The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-03
where WOMEN COMMAND
Mothers-in-Law Should Be Happy
in Liberia.
Every Town Has It's Head Womnn
Who Judges and Furnishes Of
vice or Consent of Mnn-Thc Wives
Have a Habit of Running Away.

Liberia is the paradise OF mother-in-
laws said Miss Agness McAIIster. the
author of "a Lone Woman In Africa" who
has been for the past twelve years in
| charge Of the Garraway Mission, Liberia.
"a woman can command the services Of
her sons-in-law for certain duties. and it
| matters not what their other obligations
are. they must obey her. For that reason
| daughters are exceedingly desirable pos
sessions among Liberians.
| when child is born some member Of
! the family is sent at once to the devil doc
| tor to enquire who 1t Is and what its
! name shall be. He goes up into the house
| top. taking with him a COW horn. This he
| blows to call the devil; and the devil Ia
| supposed to tell who 1t is that has come
back into the world. For the people be-
lieve that every newborn child Is some
deceased member of the family who has
returned to life among them. 1t some
times receives the same name it had be-
fore and sometimes the name is changed.
when a child Is nine or ten months ole,
small bells are tied to its wrists waist or
ankles. These are intended to coax it to
walk The mother then takes it to devil
doctor who makes charm which she ties
about its waist. But often I have seen
children without even these charms, and
when I asked for an explanation was told
that the child was supposed to be some
one who had returned from the spirit
world only TO find articles to carry back.
II its parents should dress 1t or give IL
anything 1t would not stay, but would
take the things and be gone. Therefore II
is forbidden clothing and ornaments In
hopes that it will change its mind and re-
main on earth.
x;,r
age she wears or her forearms brass rods,
sometimes twisted in a spiral and some
times bent into separate rings. These are
put on half way up to the elbow-put on
with hammer to stay. They are worn
night and day until the arms become sore
Then they may be taken of, for the scars
vii! always be there to prove that the girl
wore jewelry when she was young. II
woman grows UP without these marks on
her arms 1t is lasting source of annoy
auce to her; for should her neighbors be-
come vexed they cast it M to her that
her mother was too poor to put iewelry
all aspire TO be considered wealthy.
Girls are usually betrothed at seven
years of age and when about ten she is
taken to live with her betrothed's people
where she will be associated with bin end
learn his fashion, She is supposed to
study his wishes and live to please lin.
"a man going off to his work n the
morning is never sure he will find lis wife
on his return. II is a common tn .ng for
her to run away and she is consit cred a
very queer woman who has not at some
time left her husband. When he goes Wis
itirg he usually takes her with him. Is
carry his chair. light his pipe. and to
make sure of having her when he gets
back. After harvest the women go on
dancing parties from town to town and
are entertained with feasting by their
friends.
Every town has its head woman, who
judges and Furnishes offenders without ask
ing the advice or consent CT the man. I
have asked for an explanation of this Gus
tom and have always been told. Woman
is the mother Of man and he ought to
listen to her. Some Of these women are
remarkable orators. / have often seen one
OF them standing in the midst OF a crowd
Of people-kings. chiefs, soldiers, and
women-ail seated on the ground and ac-
cording profound attention to the 'quseda,'
as they call her. The men OF a town dare
do nothing to which the women seriously
object, as they think women have more
influence with God and the spirit world.