The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-02-24
Il HONEYMOON.
It Is n Relio of DarSarlsm Older Tn
Civilization.

. Civilization.
Can you tell me from what source
this custom of the honeymoon Journey
is derived?" asked n young married
man, just returned from his wedding
trip with much flattcned pocket-book,
OF a scientific friend. "Why, my dear
boy" was the reply, "it is of purely
savage origin and represents n survival
of the primitive method of marriage by
capture. In the early days of social
existence before the era of civilization
dawncd the lover always secured his
bride by force, just as the Australian
native to-day knocks down with his
club the woman he desires for a wife
and drags her off, this ceremony consti-
tuting the required legal form. Among
the Kalmucks of Central Asia the girl
whom a youth desires to win is put
upon u horse and rides off at full speed,
the lover pursuing us she is judged to
have got q good start. If he can not
overtake her the match is off, but if he
succeeds in catching her she becomes
his wife. When she likes the young
man 1t Is to BIO presumed that she does
not ride her hardest. With the Ahitas
OF the Philippine islands when a mar
wishes to marry n young woman she is
given an hours start in the woods, and
If he finds her and brings her back be-
fore sunset it is a lawful marriage.
Ever so many people still preserve the
form OF marriage by capture, even
though the actual custom no longer OK
lists. When an Indian of Chill has
agreed on the price he shall pay for the
girl to her parents the recognized mode
of proceeding is that he surprises her,
or is supposed to do so, and carries her
Off to the woods for n few days, after
which the happy couple return home"
THAT seems much like a civilized
honeymoon"
The idea Of it is precisely the same
and the custom is derived from the
same source. Just as I said, the honey
moon is, i'll fact, a survival of the prim-
tive custom of marriage by capture.
AS nations have advanced in civilization
and communities have become larger
the actual capture of wives has become
inconvcnient and unnecessary. Grad
ually, therefore, it has sunk more and
more into mere form. Thus the re-
quirements of fashion were satisfied
with YOU running off with your own
Il o'tb VI OONh " IL lLiOHJD.
Very expensive I found it. I should
have preferred not to acquire my wife
by capture"
"Ah! But my dear fellow, you were
obliged to make a show of carrying her
off if you wished to do the proper thing.
The very bride-cake at your wedding,
of which l was given n slice, is simply n
survival of the barbarous method of
marriage by eating together. This lat
ter custom is in use to-day among many
tribes OF Indians. Among the modern
savages you will find the same customs
in vogue now that were doubtless used
by our own primitive ancestors, and this
consideration alone renders a study of
their ways very interesting. Speaking
OF weddings reminds one of kissing the
bride. Now, as to that, kissing seems
to US so natural an expression of affcc-
ton that VIC should expect it to be
found all over the world. Yet it is I'M
known to the Australian, the New
Zealnnders, the Papuans, the negro Of
West Africa and the Esquimaux. In
some parts of Central Africa it is con-
back on q superior.
"The Todas of the Neilgherry hills,
in India, show respect by raising The
open right hand and resting the thumb
on the end of the nose. Captain Cook
asserts that the inhabitants of an island
in the Pacific Ocean, called Mallicolo,
show admiration by kissing. Among
the Esquimau it is customary to pull Il
persons nose as n compliment. And
among the Chinese, who are not savage,
but barbarous, a coffin is regarded as a
neat and appropriate present for an
aged person, especially if in bad health"
Chicago Daily News.