Telegram-herald., 1891-07-03
WHERE WOMAN RULES


casas~s nat nsssr frsa IAsss - Any
osher Chstssisa 81 uoh~n~saAa Pee-
She Never Leaves Her Hsas-
A country where the women own the
houses and lands. where gold and silver
are common rs flowers in the spring,
where everybody Is happy and nobody
doas wrong. - the burden Of the story
that W. j. Shaw brings from far Of Su-
matra.
w. ]. Shaw is ons Of the men Who
modelled things in this country when IL
was young and phabls. he came from
New York in 1859, and Was about the
first man 10 hang out . lawyers sign in
San Francisco. He won the eases that
settled the validity Of settlers titles and
resulted in the Van Mess ordinance. and
he served As state senator in 1854. when
ii was more Of al honor to be legislator
than IL iA now.
In all lay years Of travel" he said.
II never found happier people than
those who live in Sumatra. in the mid
die part Of the island. The people al
over Suinatra are believers In the No
hammedan religion. but the peculiar
customs which make this particular pso-
pie unique and different FROM all others
are confined TO one community.
lit would not be correct TO term this
branch OF the Sumatrs people q fribe.
for they do not hive in tribal relations AZ
all, although there is chief and under
chieftains. These rulers. however. are
net despots, and If the people Go not like
the way in which they manage things
they dispoee of them very shortly and
put other men in their places.
Although men are the oetenf:bse
chieftains. the women arc the real rulers.
The customs of the country forbid the
giving OF mans property TO his chill
dren after his death. IL a man dies the
property he owns is given To his father
and mother. The woman's property, on
the contrary, is given to the children.
Probably that Is the custom that Is re-
sponsible for the turning over OF all the
wealth of the country to the women.
TREATMENT OF TILE BOYS AND MEN.
at is the constant aim of the men to
enrich their wives. Each man has but
one wife, and each wife one husband
and they live a perfectly moral life. The
teachings Of Mohammedanism are fol-
lowed upon the cTestion of divorce.
The husband has the right to divorce his
wife whenever he chooses, but must al
low her to retain the property in her pos
session. Divorces are not frequent,
though, and believe that, in proportion
to the population, divorces in this part
of Sumatra are not one in sixteen com
pared to the number in California.
"The people ere happy there-hapry
as they can be. The children live 1t
home with their mother-the boys until
they are thirteen or fourteen, and the
girls until they marry.
When tho daughter gets married she
does not leave her mothers house. An
addition is built on-a new roof. as they
call it-and tho newly married girl
makes her home there, and brings up
her children. This custom. of course,
results in forming quite large communi-
ties where there are many children.
II knew one of these communities
where there were a mother and several
! daughters living with their children.
The original house had grown with each
marriage until it spread over = large
piece Of ground.
when the boys get old enough 10
leave home they Gro taken to a compaxt-
ment house which is set aside a. home
for them until they wish to marry. The
girl has the right to choose whom she
will wed. privilege delegated to her in
few Mohammedan countries.
"Once married, the husband for the
rest of his life IL his wifes lover. He
lives apart from her and visits his home
only In the evening to chat with her and
the children All the money he gete-
and there is plenty Of money Of Dutch
coinage there-he turns over to his sweet
heart. She dresses herself and the chill
dren and shoulders all the petty family
cares.
He is bothered only to earn the
money to pay for the things they cat
and wear.
ITO get things for them to eat need
not worry him much. The portion Of
Sumatra in which these strange people
live is very fertile and productive. II is
a fine country, with beautiful mountains
and streams and magnificent scenery.
All sorts Of fruits are grown, and IN the
higher attitudes many Of the grainA
DRESSES OF THE WOMEN.
"To find dresses for the family must
be a different matter, for never saw
such elegantly attired women - in these
communities They are very beautiful.
Boosting the faircst and finest compiler
ions and the brightest eyes
''Never in Christian countries do wo-
men dress rs extravsgantly.
II remember that once the chief told
me ne would have two pretty maidens
dress rs they would on their marriage.
The two bright eyed girls were gone
some time, aud came back wearing, one
dress Of gold and the other one Of sil-
yer. They had brackets one above an
other from the hands and above their
elbows. At the elbows they wore poem
liar bracelets, 3ointed TO permit easily
moving the joint. In brief, their armf
were armorcd with precious metal. They
had necklaces Of gems and other costly
ornaments. and the cloth-of-gpld and
closh-of-salver dresses were made loosely
fitting above the waist, and the skirts in
6ounces.
They are not an ignorant people. fos
the children ere taught in their homes
and many learn 30 read the Korsn. Tbey
observe the pruprietles TOO, AZ in ayrAr.
ent from the rule a 10 widows
When . woxnant husband dies ehe
plsnts po& in frout Of her psrtseulA'