Evening journal., 1910-03-15
|AChiIdWife
By EMILY B. PARKHURST
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.

in India must be married. II would
be public disgrace as well as a crime
against the Hindoo religion for an In
dian family Of good rank to keep a
daughter unmarried. Since it is diff
cult for their parents 10 find husbands
{ for them the daughters are made
away with. Those OF high birth,
called rajpoots, are put to death by
men especially employed TO do so. The
British government having passed
laws against these murders, the par
ents OF those girls who have not found
husbands have resorted to a method
Of marrying them in name, though
not in fact There are a number Of
Brahmans, old and decrepid, called
Kulian Brahmans, who go about with
the object OF hiring themselves out to
go through the ceremony OF the "sev-
en- steps" with young girls upon being
paid for doing so. After marriage they
leave the country and never see their
young wives again.
In Allahabad there lived one Of
these rajpoot men who had a daughter
over twelve years old.
In the next house lived another fam
ily, in which there was one son, aged
eighteen. The two children had been
brought up together, and their child
ish friendship had grown into love.
The parents Of the youth were very
proud of him and destined him to
marry some girl who should be not
only of high caste, but whose par
ents would be able to bestow on her
great wealth.
One evening after it was dark he
was walking in the compound gar
DEM about his fathers house when he
heard a low call from the compound
of the next house. Going to the fence,
he deserted the crouching figure Of his
sweetheart, evidently suffering from
some great misfortune.
'What is it, dear girl? he said,
springing over the fence and taking
her in his arms.
'I am to die"
ITO diew
"Yes. Today a mana horrible
talked with my father. / had been
told to go on an errand, doubtless that
1 should be away at the time and not
hear what passed between my father
and this man. But had not yet gone.
have been suspecting that, not being
married, would soon be made away
: with in some fashion, though father
and mother have tried to keep the
awful knowledge from me. So when
j saw this frightful creature come to
the house concealed myself behind a
bamboo screen and heard every word
She gave way to her feeling and
was unable to proceed. Her lover
kissed her again and again, begging
! her to tell him all.
4 'My father bargained with the man
forN hundred rupees to strangle me-
$ "When-whereY
Tomorrow night father is to take
? me out for a walk by the river, when
this man is to come upon us suddenly
as If to rob, seize me and after he has
killed me throw my body into the
river"
The agony Of the youth was equal
to that of the girl. Both knew that
t their separation and her death were
not to be prevented. 1t would be of
no avail for her to refuse to go to walk
with her father or TO try in any way
to escape her fate. The young man
dare not disobey the commands Of
his parents. Should he fly with the
girl the sleuths of the Indian police
= would follow and surely capture them
| HnA
for them together, not laying plans to
3 prevent the calamity, but weeping in
= each others arms. At last the girl
heard her mother calling her, and aft
er one clinging embrace she ran into
the house.
: The next afternoon an old man lean
e ing heavily on his staff stopped at the
$ house and asked for bit of bread and
a little wine. The girl, who was to die
e that night-knowing the secret, thougl
b her parents were not aware that she
g knew Invent to the cupboard by hel
c fathers order and brought the refresh
ment.
"Is your daughter marricdY' asked
the visitor.
mo" replied her father "we hav,
no husband for her"
But you cannot keep a girl like tina
longer. Our religion forbids."
mo" whispered the father; "w,
= shall not keep her longer"
The look that accompanied the word
was not lost on the old man.
How much win you give me to mar
- ry her?'
- "You are a Kulian7"
!, II am"
Il will gladly give you your price /
1t be not too much"
" "What say you to a hundred ru
e peesT
2 II viii give It gladly"
s The girl was listening, and hop
sprang up in her heart. She loitere'
u near till she saw her father count ou
the money to the old man and the
swooned
z When she came to herself she wa
a told that she was to be married 70 tn
O. visitor. Death, which had been s
ie near, seemed worse to her than livin
u In separation from her lover, and sh
y gladly went with her father and tb
= old man that the ceremony should b
performed. After it was ended tn
~ husband went away. and It was III