The Delawarean., 1900-08-11

brought. The girls have voice in
the selection and many decline any
proposal. They are arranged in rows
stretching across the market place,
and are dcked in the most gorgeous
costumes with their faces uncovered.
Each girl has an old woman between
her, and in front, as if for sale, a small
roll of stuff woven by her own hands.
1t is almost impossible to tell whether
the girls are handsome or not, for their
faces are so tattooed and painted that
they look unnatural. The youth who
wishes ito make a purchase steps up
and asks the price of the woven stuff.
If the girl does not like him she names
a price absurdly large. If she thinks
well of him she mentions very low
figure, whereupon the old woman
answers, "Yu-yu-yu" which means
that the bargain has been made.
Among some tribes In the southern
part of Siberia the groom always steals
his bride. If she keeps as she
will do if she likes the Dom, they
may arrive at the groom's house un-
hurt. If the girl makes an outcry all
the people of the village rush out after
them and both the man and woman
are often badly hurt. However, if the
groom be able he throws the bride
across his back, even though she be
unwilling, and in spite of sticks and
stones thrown after them, he carries
her bodily to his own domicile. This
constitutes their wedding ceremony.
In some of the new Briush colonies
of India the community is divided into
two classes known as the Maramara
and Pikalaba. They live in the same
houses and no household is said to
exist unless made up of members from
each class. These clans are distin-
guished by lines tattooed upon the
breasts and backs OF it's members
The girls are carefully Gagged in what
is known as a seminary. When a
young man builds a house, it is a hint
that he wishes to marry. Going to
this seminary he selects a wife and she
lis brought home and placed upon ex-
hibition. Seated on mat before the
aguse Ehe girl receives her friends.
and somtimes condescends ito smile
when her friends congratulate her on
the fatness of her charge. The fatter
the girl the more beautiful she is con
sidered. While the wedding feast is
being prepared, another and yet
younger maiden is inroduced as about
to make her first appearance in So
ciety. She is thus placed on exhibition
that her chances for finding a husband
may be better The morning after the
feast the first girl is put up at auction
and sold to the highest bidder, which
of course is the man who first selected
her The bidding begins at two pigs
for that is the price expended on her
education. Pig by pig it runs up until
seven or eight have been bid. Then
the young man as if to attest his love
puts up an additional palm of shell
money and she is knocked off to him
This is also the ceremony of the New
Britons.
In the Philippine Islands, which SO
recently have come into prominence
the native man has much trouble in
getting wife. After the parents OF
both have come Ito terms, the young
gentleman has to work for his intend.
ed father-in-law for long time, very
often for several years. During this
no rule of etiquette prevents a gentle
man in the least, he is discarded.
The Australian native wooes hi:
bride with a club. Having made choice
of a wife he hides in the brush neal
the house, and when she comes neal
by accident, he pounces upon her
knocks her down and carries her off.
The dark haired beauties of Mexico
are allowed few Of the liberties en-.
joyed by their fair-haired sisters of the
north, especially in heart affairs. The
~ N-NASstAA letAg ANlOANCn lew NlSlLOIS dit
when gentlemen call, she is never al
lowed to see them alone, Even tht
most intimate male friend of the fam
lily can only see her in the presence o.
some member of the household. Bu
no rule of etiquette prevents a gentle
man from sending a proper note Ito G
lady he may fancy. The laws Of Mex
leo do not recognize church marriages
and the church does not recognize civil
marriages. This necessitates two cere.
monies as most of the girls are devoted
Roman Catholics.
I have thus briefly narrated the
various peculiar customs and cere.
monies indulged in by the various ma
tions and tribes of the world. All O.
these people recognize the marriage
VOW as solemn and binding, however
absurd the performance may appear
to us. But none of these ceremonie.
compare with our own. Nome evei
have the SAVIOR of pleasure that love
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