The morning journal-courier., 1908-08-06

of selling ones own offspring dawned upon the coarse minds of our ances- tors, a euphemism was invented to conceal It's baseness and satisfy pub lie conscience. Contracts for future marriages had been called "espous- als.' The bride-price was paid at the time of the espousal and was now called foster lean" or a supposed re- payment to the parent of the daugh- ter's cost for nurture and training.
 Greedy fathers made trade of this by accepting "foster-lean' from many suitors. and cheating all but one, But at length this fraudulent practice was checked by the public sentiment de- i manding that foster-lean should be paid on the marriage day instead of the day of espousal. In those days the wedding way was only the day of betrothal, when a suitor gave a "wad' or pledge for the due performance of his contract. Breach of promise by the maiden incurred the forfeiture of presents and the foster-lean. and another third of the latter by way of penalty. The man who refused to marry his spouse, or delayed more than two years when she was of mar riageable age, forfeited all further right to her and to the foster-lean
 which he had paid. Subsequently
 when the church controlled marriage, she dealt more severely with flirts and
 dishonest fathers. and compelled the
 latter, in the event of a breach on the
 woman's part. to pay back four times
 the amount of the foster-lean. Later
 this was reduced to twice the sum.
 Among civilizations far older than
 ours the system of purchase had ceas-
 ed before we were a people The In-
 dian lawgiver, Manu, strictly forbade
 it and said. "A man who. through
 avarice. takes a gratuity. is seller
 of his offspring" In the historical
 times of the Greeks they no longer
 bought wives. Tn Rome CO emptio was
 only a symbol of the ancient custom. Tn the Jewish Talmud the purchase is
 also symbolic, as is frequently the Mo
 hammedan "mahr." withai the bride
 price, foster-leans, and marriage gifts,
 when returned, were converted into
 dowry. and became at first tho brides
 property. Thus marriage portions
 chiefly derived their origin from the
 habit of purchase, and dowry often be-
 came as with the Hebrews, . religious
 duty Not less than the tenth of the
 fathers property was considered a just
 dowry. In Aristotle's time nearly two
 ffths of all Sparta belonged. from this
 cause, to the women. Sir Henry Main
 considers that the amazing thrift of
 the French is also owing 10 this custom
 which probably descended to them from
 the marriage law of Augustus Caesar. It was only by an anachronism that
 Euripides made Medea lament that women were obliged to purchase hus- bands at a great price. And 1t is oft en as true to-day as when the Latin poet sang: ''Pars minima est ipsa puel- Ia sui.'
 Wien marriage ceremonies first arose
 1t was by degrees and in many ways, and in all. customs such as capture when superseded. became by symbolism
 part of the succeeding legal form or contract. To eat maize pudding from, , the some plate, or 10 eat in any way to- gether, is a widely distributed marriage , ceremony. In Brazil 6 couple may be :. married by drinking brandy together , in Japan, by 90 many cups of wine, in Russia and Scandinavia 1t used to be , one cup for both. The joining of
 hands among Romans and Hindoos is common in many parts of the world In Scotland 1t Is called hand fasting and couples live to gether after To ni,
 together on a seat while receiving friends, or to have tho hands of each tied together with grass. or to smear with each others blood, or for the , woman to tie a cord of her own twist f ing around the naked waist of the man . constitutes marriage in enc place oi T another. Tn Australia woman car 2 ries Are to her lovers hut and make, 6 fire for him. A Loango negress cook: , two dishes for him in his own hut. IT a Croatia tho bridegroom boxes thu :, brides ears, and in Russia the fathe, : formerly struck his daughter gently with new whip-for the last time 7, and then gave tho weapon to her hus s band