It's prepared to marry a gentleman of
her own caste according to orthodox
rites"
A third relates to youth who is fortu-
nate or unfortunate enough to have en-
thusiasts for his guardians. 1t is as toll
lows: ''Tbe guardians Ofa Kbatri caste J
lad Of kapul clan, aged II, who is the
scion OF highly respectable family, and
is receiving an education in English and
Persian, are willing 10 encourage the sys-
tenn of widow marriage by marrying him
with widow of the same caste" An
other gentleman is liberal in his ideas
hut would prefer not to have widow il
he can help it. Possibly he has heard
something of the theories of the elder Mr..
! Weller. He writes: "a well-educated
! Hunjubl gentleman, good looking and fair
color. aged about u. holding a permanent
government appointment. wishes to mar
Ty an educated and beautiful lady, who
may be OF any caste, provided she bears d
good moral character and is willing TO be
married according to nOn-idOlatrOus rites
An unmarried lady is preferred but a
widow will not be objected to if she lost
her husband at an early age" A very
dOmesticated lady applies for a second
spouse IN tle following advertisement:
Required, "A match for a Bengali widow
of "A Naidya caste, aged IA, who had been
married at her 18th, and lost her usband
at her 18th. She is of wheat complexion
OF good features, and can read and write
BengaIi tOlerably well, knows the alpha
bet Of English, and is very intelligent; car
knit cOmiorters, stockings, etc. very we'll
aud is very willing to work. The candi
date must be "a member of the Naidya
caste, and OF respectable family. Tic
must be well educated and of good mora
/ character" Finally, a Bengalese land
owner. somewhat fastidiOus in mis- ideas
! as becomes the owner of acres, applies fOI
| a wife "Required, an educated widow
i3 TO - years OF age. She should be OF
good shape, feature, complexion, temper
and health, and not suffering from any
! hereditary disease, daughter of "A well-to.
do gentleman, and OF respectable caste
:or an enlightened young Bengal zimin.
dar (landlOrd) Of respectable caste and
ldhiilN- IN ctVulpiiHhtus WeH-DullLs ana
free from every present and idiopathic
malady. lie its prepared 10 meet agreea.
bic demands. and in order to encourage
widow marriage amongst the mobiles and
CENTRES, he is DESTROYS OF presenting the
bride at the wedding with Jewels worth
10000 rupees" With such a field OF use.
fulness open 10 them, il is really surpris-
ing that some Of our matrimonial agen.
cies have not started a branch in Cal
cutta, where they would be sure 70 re.
ceiye valuable commissions from the "Sec.
rotary Of the Widow Marriage Aiding
GppinfN ~