The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-01-04
IN CHINA.
a II "a Very Peculiar Process-wbat Som
Letters SHOW.

~Lovemaki1g in China must be a
very peculiar process, to say the
least. Some curious specimens of
letters have come to light regarding
the marriage of the son of the an.
Gent family of Tan and a daughter
of tho equally old and respectable
house of o.
The following is q literal transla-
hon of tho proposal Of the young
man:
THE ashamed younger brother.
surnamed Tan, named Su, with
washed head, makes obeisance and
writes this letter to the greatly vir.
tuous and humble gentleman whose
surname is o, old teacher, great
man, and presents it at the foot of
the gallery. The satin curtains are
enveloped in mist, rejecting the
beauty of the river and hills. In the
fields of the blue gem are planted
willows, close together, arranging
and diffusing the commencement of
genial influences and consequently
adding to the good of the old year.
II duly reverence your lofty door.
The guest of the Sue country de.
Ecend5 from a good stock. The orr
gin of the female of the Hui country
likewise lis so too).
Il, tho mean one, am ashamed Of
myself, just as rotten wood is in the
presence of aromatic herbs. now
receive your indulgence, inasmuch
as you have listened to the words OF
the matchmaker and given Miss 81
in marriage to the mean ones eldest
son, named Kang. Your assentinl
to it is worth more to me than 1,OOl
pieces of gold.
The marriage business will bt
conducted according to the six rules
of propriety, and l will reverently
announce the business to my ances-
tors, with presents of gems and
silks. l will arrange the things ar.
ranged in your baskets, so that all
who tread the threshold of my door
may enjoy them.
From this time forward the two
surnames will be united, and | trust
the union will be felicitous one and
last for 100 years and realize the de-
lights experienced by the union of
the two countries, Chin and Chin.
Il hope that your honorable be.
nevolence and consideration will de-
fend me increasingly. At present the
dragon flies in Sin Hal term, the first
month, lucky day. l, Mr.. Su, bow
respectfully. Light before"
On this decoction of the essential
oil of modesty the young Miss O's
father looks with favor, SO he re.
spends in a state of still more pro,
foundry polite humility.
THE younger brother, surnamed
0, names Tus of the family to be re.
lated by marriage, his head clean,
knocks his head and bows and writes
this marriage letter in reply to the
far famed and virtuous gentleman
named Tan, the venerable teacher
and great man who manages this
business.
"Tis matter of congratulation the
union Of 100 years. reverence your
lofty gate. The prognostic is good,
also the divination of the lucky bird.
The stars arc bright, and the drag.
ons meet together.
In every succeeding dynasty OIL
ces will be held, aud for many a
generation official v.stments will be
worn (not only those of your family
surname will enjoy all the afore
mentioned felicity, especially
will you, honorable gentleman, who
possess abilities great and deep
Your manners are Gignifie.l and pure
II, the foolish one, am ashamed OF
my diminutiveness. | for a long
time have desired your dragon pow
ors. Now you have not looked down
upon me with contempt, but have
entertained the statement OF the
matchmaker and agree to give Mr..
Kang to be united to my despicable
daughter.
II praise your son, who is like q
fairy horse, who can cross over the
water and is able to ride upon tho
wind and waves. But my tiny daugh.
ter is like green willow and a feeble
plant and is not worthy of becoming
the subject of verse.
Now hope your honorable be.
nevolence will always remember me
without end.
Now tho dragon flies in the Sin
Hal term, first month, lucky day.
Mr. Tu makes obeisance. May the
future be prosperous"
The modesty of the old gentleman
is so painful that we are almost
afraid to guess what may have been
the feelings of Master Tan and Miss
O.-Exchange,