Smyrna times., 1888-04-04

time, and never intended to again.
But lately have been much sadden-
ed by some incidents that have occur
red in our neighborhood, which l am
told are very frequently taking place,
and constantly endured; l refer to the
cruel treatment of women and girls.
which is the natural result of the de-
graded position they are compelled to
occupy, giving to the ruling mass of
heather men almost unlimited power.
The custom in this country of be-
trOthing in childhood and the early
marriages is a source of so much sin
and suffering that words can never
completely portray the reality. But 1
will give you glimpse of this
DARK PICTURE.
A little girl by the name of Beautiful
(Sin Ling was betrothed when nine
years old. After this the boys father
and older brother grew to be great
opium-smokers, and his mother from
her trials and troubles, became a fierce.
rough woman.
When Beautiful was fourteen years
OF age, her parents realizing the degra-
dation of these people, were unwilling
for their little girl ever to marry into
such family. But the opium-smokers
heard of it, and induced some of their
mutual friends to invite the little girl
to their home for few days. While
there, and away from her parents, she
was invited to the boy's house for a
day, when, unknown to her, they were
fully prepared for the wedding feast.
While she was there the door was
closed and fastened. She, becoming
alarmed, said she must go home; vet.
though she fought long and well for
her freedom, she did not gain it. They
held her while they washed her face
and pulled out the hair on the forehead
and large portion of that on the eve
brows to denote that she was a mar
ried woman according to their custom.
Oh, the agony of that little girl as
she declared she was not and would
not be bride, while the neighbors and
his relatives assisted in holding her.
one clasping her head, one at each arm.
and several more striving to still her
violent exertiOns. By force they ar
ranged her eyebrows and forehead,
and did up her hair in the style of a
woman. " l will not be married 1
shall not be married You have no
right to steal me want to GO home" +"
Still her cries rang out again and again
as they took rope and tied her BODY
to large heavy chair, and so were
able TO put on the wedding robes.
Married that little girl was that day,
and married she had to be, without her
own consent or her mothers knowl-
edge. So they had their feast and re-
joicings amid her weeping and wailing
heart-broken sObs. There is now no
home for her but that, as she is truly
married according to their law and
must live in such family whether she
will or not. And what a husband
and what a father-in-law and mother
in-law! they who deceived her and
took her by force.
Another little girl whose name was
Ze, was betrOthed a year ago, but the
go between greatly deceived the par
ents about the man, who is now thirty
years old while the girl is only twelve.
This summer the mOther-in-law enticed
the child to her home to enjoy a feast
which she said they were preparing for
another one of her sons. When she
came she was seized, the hair extracted
from her forehead and a portion
from her eyebrows, then she was dress
ed in the red silk wedding garments,
and married amid her most violent pro-
testations. When according to their
custom, she was allowed to 90 home
after few weeks, her indignant moth
er Joined with the little girl in her de-
termination not to go back, at least,
not for long time. The mother.in-
law has, by many and costly presents,
tried to persuade her to return. Her
husband has gone there many times to
induce her to live with him, but they
keep good watch, and she always
escapes to the neighbOrs and hides,
and now, during these five months
that have passed, he has not been able
to see her or to learn just where she is.
Another case of a young girl l will
mention, whose brother is an opium
smoker, and among his companions in
the opium den one day he sold his sis
ter, fourteen years of age. The bar
gain was completed, the money paid,
the earrings and bracelets given,
when the same night the young man,
with about fifty others, broke into the
house of the young girl, who had just
that evening received the wedding
gifts, and learned that she was be-
trOthed.
These men overpowered the parents,
stole the girl out of her bed, and car
ried her off, and the wedding was per.
formed according to their rites the
same night.
The mass of the people look upon
these acts with Indifference; and if the
parents have not great deal of money
they dare not bring the facts to the
knowledge of the mandarins, for these
rulers will not make any effort with
out large sums of money being paid to
them for their own personal use. So
these deeds Of cruelty are constantly
occurring, are allowed and endured f,
and the women aud the girls suffer on.
Does not the reader unite his or her
wish will that of 4ha ,,,o.l-.,,. =