The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-07-09
ODD FAMILY CUSTOMS,
Tho Singular Fart the Mother lin Law
Plays Among S.,vns. and Alien Peoples

-
The Egyptians often gave any rela-
tive whom they disiike;i the title of
uo,iicr-in-law. and the Chinese have
lie following nroyrrh: 'ih. spring
sky often looks like the face Of moth
erin law" TIRE is much controversy
over the justice Of this wideI y-sprcad
opinion, and Tie unprecedented MAIN
tain that the mother-in-iaw is better
than her reputation.
But there are a number of savage
peoples among whom TIE little family
scenes between the mother-in-law and
the daughtcrin-law arc impossible,
since custom forbus ip:ercourSe be-
tween them. This prohibition -whic:,
is certainly calculated to preserve tho
peace Of neutrality-suspicious. il ,lu!as
both rarcnts-in-law. and sometime, is
limited to opposite sexes; for instance.
the daEghter-in-l,w must keep out OF
the way of her father-iu-law. the som
in-law must avoid his mother-in-Iaw.
Sometimes this introduction is for life.
sometimes for fixed pcriod-pcrhaps
| till the nothcr-i n-law becomes Il grand
mother.
Family intercourse between the
members Of savage tribes is often 4
very complicated affair.
Among the Omaha indians 4 woman
| never appears, if it is possible to avoid
doing SD. in the presence of their
daughters husband. The son-iu- law
tries to avoid entering any place where
his mother-in-law is alone. In Dt-
kota the Ponca chief. Standing Buffalo,
hat Ia L., 81
| ting in the room. He turned, drew his
blanket over his head, and went to an
other part Of the house.
| In Port Lincoln, Australia v0uuy
man. at the chance approach of his
molher-in-law. was surrounded by a
| dense circle of women. and lie himself.
! thus warned. covered his face with his
hands. while the old woman turned in
another direction.
The missionary Van Hassct tells an
anecdote of one of his pupils in Dareh
| New Guinea). a boy six years old. rho
during his lesson, dropped like log
under the table because his brother s
mother-in-law happened to pass.
Among other tribes the prohibition
relates to mentioning the parents-in-
law by name. Whoever does it is re-
| carried. according to their cole of eti-
| queite. AS an extremely ill-bred fellow.
| This is even carried So far that even
words of similar sound must not be ut
| tered, thus making it ratEer difficult
to carry on n conversation. especially
| when the wife is forbidden to name
any Of her hu bands relatives. This
| often leades to strange turns OF speech
| like TIE one in :, story told 10y VAN.
! berry. OF tie kirgi'iz people among
whom this custom exists.
4 k'rghiz had five sons. named re.
spectiv.s~ Kpl Oak.). kamisch (reed).
k.Ski'' (wo'D. k"j (,heep) ani Pit
| ~chal (knife). One morning lis
! dau-i.:r--: :,-!:,w went To tie lake and
scein,- Il wolf there eatiB. Il S...ep rat
back screaming: Down Wonder 1t
ttc -Ei!tering. atnou- the waving. q
beast OF pre-! is eating The hieating.
thus c','v"r,y avoiding the USE oi ,;.e
words which were the names OF the
male members OF her husband fam.
lis.
! For the cc::so,ati9n OF mothnrs-ifi-
law it may be added tat there axe also
| tribes among whose members love and
respect for ptren;s-iH-!ax arr strictly
cnjoinch. And among civilized ma
tons we may cite the uei:-known Ger.
| man rroverb. An aged mother in the
house is n sheltering wall aroIL. it, "