The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1905-05-19
STRANGE MARRIAGE.
Girl Bethrothed to Six Sons FL
nally Welded to the
Father.
Modern Mexico /

Yucatan. in company with friend
a merchant who had long done bus
mess with the Mayas, and who was
consequently implicitly trusted by
them.
At this time the Mexican Govern
ment was making its last determined
attempt at the subsection of the
Mayas and the pacifcation of the
county. The war was being carried
on by mathematical fomula. Every
foot of ground conquered was gar
risoned and railroad followed the
track of the army, bringing in daily
immense supplies of food. clothing,
arms and ammunition, and line of
telegraph kept open communication
with Merida and from there with the
City of Mexico.
But at the time of which am
writing the Mexican army was still
many miles from Chan Santa Cruz.
AS soon as we arrived in the town
nv friend said: There must be
something out of the ordinary going
on from the number people in the
streets and the great central plaza
were one mass Of Indians in holiday
attire.
With considerable difficulty we
made our way through the dense
crowd to the house of the Major,
where my friend always stopped
when he happened to be in the city.
When at last we did succeed in
reaching the house we were met by
one of the sons of the Major, who
informed us that his sister was to be
married that day to the General-in-
Chief of the Maya army.
After we were shown to our room.
Sachez, my friend, told the history
of the wedding. The bride had been
betrothed to the eldest son Of the
General-in-C Chief. Shortly after the
war broke out the two eldest sons
We're killed fighting against the Mex
lean army, whereupon the girl had
been betrothed to the third son. In
another battle with the Mexican
troops all the remaining sons of the
old man, except the sixth, were kill
ed. so the girl was betrothed to this
son. But fate followed her again;
for her last betrothed had been kill
ed the day before our arrived in the
city. His body, embalmed with arc
matte leaves in a manner known to the
Mayas and several Southern tribes
of Mexico, was brought back to his
home and deposited upon the alter
of the great heather temple on the
top of a high hill.
All the sons being now dead the
girl was to be married that day to
the father.
Upon entering the temple we were
conducted to a place near the altar.
There were no seats in the building
and all the people were seated upon
the stone floor.
Near where we sat was the body
of the young man who had been kill
ed the preceding day. The odor
from the aromatic embalmmg plants
filed the vast building.
Shortly after we entered the brid-
al party, consisting of the bride, a
rather pretty girl of perhaps l6
years of age, and perhaps a hundred
vestal virgins all dressed in white
arrived. Then came the COON, an
old man of SO. straight as an arrow
followed by a number of his officers
and staff of war, the Mayor of the
city and the Council of Government.
AS the General and his suit enter
ed the temple, hidden music from
reed instruments, shrill and high,
but pleasant; burst out into one tri-
umph prolonged welcome. At the
same moment body of white-robed
priests issued from the back of the
temple to meet the general and his
staff whom they conducted to the al
tar, upon which each one in his turn
placed fruit as a offering to the
god.
The groom then joined the bride
and conducted her to the bier of the
young warrior, where the old man
swore solemnly upon the body of