The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-08
Hindoo Child Marriages.

It is essential for the honor of Hin
doc family of good caste, says writer
in contemporary, that it should con-
tain no unmarried daughter of mature
years. The existence of such daugh-
ter is not only social disgrace, but re.
ligious crime. When, therefore, a fe-
male infant is born, the first idea of her
fathers mind is not one of pleasure, nor
perhaps of very active regret, but sim
ply how to find husband for her. 1t
is not necessary that she should become
wife in our sense of the word. 1t suf-
fees that she should be given in mar
riage, and go through the ceremony of
the seven steps, which completes the re-
ligious rite. Aged Brahmins of good
family still go about the country marry
ing, for pe;uniary consideration, fe-
male infants whom they sometimes never
see again. Within the memory of men
still living this abominabie practice was
a tlourshing trade. A Kulin Brahmin.
perhaps white-haired, and half blind
and decrepid, went the round of his
bent each spring, going through the
ceremony of marriage with such female
infants as were offered, and pocket
ing his fee, and perhaps never re-
turned to the child's house. So
long as he lived she could marry no other
man when he died she became widow
for life. The Hindoo child-widow is
looked upon as a thing apart and ac-
cursed, bearing the penalty in this world
for sins which she has committed in a
past existence. Her hair is cut short, or
her head is shaved altogether; she ex-
changes her pretty childish clothes for
the widows coarse and often squalid gar
ment; she is forbidden to take part in
any village festival or family gathering;
the very sight of her is regarded as an
i'll omen. Her natural woman's instincts
are starved into inanition by constant
fasts. sometimes prolonged to seventy
two hours. Amid the genial and bright
colored life of the Hindoo family she fits
about disarrayed, silent, Stunned, dis
fgured-in some parts of India hide.
ously bald obiect-forbidden all joy and
all hope. There are hundreds of thou
sands of widows in India who have &C.
quiesced in their cruel lot, They accept
with pathetic faith and resignation the
priestly explanation which is giveff to
them. They penitently believe that they
are expiating sins committed in a past
life, and they humbly trust that their
purifying SORROWS here will win reward
in the life to come.-L0nd0ga Standard.
Marriage Customs in Turkey.
All weddings in Turkey. among Turks,
whether in provinces or cities, are ar
ranged by old women, and are compll-
Gated, tedious affairs. The bridegroom
holds fete several days at his home for his
men friends, and the prospective bride
at her home with her young friends
girls of course. The night before the
wedding the married women of her ac-
quaintance come and eat the married
women's dinner with her, which consists
principally, as Sam Weller would 'ay, of
"swarry" of leg of mutton and trim
mings. The next day the bride is taken
to the bridegroom's house in sedan
chair, with retinue of slaves carrying
her wedding presents on trays on their
heads, covered with colored tarlatan.
The procession is sometimes quite i'm
posing. The brides female relatives are
also there in the new harem until night
fall and they retire to the r homes, leav-
ing the blidc on sort of throne, yelled.
The bridegroom is then admitted, and he
il to throw himself at the brides feet and
offer her his wedding present OF come
handsome jcwelry, and beg her to raise
her veil and stlike him blind by her
beauty. Sometimes he is struck dumb
by her ugliness, for he never looks on her
face until after the wedding.
When babe is born in any house,
there is great rejoicing if it be a boy,
less if a girl. The wife is proud fol-
awhila: hut Turkish women are not good