The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-11-28
EBENSBURG A. FRIDAY NOVEMBER 2s

Among the Kalmucks we have a
slight variation of the programme 1t
seems that the man who wants to marry
any particular girl, has TO win her by
the fieetness Of his horse. She is
mounted on horseback, and gallops off
as fast as she can go. He follows; and
if he can catch her she is his wife, and
has to return to his tent with him. We
are told that there has never been an
instance where she has been caught if
she has no desire to become his wife;
but it would seem from this, that after
he has paid her parents the price they
agreed upon, she has no option but TO
avoid the marriage by successful
flight.
1t is not unknown to many that until
quite recently 4 similar custom pre-
vailed in Wales The bridegroom, hav-
ing won the damsel's heart, appeared
with all his friends mounted at her
door on the wedding morn and demand
ed her from her parents. The brides
friends, likewise on horseback, refused
to give her up upon which scutfle en-
sued. She was suddenly mounted be-
hind her nearest kinsman and carried
off, pursued by the bridegroom and the
whole body of friends, who with loud
shouts and much laughter gallop after
her. 1t was not uncommon to see two
or three hundred people riding along at
full speed, crossing in front and iostling
one another to the delighted amuse-
ment of the onlookers. When they and
their horses were thoroughly exhausted.
the bridegroom was allowed to overtake
the bride, carry her away in triumph,
the whole party finishing the day with
feasting and festivity.
Sir Henry Piers gave an account of a
similar kind of ceremony in the wilds
of ireland, where the interested parties
met somewhere between the two dwell
ings TO discuss the matter and make ar
rangements- II an agreement was con-
cluded, the agreement bottle was drunk,
and then the brides father sent round
TO all his neigh bors and friends to col
lect his wife's portion. to which every
one gave COW or heifer. These the
husband had to restore to their re-
spective donors if the bride died child
less within a certain time. On the day
of bringing home, the bridegroom and
his friends rode out to meet the bride
and her friends at the place OF meeting.
Being come near each other, the custom
was of old to cast short darts at the
company attending the bride, but at
such a distance that seldom any hurt
eEsued, although we do hear that on
one such occasion a noble lord lost an
eye, which must have gone far to sound
the knell of this quaint old custom.
Another curious instance affording
evidence OF ancient capture occurs in
certain Arab tribe. The betrothal
takes place apparently in q similar man
ner 10 that of young English people of
the nineteenth century; but the mar
riage is only rendered complete by the
husband bringing lamb IN his arms to
the tent of the girls father and there
cutting its throat before witnesses. AS
soon as the blood falls to the ground the
marriage is complete. and he retires 10
his tent 20 await his lady. A game of
bide-and-seek is played by the girl and
by the people of the village, who pursue
her as she runs from tent TO tent At
last she is caught, and led off in tri-
umph by some OF the women to her
lover, who, taking possession of her,
forces her into his tent
Perhaps the Bedouin Arabs of Mount
Sinai conduct their matrimonial ar
rangements in the strangest fashion,
for when man desires 10 marry he
goes TO the maiden's father and makes
bid, which may or may not be ac-
cepted. Should the father think the
offer sufficiently tempting, the sale is
completed without the chief person con-
cerned being consulted When she
comes home in the evening with the
cattle, she is met 1T short distance
from the camp by her intended husband
and two of his friends, and is carried off
by force to her fathers tent
If. however, she has time to defend
herself, and suspects their errsnd, she
defends herself like young tigress, Bit
ing, kicking, throwing sticks and stones
and anything that comes to hand at her
antagonists, often injuring them Sc
verely, even though she is not alto
gether averse to the match The
greater resistance she makes the great
er praise she receives from her compan-
ions, who record it in her favor forever
after. When she is safely in her fathers
tent, they throw a mans cloak over her,
and make a formal announcement of
her future husbands name. She is
placed on 3 camel in her bridal dress
still struggling with might and main,
and has to be held on by the young
men. Then she is led round three times,
and afterward taken into her husbands
tent, the ceremony being wound up with
the usual feast and presents to the bride.
In comparing these few instances
culled from current authorities upon folk
lore and kindred subjects, it viii be seen
how prosaic is the modern English mar
riage. which, even after a thoroughly
romantic courtsnip, peaceably assures
the ardent lover of his victory. There
are not many fashionable young men
about town who would seek matrimony,
if it could only be attained at the risk
of broken head or other practical
demonstration of his wife's prowess.-
CbamharfG Iourual