The Washington herald., 1908-07-05

checked By the public sentiment demand
ing that foster-lean should be paid on
the marriage day instead OF the day OF
espousal. In those days the wedding
day was only the day OF betrothal. when
the suitor gave a ''wad'' or pledge for
tho due performance Of his contract
Breach OF promise" by the maiden in
CURED the forfeiture of presents and the
rOster-lean. and another third of the
latter by way OF penalty. The man who
refused 20 marry his spouse. or delayed
more than two years when she was Of
marriageable 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 dlshones,
fathers. and compelled the latter. in the
event Of breach on the woman's part,
to pay back four times the amount Of
the fOster-lean. Later this was reduced
20 twice the sum.
Manu- Forbade Purchase.
Among civilizations far older than our
the system Of purchase had ceased before
We were people The Indian law-giver,
Manu-. strictly forbade II. and said a
man who. through avarce. takes a
gratuity. is a seller of his offspring" IN
the historical times Of the Greeks they
no longer bought wives In Rome CO.
emptio was only symbol Of the ancient
custom In the Jewish Talmud the pur-
chase is also symbolic. as is frequently
the Mohammedau 'mahr" Withal the
bride price. foster-leans. and marriage
gifts. when returned were converted into
dowry. and became at first the brides
property. Thus marriage portions chiefly
derived their origin from the habit OF
purchase. and dowry often became. as
with the Hebrews a religious duty Not
less than the tenth of the fathers prop
erty was considered a just dOwry In
Aristotle's time nearly two-ffths Of all
Sparta belonged, from this cause. 20 the
women. Sir Henry Maine considers that
the amazing thrift Of the French Is also
ewing 10 this custom. which probably de-
scended 10 them from the marriage law
OF Augustus Caesar. Il was only by
an anachronism that Euripides made
Medea lament that women were obliged
10 pVchase husbands at a great price.
And II Is often as true to-day as when
the Latin poet sang: "Pars minima est
ipsa puella sui
PRESERVED I'm Symbols.
When marriage ceremonies first arose.
It 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superseded.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 con
tract To eat maize pudding from the
same plate, or 20 eat in any way to-
Sether, is a widely distributed MARRIAGE
ceremony. In Brazil a couple NAV be
married by drinking brandy together; i'm |
Japan. by so many cups Of Wine. I'm Rus |
STA and Scandinavia II used 10 be one |
cup for both The Joining OF hands among /
Romans ard Hindoos IS common in many
parts Of the world In Scotland II Is /
called hand fasting" and couples live /
together after To SIT together on a seat /
while receiving friends. or 90 have the |
hands Of each tied together with grass. /
or 20 smear with each others blood. or /
Tor the woman % tie cord OF her own /
twisting around the naked waist Of the 1
man. constitutes marriage in one place /
pr another In Australia woman car 4
lies fire 10 her lovers hut and makes q /
1re for him. 4 Loango ncgress cooks /
-wo dishes for him IN his own hut. In \
croatia the bridegroom boxes the brides /
'ars, and ip Russia the father formerly
struck his daughter gently with a new
Nhlp-for the last time-and then gave
he weapon to her husband