The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-01-15
WHERE WIVES ARE BOUGHT.
Countries In Which Marriages Follow the
Psyment Of a Price

Payment Of a Price,
There are many couptrles in which.
If man wishes to be legally married,
he has to go cut AID buy wife, though
the market price of that article varies
considerably. In Uganda you can get
what yQE require for two or three bull.
locks, Or even for six good sewing nee
dies, or perhaps g box Of percussion
caps; while inferior wives can be
picked up for a coat, and if one is in-
different to health and beauty, for a
pair of shoes. In the Caroline islands
wives are cheap.
a father will let you marry his
daughter if You give him little fruit
or a small present Of hsh, while in Sa-
mOa matrimony runs you into pigs and
canoes; among the Fijians into whales
teeth and muskets In Tartary it is
best to marry beneath you you can do
it on a few pounds of butter), because
a mar who has iordly notions Of mar
riaee with one OF the upper ten must
be an owner Of horses. The a5origines
of Australia manage their marriages
upon most equitable principle.
If a wishes to marry BIS sister, he
allows him to marry his own; or if B
happens to be a widower, then his
daughter will do just as well. One OF
the most Objectionable forms of gain
ing wife is to work for her, a prac-
tieeamong many unciVilized nations, its
only advantage being that a man can
get wife on credit, though his father.
in-law takes good care that he serves
his time.
Among some races you have to do
your work before you get your wife, as
Jacob had to serve for Leah aud for
Rachel Marriage by exchange and
purchase Is not customary among IN
civilized nations only. In Central
America and Peru a man has to work
for his bride.
In China a present is given by the
father of the bridegroom, the amount
of which is agreed upon by bOtt
families. The japanese made use Of Z
similar custom, though in their case
the giving of presents is the most i'm
portant part OF the whole marriage
ceremony, for, after these have beer
delivered and formally accepted,
neither of the contracting parties is
able to 60 back.
Wife purchase appears to have beer
the basis of Indo-European marriag,
before the separation of the people:
took place. Manu- mentions the Asur,
form of marriage as one of purchase
and according to Aristotle the ancien
Greeks were in the habit of buyinI
their brides; for in the Homeric age
maiden was called by name whicl
signifed zone who brings her parent
many oxen"
The old Scandinavians believed tina
even the gods had paid a price 70
their wives, and in Germany the e7
preston $50 purchase a wife" was i
vogue until the end of the middle ages
The old inhabitants of Ireland an
Wales were accustomed to buy thei
wives-with gold and silver or land L
Servia, at the beginning of our cen
tury, girls had reached such pric
that Black George reduced their valu
to one ducat
Among the many savage nations tn
equivalents of wife are varied an
grotesque, Poor Bashkirs purchas
theirs with carloads Of wood or hay
the Indian Kisans, with two basket
of rice and rupee; a tribe in Cali
foFnia, with half a string of dentaliur
shell, and among the Padams, rud
people of India, the sutton shows hi
intentions By gifts of field mice an
squirrels.-Pall Mall Gazette.