The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-18

| ohahghai, lew days ago and saw
brides belongings on the way from her
| osd TO her new home. These are sent
the day before the marri g unless III
family is poor and has but little. The
procession of bridal 'pres ents was a re-
gal event. The father being wealthy. the
household and personal goo 5 We're a
"aLdsome dowry. There were several ell
egant wardrobes, expensive Dire SIM
tables. beautiful chairs, all in Oh nese
patterns bedstead and superb bedding
In sllks-the whole trimmed with CAV rib
bons and flied with. scarlet embroider.es
| Inc embroideries with alb these must
nave cost hundreds of dollars Addec
20 THESE were silver candlesticks by- the
dozen, silver fruit stands made latter
| emma fashion, and toilet liver Which
was mixture of her own and cur ari,Is
mere Were three or four embroidered
screens eight or nine feet square very
handsome mounted; huodreds Of k tchen
rtensi and dIlIrs and dollars worth of
fruits and other eatables tthese for in
vlted guests); Ell mt china of Shapes ard
decorations alt gether Chinese; MANY
large scarlet trunks containing the trous
Seau, and much else that l cannot re-
member There was a process ion of 300
or more coolies bearing II csc many things
upon bamboo rods sire ching from ST oul-
uer 20 shoulder. 1t was gay and an
| IMPOSING sight
was told that II the bridegroom's faith
er should be in financials straits he and
ms wife may sell the whole, Neverthe-
less, her abundant outfit will give her a
hne position in the fmily
Must Serve Husbands Family.
1t Is the duty of a young daughter-in-
| law to be up betimes and prepare her
new mothers early cup of tea. This she
must continue to do at least for several
months. She must see to her comfort
ana case In every way that is possible
me oder sisters-in-law may impose upon
| her IN many ways. She must be very
cheerful and obedient and by no means
must ask to see her own people for
very long time. Indeed, she is cut off
from them. They cannot help her if the
new relatives are cruel. l hear that the
only thing they can do is to come like a
small mob and cause the inmates of the
mouse to lose face" in the neighborhooiD
| by reproaches and curses uttered in loud
voices in the hearing of the crowd that
| gathers.
Should the wife become a widow all
hope for her is gone. Henceforth she is
the drudge of all, and none will give her
a good word. Cold and hungry and half
clad. she must receive the maledictions
of everybody .-
One thing may save her-if she be the
/ 4
grafton of souls is the Oriental teaching
1t is believed that in some former exist
ence the widow was given may demerit
which she is to work out in the rebirth-
of the future. She may return to earth
in the form of one of the lower states of
EXISTENCE caterpillar, a worm, bug
or worse, woman. Therefore because
of her evil former existence, she is now
widow, and nothing can be severe
| enough for her deserts, There is but on
| thing to look forward TO (unless she has
a son)-she may, after millions of demer-
| its, be reborn man. This is bliss
| enough for such hideous mortal This
| doctrine of metempsychosis is greatly
worse in India than in China,
A PatriachaI Custom.
The patriarchal custom of the head of
| the clan or family having under the one
| roof all the sons with their wives and
children becomes burdensome After
while the grandsons become husbands and
fathers. Even the great-grandchildre
and the reat-great-grandsons are born,
| live and marry and are all gathered I'M
der one head.
Funeral rites are perhaps not as inter-
! esting. Ancestral worship is observed
with great tenacity. The Emperor upon
his throne cannot be excused from this
service any more than the poorest eco
llC I1t LldhGS MS SACRIFICES 10 all the
| Emperors who went before him. He Of
fers the most costly things to his prede-
cessors. lest they in revenge bring mis-
fortune upon him. Every official at the
stated times makes his offerings to his
dead. His life, his good fortunes, his
sons, are all at stake If he neglects this
duty.
| Sons Offer Sacrifices.
| 1t is because the male descendants only
| can make these offerings that daughters
! are not welcome. If there is no son a boy
must be adopted. When the parents die
the son pays the respect due to the de-
! ceased. No matter how undutiful he was
| during their life, he will never again
neglect his duty. His offerings are accord
ing to his ability. Rice, paper money and
clothing must be sent to the spirit-world
or the spirit will return in vengeance.
When death is approaching the patient
| is removed outside of the house to pre-
vent one of the three spirits that inhabit
| the body from going out into the house,
| there to remain. 1t would require much
money and great work to exercise that
| spirit IL it should get possession of the
building. After death it is considerable
merit If the widow sleeps beside her dead
! husband until the burial. This may not
| take place for months. The coffin is seal
ed and remains in the home until the geo
mancer nndS lucky DAY Tor It's removal
| That may not be for a year, and even
then the interment may be postponed, al
though the body is taken from the house.
The Chinese have faith in the astrolo-
| ger. He knows or can find out what ought
to be done under given circumstances.
Binding the Feet.
The binding of the feet of little girls
is a fashion well known to the outside
world. When the girl is or years old
long bandages Of seven yards are wound
! round the baby feet, binding four toes on
each foot upon the sole. The shrieks Of
| the child will not deter the mother, for
4 one may as well be out of the world
as out of the fashion. Every few days
| the bands are frightened, until 1t happens
often that the bones are crushed. Gan
I creme sometimes sets In and the poor lit
| tie girl dies
This fashion has a strong hold upon the
people True, the Manchus ut Is a for
! eign or Manchu dynasty do not bind the
| feet of their daughters. But the Chinese
| hold TO the custom. Every little girl Is
trained to look forward to marriage. and
she is taught she will never have hus-
band unless her feet are small. On the
other hand, the chief question the hope