Evening journal., 1900-07-25

goes to the fortune-teller and has the
horoscope OF her child cast in conjunc-
tion with those OF possible partners for
him. If there appears to be anything
in the fate or fortune of the two young
people that would be inconsistent with
their mutual happiness, negotiations
are dropped at once. 1t is only fair to
say that these fortune-tellers often hit
the truth so accurately that thepeoples
faith in them might almost seem to be
justified
The superstitious sometimes go to the
joss-house also and ask advice of the
idol. This is done by shaking a bam-
boo case, which contains bamboo slips
numbered consecutively and cores
ponding to the numbered pages of a
book in which are collected the sayings
Of the idol On shaking the case. one
of the slips falls out and it's number
indicates the page on which will be
found the saying OF the idol applicable
in this case The keeper Of the temple
will write it down, so that the inquirer
may bear it home, and say to his fam
lily: To-day l went to the temple and
asked If this girl will make a good
wife for my son, and this is the reply
that the joss made me"
If all the omens are favorable to the
marriage, the engagement takes place
IL is usually effected by the parents OF
the boy sending elaborate presents
through the match-makers to the girls
parents. Some time before the mar
riage. q still larger supply of gifts, usu-
ally in the form OF jewels, ornaments
and cakes, is dispatched to the brides
homo nIursItfarra fflrNN fa tInI
the age Of puberty so the engagement
is often Of several years duration.
The wedding festivities usually last
three days. On the day previous to the
marriage the girls parents send her
dOwry to the home OF the bridegroom.
Ii she is rich, il will consist of a great
variety OF costly articles, including
household furniture. clothing and pre-
cious jewelry. Early on the day Of the
wedding the parents of the bridegroom
send a bridal chair to bring the bride
to their home. Il is usually a very
gorgeous sedan chair which has been
rented for the day Musicians accom-
pany il and the match-makers follow,
bringing more presents. Arrived at the
home OF the bride, there is usually at
this juncmre a long pause In the pro-
ceedings. The bride is i'm tears. and
makes a great show Of reluctance at the
thought of leaving her home and her
parents. Frequently, six or seven
hours pass before she will consent tO
let her maids adorn her in the bridal
robes and headdress sent her by the
bridegrOom's parents. Slowly her flnery
Is donned-the red dress with its gilt
tering gilt ornaments, the long red
veil, the elaborate headdress with its
strings OF pearls hanging over her face.
With her hair no longer dressed in
childhood's fashion, but arranged in
the coiffure peculiar TO a married wo-
man, she bids her family fearful fare
well. At last she gets into her chair
and is borne away from her old home.
Her brothers follow her in sedan
chairs to the house Of the bridegroom.
The bridegroom, in gorgeous dress,
comes out to meet her. He bows, he
opens the door of her chair. One of her
maids comes up and carries her on her
back into the house. There. the BRIDE
groom lifts her veil and sees for the
first time the face of his bride.
No priest conducts the ceremony
which unites them. Together they kneel
before the altar Of their unknown god
and before the shrine OF their ances-
tors, and burn incense and candles.
Humbly they make salutation to the
bridegrOoms parents and receive their
blessing. It is as if the father said to
his boy: Il have brought you up care
fully. / have found you a wife. Now
you are a man. Be good and be happy"
There is no exchange Of words on the
part Of the young people. They would
not be so bold
After the ceremony, the feasting be-
gins. The parents Of the bride enter
tain one day, those of the bridegroom
two or three-men and women being
feasted in separate apartments. If there
is not room for all in the house, the
bridegroom and his friends betake
themselves to a restaurant or q hotel
On the morning Of the third day, the
bride is carried home to her parents in
her bridal chair She returns to her
husband that same evening, but after a
month she may visit her parents as
often as desire and convenience die
tate. On the third day the brides par
ents entertain the bridegroom at a
grand banquet.
Engagements once contracted are sell
dom broken. A broken engagement is
apt to be interpreted as a reflection on
the character Of the girl, and the latter
is hence very 10th to have it broken.
Marriage is a permanent institution in
China. Even the promise Of marriage
is held so sacred that many a girl
whose fiancee has died before the mar
riage day has vowed never to marry.
Her wish is usually respected especial
ly if the family of her betrothed is rich.
In that case she says, Il will become a
widow" and goes to the family Of her
deceased bridegroom and lives with
them as a daughter. If they are not
wealthy they may not care to be bur
dened with her support. but she says
then, Il will serve you" and then de-
votes her life to them in memory of the
man who might have been her hus-
band. A widow who has children very
seldom, if ever, remarries, but eontin-
ues TO live in the family Of her late
husband, rearing his children to per
/ petuate the family name. If she is
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