Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-11-10
OLO-TIME MARRIAGES.
How Customs Have Changed TO the
Present Time.

Inc hrst attempt OF the barbarian
to establish some form of legal rela.
ton, in lieu of the free love of earlier
times, was the marriage by capture
says a writer in Frank Leslie's. In
this the young man, having seen some
girl of his tribe who pleased his fancy,
called together band of his bother
braves, and catching his victim at
some defenseless moment, bound and
gagged her, and dragged her away
to his home, henceiorth to be his
wife.
Two effective scenes are those rep-
resenting first, the maiden, happily
sleeping in her rude hut, while the
love-maddened brave stealthily enters,
and quietly but firmly tangles his
jagged spear-head in her heavy hair
without rousing her; and second, the
poor girl awake and being dragged
away by the hair of her head, her
hands and feet tied, by her ruthless
captor. This was a common method,
and is even now practiced in wilds OF
Australia.
A modification OF this custom
was found among the Egyptians.
There. the female population met at
the public baths, and the charms of
this and that young girl were de-
scribed to the youth who wished to
wed, by his female relatives. When
he decided upon one that suited his
fancy, an arrangement was made with
the girl's father. The prospective
bridegroom, at the head of a gorgeous
procession of his friends. accompanied
by musicians and dancing girls, then
went to the girls home in the even
ing, and made a show OF tearing his
resisting bride from her fathers pro-
tecting arms.
Thereupon he placed her, entirely
covered by an embroidered and jewel.
studded veil, under magnificent can
opy borne by four slaves, and in COM
pany with four torchbearers, singers,
with all the display possible, bore her
away to his home. Once there, the
singers sing, and the dancers dance,
while the bride, still carefully veiled,
walks up and down before the groom
to display her grace and charm. The
entertainment finally over and the
guests departed, the husband unveils
her, and for the first time feasts his
eyes upon her beauties. These are
two especially effective scenes.
Next in Importance we have the
marriage by purchase. Strictly speak
ing, this custom varies among the
different nationalities as to the actual
wedding ceremonies, almost all OF
which were, however, wild and pictur-
esque; but view of slave market
always gives a fine opportunity for
practical effect. Here we have the
girls yet to be sold postured in the
foreground, while their unfortunate
comrade is standing on exhibition be-
fore group OF buyers, professional
exhibitor, herself q Nubian slave,
calling attention to the good points of
the present "lot."
At the extreme left a slave is just
covering his masters recent purchase,
while the auctioneer in his box cries
his Going, going, gone," over the free
dom and happiness of a defenseless
woman. The prospective buyers, with
radiant faces, each clothed in brilliant
ly bedecked garments, and bearing a
casket of jewels in his hand to win
loving glances from Indifferent eyes,
form an appropriate background to
the white robes and sad or stony faces
of the girls in front.