The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-06-22
CHUMLA, THE BRIDE |
OF FLOWERS
By Michael Clifford White.

of Gujarat, there once dwelt young
girl by the name of Chumla Soman,
who, having arrived at the mature age
of 12 summers, was considered by her
parents to have remained even too
long without a husband, especially as
they had in view most eligible party
"a venerable rsjah reputed to possess
one lac of rupees.
Chumla was tall, gracefully formed
girl, not without decided pretensions
to good looks, fact which young
Motilal, the poor village brazier, had
discovered to his cost; for on pre-
Stunning to address Chumla's parents
with matrimonial intent, his advances
were received not only with scorn but
with blows. "Chumla marry such
one, when the noble IA iah had deigned
to look with favor in her direction"
scornfully calculated that young ladies
parents. at was more than presump-
ton; it was an insult. Beat the fell
low well if he dares to show his face
again"
As to what Chumla herself thought
about a matter in which she was so
deeply concerned, that was, of course,
of no consequence. She would give her
hand first and then, as the case might
be, her heart afterwards. Such had
been the custom of her people for ages
reaching back into the days of which
even legends do not speak. Her opin-
ion was neither given nor sought.
1t was, in fact, all well arranged.
The raiah having made inquiry into
the purity of Chumla's caste, which he
found to be entirely satisfactory, an
nounced thai he was quite ready to
make her his wife in the ensuing month
of May, it being an suspicious time of
the year.
1t was then that a serious obstacle
first presented itself to the Somans.
They were not rich, and feared the eX-
pense of the wedding-the fine clothes,
Jewels and trinkets with which Chum-
Ia must be adorned as a dowry betit-
ting her new station.
Now, for just such a contingency as
this the Kadava Kumbis have a custom
by which the bridc-elect may be first
married either to another person upon
the distinct understanding that she
will be released or divorced Immediate
ly afterwards, or to a bouquet of flow
ers, which, being subsequently cast
into a ditch, is presumed to die; in
either case the girl, becoming a widow
n the eyes of their law, goes forth upon
her second marriage without adorn-
ment or display.
Much disturbed over the matter, the
Somans sought the rajah, explaining
their difficulty, when the latter, pre-
sumably not caring about the few
things Chumla might bring as her
dowry, so far fell in with their views
that he consented to her being mar
ried first of all to bouquet 1t would
appear that he was sufficiently jealous
of his future wife to object to her be-
ing married, even temporarily, to an
other man.
Overioyed that the rajah had so read
lily acquiesced in their plans, the So
mans thereupon, with due form and
ceremony, married their daughter to
bouquet of flowers culled from the
raiah's garden, and which they sub
sequently cast into a ditch at the foot
of their compound.
Now, the poor Motilal, though driven
off with abuse and blows, had by no
means relinquished all hope of obtain
ing the hand of Chumla, but having OBJ
served all that was going on in the
Soman household from safe distance
he fully comprehended that if he pur-
posed acting further in the matter he
must do so quickly. Then, as he watched
the casting away of the bouquet i'm
personating a husband for Chumla, an
idea as bright as the blossoms of the
hibiscus bush behind which he was
screening himself occurred to him.
Waiting patiently until the bridal
party had returned into the house, he
stealthily crept forth, and gathering up
the discarded flowers, quickly bore
them off into the Jungle.
For some time Motilal searched about
in the forest until, having found a Sc
cluded spot apparently suitable to the
purpose he had in mind, he proceeded to
clear a patch of ground. Then, having
carefully trimmed off the sprigs of the
bouquet as would be likely to take root,
he planted them in four little rows, wa
tered them from brook near by, and
covered them over with trellis work of
small branches and leaves to protect
them from the rays of the sun or the
feet of any chance animals. This done,
he returned home, screening his path
as he went.
That night the Somans were in high
spirits, for they felt confident of the re-
marriage of their daughter to the rich
old rajah at an early date, and with lit
tie expense; but their spirits were low
in comparison to those of Motilal three
days later, for in the taking root of the
majority of his plants he beheld the sue
cess of his plan.
''She can never marry the old raiah
now" he cried, as he danced with JOY
round the patch. "She can never marry
anyone as long as all these husbands
live, and | alone know where they are.
Chumla shall be my wife yet" Then he
spent two days within himself solving
the problem how further to act.