The Lamar register., 1892-01-16
CURIOUS CoURTsHIps.
THE AUCTION OF BRIDES IMAM
3 GENT BABYLON.
strange Fraotices AN ons Modern sava-.
IHse'-IAnuary wsddsd to May
With an Indiaa Haos in
south America

Pittsburg Dispatch. The ancient Babv-
loniSns had law which provided that
when the maidens OF that city arrived
at marriageablc age they were to be
=uetioned of 10 the highest bidder.
As Q matter OF course the most shapely
and beautiful ones commanded tho
highest prices aud the rich Babylo-
mans naturally carried OF tho most
attractive prizes
After these had been disposed of the
auctioneer placed the ugly ones on
sale. and as an incentive no offered n
small sum OF money TO any one willing
10 become u purchaser This bonus
was contributed by the pretty maidens
and very often their less favored sis.
tiers were the recipients OF snug dow
ries-
Each buyer prior 10 taking his pur-
ehnsc 10 her now home was REQUIRED
70 give security that no would marry
her. After the salo should any OF The
parties repont OF their bargain thew
were permitted 10 annul the purchase.
and the sums paid were restored TO
them of course parents had no choice
In tho selection Of husbands for their
daughters
Among the LIburniauS the inhabit-
ants Of a city which stood on the site
Of the modern Lcghorn, before the
wedding banquet was concluded the
bride and all the guests were required
70 rise from the table and she then re-
pairci 20 tho bridegroom's house
where sho threw over the roof large
cake made OF coarse dough. They
6fmly believed that tho higher It was
thrown the happier the union would
Do and the better housewife she would
prove As the houses were very low
In reality were huts-nnd tho cake
ns hard Hs q stone lusty bride sell
don. II ever failed 10 insure the LUCKY
omen Duriag tho oersmouy two
mAlo friends Of tho married couple at-
tcnded the bride and whom che had
completed the task presented her with
now shoes and stockings She sigul.
Nod her acceptance OF the gift By CIV
ing thoR two or three old hondksr-
chiefs
The beauty Of CIrcRssinn women has
become proyorhiaL In no other part
of tho world Is greater care exercised
in bringing up the female children
They arc taught TO embFoider and
make their own costumes in addition
TO which they must learn to make
meas clothing In order that when
married they may prcssn. their hus-
bands with \ wedding outdt Soon
alter the birth Of Ciri a wide leather
bolt i scuet around her waist and IS
not removed until Il bursts when a
second one is adjusted On the night
Of her marriage tho belt Is cut with a
dagger b. her husband and in many
instances with fatal results
The father makes his daughter n
pr0-eut on her Wedding day, but the
major par; Of what he intends for her
i reserved until tho birth o, the first
child. when the father clothes her In
the dress OF mAtrou. tho chief dis
iinciion OF which consists Of veil
iha. entirely -conc~als her faco and
figure. The hab.iAtion Of g married
CircasslRn consists OF two huts one
occupied by tho husband and the other
By his wiio Rnd family. The court
separating tho two buildings is sur
rounded By palisades and Is would
never be suspected that they coasti-
tuted one establishment
One OF the strungest matrimonial
ceremonies Is tha: praoticei by an In
dian tribe residing on ihc banks Of
the DrilOco river 10 South America.
The old meu are married TO the bud.
ding muldcns and decrep.t women are
mated with youths no. yet out OF their
teens The reason given for this is
that age may correct tho petulanco Of
youth. and that TO Join persons equal
IN ace and imprudence in wedlock is
TO place two fools together. One re-
dcamlng trait about this custom Is that
the marriage Of the young men with
the old women Is merely a sort OF ap-
premiership aS af:or q few months
probation they are permitted to wed
women OF their own age.
The Luplandors consider il capital
oTeuse 20 we'd u maid without the per-
mission OF hcr parents and relatives
and invariably execute those who have
the temcrIty to attempt such clandes-
tine marriages. When q Imp has dis
covered his affinity the fashion is to
invite the lrlonds OF both TO witness n
foot-race between himself and the one
no intends to wed The maiden is
given such long start in this novel
race for wife that unless she iswill-
ing. she can seldom be overtaken. II
she outruns her suItor he can never
again ask for a trial OF speed, as it Is
n penal o1ense TO renew the offer OF
marriage
In the days OF ancient Rome the
bride was brought to the house OF her
husband preceded by five persons
bearing torches. the Specification Of
which was that married persons have
need of five delties to aid and protect
thcn. These were Jupiter Juno,
Venus Suada and Diann or LucinH-
When the woman reached the door OF
her future home she anointed the posts
with OIL. and from this ceremony was
known thereafter as unxor (anointer),
which. for the sake of euphony, be-
came uxor whence is derived the
English term uxorious- Another rule
among these people was that the bride
should be brought to her husband
with a veil or other covering over her
head. This ceremony was called
nup,iae, from nubo, TO veil and was
N,.l N