The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1899-07-14
cAcEp WOMEN OF SOUTH SEA

cACED WOMEN OF SOUTH SEA
Wives Trained from Irfaney to Obey
Future Husband.
How would the modern American
girl enjoy life in a cage. following the
south sea islands? At any rate, there
are no breach Of promise suits on the
Island of New Britain in the South
sea. The natives, in the simple Poly
1esian way, have solved the problem
chat worries SO many American moth
ers Of young daughters. and the maid
ems of the island never get into bad
company or entanglements of any sort
up to the day of their marriage. These
natives are a simple sort of folk. il
simplicity can be used in connection
with people that renowned cannibal-
ism only within the last fifteen years.
They are of dark brown cole. me-
dunn height, and they would rather
eat than fight 1t was not so long
ago that a feast followed every fight
on the island, and the edibles were the
worsted combatants in the battle. But
now the tribes no longer make war on
one another. Instead they loaf and
eat and do as little work as they can.
Their ideas of morality could be given
in a very short chapter-almost as
short as the famous one about snakes
in Ireland-but they are great sticklers
for their complicated and peculiar mar
rage customs. There are two classes.
and a man may not marry out OF Ills
class. Girls become wives at IL or
IL years of age, and their wedding IS
literally their coming out party
From the age of one year to the dave
Of their marriage these poor LITTLE
maidens are kept in wicker cages IN
side the small matched huts. Iney
are as much prisoners as any unror-
tunate criminal behind prison bars.
The cages, to be sure. are light and
airy. and the occupant is able to see
all that is going on in the free world
outside. But they can't come out and
play" and all the pleasures OF child
hood-even a south sea childhood-are
denied them. This is not such hard
ship as would seem at first considera-
ton, because the little ones are I'M
INJURED in their cages at such an early
age that they grow up without think
ing to rebel against their enforced cap
tivity. Once a day only are they
taken from their cages to be washed.
Food is given them through the inter-
stices, which are plenty large enough
to admit the little fresh air that gains
entrance to the low cabins. The girls
grow fat and healthy on this sort 81
life, and these are doubtless the quail
ties deemei most desirable in a south
sea wife. But to an American II
seems almost incomprehensible that
people living almost altogether out OF
doors in at equatorial climate should
SO bring up their young females. Still.
| the plan has it's advantages. There
! is no fear IF the frisky maidens stay
! ing out too late at night, nor need
! their parents be alarmed lest the
daughters get into bad company
When the ardent young man finds
girl whom ne would like to make his
wife he is compelled to do his wooine
through the bars. Papa's chairs are
never broken because of having te
carry double weight. and all the court
tag is necessarily done in the daytime
AS a consequence. when the young gir
leaves her cage to become wife th'
husband is possessed of none Of thos'
harassing doubts that come with {
higher civilization. And they man'
good wives. too. and are ready. shoult
the fates bring them daughters. t
keep them close within the same cage
Still. the south sea girls OF today ar
luckier than those of thirty years age
They were not brought up at all then
vut simply killed at birth. and tn
; ounz men of the tribe went to neigh
boripg Islands for wives. So tn
marc. &c civilization has the ISLAM
OF New Britain n its path after ali.