The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-06-09
SOUTH SEA MAIDENS.
They Are Kept Close Prisoners in
Ugly Wicker Cages Until They
Become Brides.

There are no breach of promise suits
on the island of New Britain, in the
South sea, says New York exchange
The natives, in their simple Polynesian
way, have solved the problem that wor-
rics SO many American mothers OF
young daughters, and the maidens 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, if simplicity can be used in con-
nection with a people that renowned
cannibalsm only within the last Ii
years. They are of dark brown color
of medium height, and they would
rather cat than fight. 1t was not SO
long ago that feast followed every
fight on the island, and the edibles were
the roasted or fricasseed bodies of 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.
Theirideas of morality could be given
in very short chapter-almost as
short as the famous one about snakes
in lreland-but they are great stick
lers for their complicated and peculiar
marriage customs.
There are two classes, and a man NAV
not marry out of his class. Girls be-
come wives at II or IL years of age,
and their wedding is literally their
coming out party"
From the age of one year to the date
of their marriage these poor little
maidcns are kept in wicker cages in
eide the small matched huts. They are
as much prisoners as any unfortunate
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 childhood-evcn a
South sea childhood-are denied them.
This is not such a hardship as it
would seem at first consideration, be-
cause the niue ones are lmmured 10
their cages at such an carly age that
they grow up without thinking to rebel
against their enforced captivity.
Once a day only are they taken from
their cages to be washed. Food is given
them through the interstices, 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 of life, and these
are doubtless the qualities deemed
most desirable in a South sea wife.
But to an American it seems almost in
comprehensive that people living
almost altogether out Of doors in an
equatorial climate should SO bring W
their young females.
Still, the plan has it's advantages.
There Is no fear of the frisl<y maidens
staying out too late at night, nor need
their parents be alarmed lest the daugh-
tiers get into bad company. When the
ardent young man finds girl whom
he would like to make his wife he is
compelled to do his wooing through the
bars. Papa's chairs are never broken
because of having to carry double
weight, and all the counting is neces-
sarily done in the daytime. AS con-
sequence, when the young girl leaves
her cage to become n wife. the husband
is possessed of none of those harassing
doubts that come with higher civilian
ton. And they make good wives, too,
and are ready, should the fates bring
them daughters, to keep them close
within the same cages.
Still, the South sea girls of to-day are
luckier than those of 80 years ago.
They were not brought up at all then,
but simply killed at birth, and the
young men of the tribe went to neigh
boring islands for wives. So the march
of civilization has the island of New
Britain in its path after all.