The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-07-08
FEW BACHELORS FOUND AMONG sAvAaEs.

bachelor girls we often imagine that
celibacy is custom recognized in all
countries. This is largely because il
is condition made possible by West
ern civilization. AS regards savage
and barbarous races, bachelors and
bachelor girls are unknown, writes
Della Austrian in the Chicago III
6une, and nearly everyone strives tc
get married as soon as he or she is
able. This is especially true with
people of small culture.
Among Australian natives every
man is expected to, and wishes to,
marry every girl must marry,
whether she will or not. Parents see
that their daughters do not exercise
their own judgment in these matters,
by betrothing then when they are
young, often before they are a year
old. It would be considered wonder
fully strange if a girl reached the age
of IL and was still unmarried. Girls
are usually married when 9 or 10
BOYS when IL or ID. This is not
because romance is we'll known to the
Australians; they are practical.
The parents feel that girl is only
worth the toll she gives, and young
men see the wisdom of their philoso-
ply. In wet weather she attends tc
all the outside work, while her lord
and master is snugly seated before
the fire. If there is a scarcity of food,
she has to endure the pangs of hunger,
often perhaps in addition to i'll treat
ment and abuses. Much as many
girl breads to be given away she does
not refuse. A girl who breaks an
engagement may be killed, and she
takes it for granted that she will be
whipped and speared before she is
married long.
"The man," says the Rev. H. c.
A. Meyer, regarding them more as
slaves than in any other light, en-
ploys them in every possible way tc
his own advantage" They are a
necessary commodity, available as
long as useful, but to be thrown aside
after they serve their purpose. These
wonderful masters have no trouble in
freeing themselves of their wives
they can murder if they do not prefer
to use gentler methods.
The Hottentots and Bushmen also
believe women are a necessary evil
and the younger they break Their
wives in the better. They feel that
ten years is none too young, for girls
of these years are more pliable and
more easily moulded. 1t must be
granted that the Hottentots use mildel
methods than do the Australians.
They do not kill the girls who refuse
TO marry. The Hottentot often goes
to the hut of a girl and makes her
cup of coffee, then hands it to hel
without adding word. If she drink:
half of it he knows her answer il
"yes." If she refuses to touch the
coffee he feels his suit is hopeless
but he is not grieved; he visits :
neighboring hut and tries his lucl
again.
The Kafirs believe that woman
is a necessary appendage to a house
hold; the women care for their hut
| and do all the housework, while tn
men watch the cattle. They do no
always marry as young as they like
and yet the youngest and most at
tractive girls often 60 to the ugly
old men with plenty of money. I
man is not worried because he canno
win the favor of the girl he wants
Her likes and dislikes count for little
The Ashantees, another Africa
tribe, believe that men and wome
must marry, and the earlier the better
The father does not always force hi
daughter to marry certain man, bu
he transacts the business without cor
sulting her. Girls and boys are ofte
married when young, and when n
Young man is to be found an old ma
| is selected. The fact that he ma
have other wives will cause the fathe
little concern.
It is not only in countries wheI
the wives are absolute chattles ths
men generally approve OF marriage
Most of the Indian tribes marry
although they treat their women wit
far more consideration than do th
Africans. Among the Blackfee
Crees, Cbippewas and other aborig
nal tribes on the eastern side OF tn
Rocky Mountains celibacy was unit
sual. The Shawnees and the Dact
tabs are no exception. There
nothing a Dacotah despises more tha
a bachelor or bachelor girl. The
believe it is right to do their cour
ing when young and to be as romai
tic as they can. Song, usually al
companied by a flute, is considere
of value. In this way they commer
their virtues. A favorite song says
Gng fast to and and yon ever have nave PPen Pen
Cling fast to me-"
"The Charuas, 'says Azara, "nev'
, stay single. They marry as soon
J they can." AS regards the Yohgan
Mr.. Bridges writes that none b'
mutes and imbeciles remain singl
except a few men. No woman r
mains unmarried. Almost imm
diately on her husbands death Il
widow finds another husband.
Although most all these people Sc
their daughters in marriage or, mo
} truly, into slavery, this is especial
true of the Pategonian women. wi
3 are bought and sold. Faulkner, wi
! spent much time among these peopl
: says: "As many of these nlarriag
3 are compulsory on the side of the W
5 man, they are frequently frustrate
The contumacy of the woman som