Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-01-12
THEIR CHILD-WIVES.
THE MOST SHOCKING OF CHI
NEsE CUSTOMS.
Women OF the East Not TO BE Compared
to women OF the West, Being Merely
Chattels-How Chinese Women Are
Married when Babies.

An American woman in the Middle
Kingdom, though she is dubbed a
Flower Flag Devil, and looked upon
as new kind OF dragon, can be no
more of a surprise TO the Chinese
women than they are to her Every
minute of every hour that she spends
in the inland cities studying habits
and customs is filed with startling
surprises and the most grotesque ok
periences. AS Elizabeth Cady Stan
ton SAYS, it is not fair to compare the
women OF the East with those Of the
West, and so it is only allowable for
the tourist to tell what she sees and
hears.
While inspecting the beauties Of the
Man-Mo temple, in Hong Kong, !
espied two very bright Chinese chill
dren at play. One was Il boy, the
other a girl 1t was q very easy mat
ter to note the sex, for the boy wore
silk coat and pantelettes embroidered
in flowers and vines; the girl was coat
less and her thin underjacket and
trousers were decorated in holes.
After watching the boy scolding his
comrade tiercely and tormenting her
cruelty for several minutes. asked
my Chinese guide to translate the
conversation and find out who they
were The result OF my endeayors
proved them 10 be man and wife. or.
az the interpreter mt II II aske,,
alice samee boy, what thinr. % muchee
noisee. and ne makee say ono piee5y
girlo his vito. 10 say that / was
shocked would not express tbs truth.
/ was "a overcome that almost
knocked Ana ~ ira gcds naa,. fne 1yer
the steps.
wife. exclaimed % the guide as
soon as recovered my balance, .why,
the child can't be- more than three
years old
,.Alles proper alba, sarpae WA
the only answer / could oet. Kant
the information we'll IN mind how
ever. and every Chinese, rity or town /
have visited I have diligently inquired
into this subject The nraetic. III -.
trothing and marrying ferala children
al birth 70 male children .om. vsar3
older Il anite 4 common ons AMI tb,,r..
are several reasons given for n
Among the rich il Il done N k,,p
money in the family. With the Moor
il Is a matter 81 ECONOMY. for tn
..wlfe. after she i a few month. Nh
i transferred 10 her husband, M
home. In some case. ! yfr.l i. r,ar,.j..r
az birth for famlIv name n .cy.ral
provinces. when 4 ,frl make. / ,,ood
match. her whole family al. nv
name Of tho husband Ala M. .n.fal
rank.
,Tbo,., !. Ill, 80, III, I'm
irat.,co II cr.aa.,fas MI " 80 Nm
soc;aI ,,..a,,, psft-I,tt
,rir,a5 ,,r,n.,s,.a,,3l,,. '''.,' 80
~ d,nr.b..,, !, -,
and .ncb on,c,.,. Ill. $3.50
sons ~ ,.,a,,,,,,,sl III. ,.,.s...a'...t MY
Gated a,ga,. ,r,,, t.,-t,I,,.a..
ard .r,,;,.,,,,,,a,,.. .rt'I
ar,,,la i, so.i,Ia.... NJ,
tb.n a,,. i, M, 81. 't $500
,,a,r,.,. ,,,,.t,tIaga.Ef. 80
z c,ea+ion " ra 80, " 4 .o.''.''
AMI Iil,a aii ariaa. - st $50 ''.', "
daa,aing rnint 80 No. g.., nv ~ t, NJ,
bas M 7,dciai si,.rt,;ra.;y III Il y. ~, =
naz. o,ianat4a 7. i. t..- ..,-'''s Il ! -
r.. II -
riage cont,.act IN /. na5a '' .,.a ,,.'''
) fa,nft,. ~ ,rhi,1 .L 7 - - ''s' :"
member ami i by that ,anfI,. h,a',.,h,
no. She BEGINS ~ Nh NJ. ,c,naf
duties 81 a wife when tba
parents dictate III q.
can be learned from statia,g.s 49,,
two out ~ everv tsn fifth. Il ,hs
empire are bound ont Il ..roa,.ina
marriages. The romafnIng f.,niri,,a.
become engaged botweon II aadtt
Years Of age when ii. ohf.ct
retain wealth tho ccra,,oric. a..a.1
inc the adoption " tha .,r',,.t.
marriage contraet NIL yor,. -; ;,'s
These celebrations III ~, s,,,,jt, ,Ia
affect the husband ana Xix h s,.,'a' =
who are both al tho rnoma,, ~. a..,
tracts are SIGNED either indnt1in aoi /,
the infantile habit n haa,iim vi !.
3noozing or narta,ir,, ~ M 49,, ,''I n
- RI - %A'itS - tll5 uNuhl us q