The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1906-02-07
SOLD AS SLAVES.
MANY MISSION GIRLS ARE THUS
TREATED BY THEIR PARENTS
An African Teacher Says the Oh
Custom Condemns Many'Wo.
men to Bondage.

Marriage customs IN Africa nave
little consideration for the native
girls, Who are in effect as much the
objects of barter and sale as ever they
we're In the days when the slave trad.
ers were prevalent on the West Coast.
A letter just received from the Pres
byterisn mission station at Lolodorf
shows how the marriage "palaver"
interferes with the education of the
girls In the schools established for
them by the Presbyterian Board OF
Foreign Missions.
Miss Jane z. Mackenzie writes the
letter and, after telling of ohe forma
tion Of the girls boarding schooi and
some details of the days work OF the
scholars whom she describers as intel
ligent, clean little girls willing and
eager to learn, she writes:
"Veryshappy were the little girls
and free for several weeks. Then we
fell under the curse Of the marriage
palaver.. One girl, a house servant,
was sold to q man owning several
wives. When it came to delivery OF
the goods the goods became animated
in dissent-not indeed. that consent
had been asked of the goods. The
station backed the girl. News Of
this defiance of good Ngumba custom
penetrated to the ends Of the earth
and woke thousand anxietles. The
social fabric was imperilled. Two OF
the little girls were led away weep
ing by canny male relatives: this was
sad to see. NV own little servant,
Makako, was ordered to her town by
her uncle. her father being off In Bull,
where he is hunting goods with which
to buy a new wife upon whose pur
chase he means to give Makako as
part payment. There you see the
exit OF three little Injuns.' The school
Is depleted and illrepute.
Putting up over night In Ipose
where one of the children Lives. /
heard from her that the townspeopls
say Of tho school, No little girl may
marry who enters there. You are
reminde ed, doubtless, of the legent oV-
er the gate to DanCe's hell. My sin.
gle state is a matter Of common mar
vel-it does not help US in our pre-
sent difficulty and may be taken as
evidence of q cult s'com which young
Ngumba maidenhood must be protect
ed.
''Mfun, the little girl in question
had her slate as q token Of her haV.
ing drunk at the e,wells of learning. l.
hung in her hut as diploma hangs
in a. doctors cffloe-witnessing to her
Door little achievements. She slept
in my hut and did me some service. l
paid my debt with needle and some
thread. When next 60 I shall take
her some patches. Patches are dear
to little African girls. Poor Anana,
when she was taken away went down
the path wlping her eyes on her bits
Of patchwork,
I'VE were sad when these children
were taken away. Any work Tor girls
In q polygamous country Is sac. Other
girls will come. Some whose parents
are Christian or other wise enlighten
ed we shall be able te keep: and some
will 20. Yet not without benefit.
Something they will have learned OF
reading and writing, Of sewing and
washing, Of truth and the love OF
God.
THE night before Mfun left when
I asked the children fJr what they
wish me to pray, she said: Tell Him
am afraid of getting married. It's
q comfort to know that our high
priest was touched by the feeling OF
chat piteous little in6rmity.