The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-02-27
Their Wedding Silence.
Toriginal.l

toriginall
This story was told to me by crust,
bachelor.
s-Listen to this, Alec" and Mabe
Burnet read: SIN Korea during tn,
whole marriage day the bride must b
mute. n she says word she becomes
IN object Of ridicule. It may be
week or even month before her hus
band hears the sound Of her voice.
singular custom, isn't 1t? How would
you like to adopt It when we are mar
Siedf'
Her father and mother were sitting
near, the father reading his paper, the
mother sewing. The latter said: Thai
reminds me OF the night we became
engaged. Do you remember l made
you wait a long while for your an
sweri kept you whole hour with
cut giving you word"
"Happy dayw observed the husband
dryly and without lowering his paper
A smile passed over his wife's face,
and a tender light shone in her daugh.
ter's eyes. As for Alec, he cast q 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
Me miserable. but had left her $4,000
tire ceremony was to include only the
family. Alec protested against the in
PRODUCTION Of a custom taken from
degenerate eastern race. but MFR. Bur
nets remark, "Happy dayv 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 q word. All agreed that her ST.
hence added solemn charm to the
most impressive occasion In woman's
life.
Mr.. and Mrs. Alec Hicks started i'm
mediately after wedding breakfast
(at which the bride sat mute) ON their
wedding journey. As they rolled along
fn q 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 happy, dreamy
box on her face, but she uttered no
word. They dined In buffet car; but,
though there was bottle Of wine, her
tongue was not loosed. After dinner
Alec surprised her by telling her that |
be 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, sis |
this beautiful Korean custom to be
kept up?"
She made no reply, but inwardly re-
solved that it should be kept up until |
be learned not to leave her for whole |
hour on the evening Of their marriage |
for 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
MI he wanted Of woman's silence.
Many young girls said that they would
adopt it 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 number of mar
ital differences where husbands took
occasion to sneer at their wives under
cover of this Korean custom. Great
interest centered in how long the ST.
Ience of Mrs. Hicks was to endure.
The sneering husbands declared that
the second hand to watch would not
divide time delicately enough to meas.
ure her silence after the first sign OF
independence on the part of her hus-
band. Other cynical men said the
whole affair was paradoxical, for in
stead of wife muzzling herself her
drst act after marriage was to muzzle
her husband. One woman forgot her
self SO far as to remark, How can she
get him under but checked herself.
The wedding trip was to cover the
honeymoon. but it lasted only three
days, when the bride and groom re-
burned, and, instead of going to the
house that had been prepared for
them. the bride went to her mother
ind the groom to bachelor quarters.
"For heavens sake, what's the mat
ERR cried the mother as her daughter
ell on her neck weeping.
Hes q brute"
'FWhat has he doneY
I'VE hadn't been gone half day be- (
ore he ceased to say word to me-"