The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-02-15
Their Wedding Silence.

whole marriage dny the bride must be
mute. If she says a word she becomes
an object Of ridicule. 1t may be n
week or even month before her hus.
band hears the sound of her voice
Singular custom. isn't It? How would
you like to adopt 1t when we are mar
ried?"
Her father and mother were sitting
near, the father reading his paper. the
mother sewing The latter said; THAT
reminds me OF the night we became
engaged DO you remember ! made
you wait long while for your an
swer7 kept you whole hour with
out giving you word"
Happy dayg observed the husband
dryly and without lowering his paper.
A smile passed over his wife's face.
and tender light shone In her daugh.
ter's eyes. Al. for Alec. he cast sus-
picious glance at his prospective ia
ther-in-law
Nothing would do for Mabel but to
introduce the Korean custom at her
wedding. On account Of the recent
death Of an aunt who had made her
life miserable. but had left her $4,000.
the ceremony was TO include only the
family. Alec protested against the in
PRODUCTION of custom taken from
degenerate eastern race, but Mr.. Bur-
nets remark, Happy day. had fas-
tened the idea upon Mabel, and 1t
could not be removed
On the day Of the wedding the bride
did not speak from the moment of her
awakening After the ceremony she
kissed the family all round, but Spoke
never a word. All agreed that her ST.
lence added solemn charm to the
most impressive occasion in a woman's
life.
Mr.. and Mrs. Alec Hicks started I'M
mediately after a wedding breakfast
(at which the bride sat mute) on their
wedding journey. AS they rolled along
In a parlor coach the young husband
remarked upon the presents they had
received, the interest taken In their
marriage, the concourse OF people who
would gladly have been present had
not the ceremony been private. His
wife listened, but spoke not Then he
directed her attention to passing OBJ
jects. There was a happy, dreamy
look on her face, but she uttered no
word. They dined IN a buffet car; but. |
though there was a bottle of wine her
tongue was not loosed After dinner
Alec surprised her by telling her that I
he was going into the smoking room
for an after dinner cigar Half an
hour was enough for the cigar, but he
took an hour. When he returned she
received him with lowering brow.
How long" he asked her coldly, us
this beautiful Korean custom to be
kept up?"
She made no reply, but inwardly re-
solved that 1t should be kept up until
he learned not to leave her for whole
hour on the evening Of their mai+iage
for a nasty cigar
Meanwhile there was much talk
among the women left behind in COM
mendation Of the custom introduced at
the Hicks wedding. One elderly spin
ster Of practical views declared that
since men were forever commenting
on women not being able to hold their
tongues perhaps one man would get
all be wanted of woman's silence.
Many young girls said that they would
adopt 1t at their own wedding a few
feminine gabblers dissented, consider
Ing 1t shame that man might say
what he pleased to his wife without
retort. No such silence for them. The
matter brought about a number Of mar
taI differences where husbands took
2ccasion to sheer at their wives under
over OF THIS Korean custom. Great
interest conferred in how long the ST.
ence of Mrs. Hicks was to endure.
The sneering husbands declared that
he second hand to a watch would not
livide time delicately enough to meas
Ire her silence after the first sign Of
on the part Of her hus-
band. Other cynical men said the
whole affair was paeadoxical, for in
itead of wife muzzling herself her
Irst act after marriage was to muzzle
Ter husband. One woman forgot her
elf SO far as to remark, How can she
,et him under but checked herself.
The wedding trip was to cover the
loneymoon. but it lasted only three
Avs. when the bride and groom re-
urned, and. instead Of going to the
ouse that had been prepared for
hem. the bride went to her mother
sd The groom to bachelor quarters.
eFor heavens sake, what's the mat
n cried the mother as her daughter
ID % her neck weeping.
Ties a brute"
what has he donegR
I'VE hadn't been gone half a day be.
~ be ceased to say word to me-"
aBut you didn't say word to him,
ldkou9'
80. |
"a this all the complaint you have I
o nike Of himiV
eYes."
eF6olfsh child! You have a model
,usband. Would that your father were z
uch man! He could never have kept :
,aen@ for a single day-no, not for
.week hoursl Alec must be wonder {
mini Of possessing d husband who IS
HE i hold his tongue indefinitely and
n his wife do all the talkingl'
The coed lady sent for her son-in- :
lew id .snee. and the quarrel was made :
no. &c Hicks is now a middle aged :
msu. Np is deaf IN one ear. lie says
8 snds Il very convenient. When bis