The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-30
GIRLS ON ExHIBIrIoN.
Seated on a Platform For Months
fn the French Congo.

Some years ago the Sun told the story
I Of Miss Martha Kah, a missionary who
was exceptional in this respect that she
was living all alone in Africa among
the natives, and especially Of the chill
dren whom she had gathered around her
I For a long time she was the only mis-
siOnary at her station, which was near
the west coast. not far from the Congo
river. At a later day she married a
missionary. Mr.. Nehme and after nine
years incessant work at Mandy. in the
French Congo, she and her husband have
now come 10 Nebraska for the benefit
of their health. They expect to return
to Africa before very long. Mrs. Nehme
who thoroughly knows the African wo-
men in the region where she has lived so
long. has written for the sun the fol-
lowing account of the life Of the women
and the way husbands are procured for
them:
In the French Congo the advent Of a
girl baby is hailed with JOY. Already the
heads OF the family consider the posi-
bic addition to their treasury when this
baby arrives at a suitable age to he
married. The care of the little girl falls
to its mother and aunts. and the infant
life is free from care until the little girl
is seven or eight years Of age. Then
the poor little thing Is made a beast Of
burden, always carrying as heavy "a load
as possible. helping with planting and
harvesting, and assisting with the cook
ing. Her clothing consists of a strip OF
cloth tied around the waist with a string
This strip increases in size as the girl
grows older, but is worn only down %
. F,. -
| times the cloth Is plain, not even sewed
but Oftener is trimmed with home made
fringe and borders of different colors, red
yellow green and blue being preferred.
I'm some cases the relatives promise
I the girl in infancy to some old man who
has a dozen wives already. but oftener
the girl has her freedom until - to IA
years old. At this time her people cast
about for a bridegroom, and to attract
the young men of the neghborhood, or
old men either, they put the girl on ex-
hibition 1t is lots of fun for the girl and
the incest time of her life.
"A platform Is erected at one end of
new hut and the girl reclnes upon it.
Four to eight other young girls are called
to attend her every wish and invite the
men Of the neighboring towns This Is
done by means of piece of red chalk.
The girls visit the towns, and If they
see a suitable man they approach him and
put a Atu mark upon nun. lIlls puts MIN
under obligation to visit the young would
be bride that evening. If the man fails to
appear the girls who invited him visit
him again, and he must give a small
present for the bride. A hunter a fisher
man and a jacl1wash are at the disposal
Of the bride. Her food is the best in
the country and IS prepared for her. She
is carried about by her friends. and Is
not allowed to touch her feet to the
ground. She is dressed In all her hnery
with rings on her arms up to her elbows
and heavy rings about her ankles Her
face is painted with red and white chalk
and her whole body shines like a mirror
from the generous application of palm
oil. She amuses herself by rubbing the
rings together, and the grating noise
seems not to affect her nerves in the
least. At night there are dances to draw
crowd. This exhibition may be kept
up for six months or even longer. ac-
cording to the wealth of tbe family. At
last a big dance is given and the bride
elect with her bridesmaids goes the
rounds of all her friends, dancing before
them and receiving gifts.
The preiminaries finished, the price
will be settled upon. Two hundred yards
of calico, six gallons Of rum, one gun, and
a few small articles, such as knives, mir
rors, spoons, beads forks, plates cups
zone of each) are sufficient TO buy the
incest kind of a wife. The bridegroom
pays the rum, forty yards of cloth and
some Of the smaller things, and then the
girl can go with him to his home If he
cares for her, he soon pays the balance,
but If they cannot get along it ends in a
divorce The man sends his wife back
and her family return the purchase
money.
But supposing they do not get along.
as is generally the case, the young Wo-
mans life is one round of duty She waits
her ord nd ST. 4
raises the food for him and his slaves,
does the cooking and keeps her house
tidy. Africans are naturally lazy but
the women do more work than the men
The spare time of the women is taken up
by braiding mats for sleeping The incest
one always falls to the share Of the
husband.
1T no wonder that the married wo-
men urge their husbands to marry more
wives and as many as possible 1t is to
her advantage, for the work will thus be
divided. Once l observed that a married
man had four different dinners sent him
by his four wives. There was enough for
at least six men. In duty bound he ate
a little of each to satisfy all, because the
bearers would tell If he should slight any
one. These women get along nicely. Their
lot in life is drilled into them from child
hood, and they are satisfied with it. Their
life is passed in joy and sorrow, Just like
ers they are held in esteem by all the
people.
The greatest trial Of life comes to them
should they be left widows. If their hus-
band dies, their time Of mourning is ar
ranged by the next heir. his brother or ne
phew. The length of time depends upon
the influence and position of the dead
mans family. The wives stay in the same
hut with the body until the time for burial
Wailing IS kept up day and night After
the funeral box is fixed up in one end of
this hut to represent the coffin. The wives
stay I'm this place day and night and weep
and wall according to their orders. Gener-
ally they wall every other day. Sometimes
friends win come and help them weep
The dress Of the mourner is a strip of the
same dark blue calico also a strip of the
same tied around their foreheads. They
depend on their friends for food and dare
not eat from a plate all this time. nor
wash themselves. The poor creatures have
to sftthere for a year longer. have known
six OF these poor women tortured lorsger
than thia. They are released when the
monument is put upon tine grave and a
big dance is given. Then they are free to
Ifas -