Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-12-09

After a savage ration has progressed be
yond what Irny be termed the clements of
| savagery, endogamy, CT marriage within
the tribe, - was probably the most common
style of lnatrimony, but when from any
cause there was lack Of women in par
ticular tribe recourse was lad TO capture
rs a means Of supplying the deficiency
and thus eEogamy, or marriage without
the tribe, - became an established custom.
Exogamic marriage WAS first, of course.
by capture, and in its rudest guisc is still
to be seen among the Australian savagCs.
No other form of marriage prevails among
them.
The woman is captured by force ard 50
brutally treated that, according to Eyre,
tho bodies of the women are frequently
covered with scars from the EeatinCs they
received when stolen from their fathers
homes. While Of course IEarriacc by cap
ture is the lowest form of matrimony, it
cannot re denied that it has its advantages,
for the savage who captures his wife sepG-
rates her completely from her people. He
has 10 mOther-in- law, that terrier Of civil
lizcd matrimOny, nor has he "a swarm of
relatives to move in at the first sign of
family afiiiCtion and beard with him until
the calamity Ire overTast. It is not strange
therefore that in certain quarters of the
world other than Australia marriage by
capture should still be the favorite meth
cd of providing u spouse.
Among the TUrcOiEans of central Asia
and the Abyssinians OF Africa the practice
still prevails. and even where tho husband
does not actually steal his wife the form
ia kept up. in some tribes being carried so
far that tho husband visits his wife only
by stellth for n year after his marriage.
In New Zealand tie most important
part of the marriage ceremony is a terrific
mock scu.llc. \ writer says: There was I
n little opposition to tho wedding. hut not
till it was over as is the custom here. The
E-ride's mother came IN me the preceding
afternoon and said she was well pleased
than her daughter was going To be mar
ricd to Pehau. but that she must be an
pry about it with her mouth in tho pres
erco of strangers, lest the natives come
and take away all the possessions and de-
stroy her crops. To prevent this the moth
II acted with policy. As l was returning
from church with the bride and bride
groom Sho met the procession and began
TO asSal u all furiously. She put On the
most terrible countenancc, threw her gar
rnents about and tore her hair like fury,
then said TO me: ia. you white mission
ary. you are worse tEan the devil; you
first make IL slave lad your son by redeem
ing him from his master, then marry him
to my daughter, who is lady. l will
tear your eyes out.
THE old woman, suiting the action to
the word feigned TO scratch ut my face, at
the Same time saying in an CEdertone
that IL was all mouth, and that she did !
NOT intend what she said. L told her that
would stop her mouth with blanket. |
She replied THAT is all / wanted; want |
cd TO get I. sulset, and so 1 made all this |
noise The whole affair went of remark
ably well after this. All seemed to enjoy |
themselves. and every one was satisfied"
In Arabia a recollection OF marriage by |
capture IL kept up by the flight of the |
bride from her husband 9 tent to that of |
her father these evening Inigrations being |
continued sometimes for months after her /
marriage. Even in Spain relic may be |
seen of tho capture marriage in some of |
the bridal ceremonies. After the wooing /
is over the groom goes on the night CT the /
wedding to tho house OF the bride, attend
ed by friends ard musicians, all armed to |
tho teeth. The house Is illuminated, mu-
sic, gun firing, races and other amuse-
inents cnliyen the occasion, and at mid
night the groom carries off the bride in his
arms, surrounded by his friends, with |
drawn swords and pursued by the friends
of the bride. also with their weapons
drawn parrying and fencing and shout
ing as though the battle were real instead
Of fictitious. Indeed some writers bellese,
or claim 10 believe, that the honeymoon is
a relic of the time when the groom hid
himself for weeks after the marriage TO
evade the wrath of tbE BRIDES family.
Ceremonies that inuIcate the subjection
of the bride are common In Java rs 4
part of the wedding service the bride
washes the feet of the groom, W lille among
certain Indian tribes the groom steps on a
raw egg and the bride wipes his foot.
some south sea islanders the
groom walks over the bodies of his