Evening star., 1900-06-23

sale. The parents of the would-be groom
call upon those of the girl and announce
that their son has fallen in love with her
There is council. during which the two
families discuss the situation, while they
chew the het"l nuts which the party Of
the groom nave brought with them for the
purpose. The price to be paid for the girl
is suggested and then the council breaks
up. The brides family usually takes three
days to consider the proposition. and at the
end of this time the contract Is made.
Ten-DOIIar Brides.
The price varies according to the wealth
of the people. and also according to the
education and beauty of the girl. If she is
pretty and can read the Koran she brings
more than she otherwise would. AS rule.
however, the average price is 80 in silver.
a water buffalo worth about SO. and 800
pieces of rice cake, worth one cent each.
OF the cash 81 goes to the girl and the
rest to her parents.
The other supplies are to be used for the
wedding feast. which is thus paid for by
the groom. For this occasion the buffalo
is killed. cut into small pieces and stewed.
The rice c;tkcs are then spread out, and
the friends Of he two families begin in the
morning and eat away until all is consumed.
The only driaks are coffee and tea, for, ac-
cordinS 10 the Koran. the Mohammedans
do not use anything intoxicating.
The Ceremony.
The marriage service is performed by the
MohammeGan priest. 1t takes place in the
house of the bride the couple to be married
standing while the priest repeats a long
prayer from the Koran over them. At the
close of this the man is asked if he takes this
woman for his wife and he replies yes. Then
the question is put to the woman. She
does not answer for herself. but her rela-
tlves reply in the affirmative. These ques-
tlpIS and answers thrice ftpea te,l,
ana during this time the priest holds the
groom'S hand in such Il way that his right
thumb rests against that of the groom. At
the close the groom presses the thumb that
has been against that of the priest upon
the forehead of the bride. Next he mixes up
a chew of betel for her, and. waving it
about her head. throws it down in front of
her. She pfetendS not to notice it, but one
OF her friends picks it up and later on she
cheW-S it in secret.
After the betel throwing and the thumb
pressing the service is over and the couple
man and wife When the wedding feast
has ended the family of the groom goes
away and the groom stays with the bride.
There are some other visits of ceremony
and then the two conclude whether they
will stay with the parents or go off to live
by themselves.
In making the arrangements the bride
has little to say. She is not supposed to
he consulted and her parents dictate every
thing. In case she decidedly objects to the
groom the wedding is sometimes declared
off. although her parents can force her to
marry if they see tit.
According to the Moro law if a husband
remain away from his wife for more than
three months at time she can demand Il
divorce
The Sultan of Sulu referred to this law
the other day and asked whether 1t was the
same in the United States, and if the wives
of soldiers would not all be getting
new husbands on account of the absence of
the old ones for so long time. 1t may be
he is considering the Americans as possible
husbands for the next crop of marriageable
Moha mmcdanS.
FRANK G.. CARPENTER.