Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-05-29

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'hey possess. and appear on the
occasion gayly appareled. There IL n
good deal OF bargaining at times, and
as cattle are included among the Gifts
the place resembles great fair. Wben
me oetrothal Is eff. cled the pied 90 Of
attachment is not ring. but An am.
oroidered handkerchief
Al SYRIA certain recognized articles
are handed over to the brides father
rs Il symbol Of purchase. The articles
arc usually carpet, nose-ring, .
neck-cialn. bracelets and camel bao
ihey must be passed over to the father
Tor forms sake. as they becom event.
ua.ly the property of the young wife.
The cheapest and simplest transac-
non OF the kind appears TO prevail in
Lapiand. It's said that il one in tina,
country asks the father of MARRIAGE
able girl to take drink and the offer
is accepted the und erstandinp is tina,
The person giving the treat is accepted
as the girls sutton. We're a custon
like this prevalent in England it might
seriously aft ct certain branch of The
revenue. We should problbly also
have fewer marriages in Britain were
another custom appertaining to the
welded state introduced there,
1t seems that in Mexico there is
large percentage Of bachelors, but .
very small percentage of unprotected
males. The anomaly is explained b,
the fact that the Mexican on his mar.
riage chivalrously undertakes the car,
OF the female relatives and dependent,
OF his wife. There is a sort Of heredi-
airy right and privilege in tho matter.
On the death OF husband a family
council is called, and the male rcla
ives OF the widow and those of her
husband pledge themselves to care fol
and protect the bereaved family.
This is done even though the children
are grown up and the widow wealthy.
There would appear to be no choice
on the woman's part. custom. Il not law
prescribing that her male kindred
shall administer her affairs. and look
after the interests of her children.
Even If the widow be poor there is no
apparent Sinking on the part of the
male relatives of the obligation res inc
upon them. and it is said that when a
Mexican marries he virtually contracts
10 protect and honor all the female
relatives of his wife. and TO provide
for them If need be.
Some exceedingly beautiful rites are
introduced in the marriage of we'll
io-do Chinese couple, and are copied
to some extent by the poorer classes.
The bride is conducted by a number OF
female attendants to her hus band s
house; but before she crosses the
threshold a handkerchief is throw
over her head and every thing is shu
out from her sight. This is to teacl
her that on entering the marriage STATE
she is CROPPING in the dark future. bu
that if she will trust in her HUSBAND
aud rely on him to guide her she ncec
not fear to go forwar |. for it will be
his duty and pleasure to guide hel
steps. When she is ushered into thu
presence of her intended husband thu
handkerchief is removed from her eye'
and she is led to couch.
Here she takes seat, and the bride
groom sits beside her, taking care tt
rest on a ortion of the robe she wears
Should she seek TO remove the rob
out of the mans way the augury i
not a pleasant one; but should she al
low him to sit upon it sho tell
him plainly by that token tina
she is his captive. and willing t.
be led by him. Certain devotional
ceremonies follow upon this intro
ductory ritual. and then rcfreshment
are served. Tea is made in cups afte
the fashion of the country. The brid
and bridegroom take a sip and tho
the contents of the cups they hav
been using are mixed together. to sig
nifty the blending of the two lives
o her and more elaborate ceremonie
take place, and several days elapse be
fore they come to an end; but thes
preliminary proceedings are The mo-
interesting, and to the parties col
cerned the most trying of all.
The day of that particular form
the romance of courtship which ha
its elimination at Gretna Green hi
passed away. Scotland. sill, how
ever, presents facilities for marrlaG
which are not enjoyed in En- CLAM
The ceremony may be legally pc
: formed there at any hour and at al
\ place. There are similar formallii
to those we have here in the way
. banns and registration, If the parli
, be so minded, as they mostly are; b
e couple may become legally mi
and wife across the border by We
h slender form of publicity. r
d hans that is one reason why actio
5 for breach-of-promise of marriage a
n so seldom brought in Scotch cour
IS but suits for divorce are equally Ia
e among our Northern neighbors.
g the United States, where facilities
d marriage are greater than they
&c anywhere else amo g E lglish-spe'
Is ing people, cases of breach OF prom
II arc also few in number; but, uni
10 Scotland. divorces in America are
% no means uncommon.
le In the old Grecian and Rom
e. States the way to married life was ]
; as easy as in the States OF the n
ynrld: but there certain physical
a. ouirements we're at one time ins's
Il. upon. A Spartan law forbade m