The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-10-02
Go Seven Thousand Miles to Hed.

A tourney of 1000 miles to Hong
Kong to marry girls they will see for
the first time on their wedding day has
been begun by Moy Book Quong and
Nov Book Tom, sons of Charlie Toy
proprietor of Shanghai chop suey
restaurant on Second street.
The brides, who are daughters OF
wealthy Hong Kong merchants, we're
arranged for by Mr.. Toy, dealing en-
tirely with the girls parents, says the
Norfolk Ledger. The brides and bride
grooms had nothing to say about the
matter until they were informed that
preparations for the nuptlals Ro
been made.
Mr.. Toy in searching for desirable
girls for his sons remembered two
girls whose parents he had known IN
Hong Kong. A go between was
chosen to carry messages between
Mr.. Toy and the girls parents. A
diviner was consulted who discovered
by means of astrology, the flight OF
birds and other signs that the unions
would be happy and the wedding day
was set.
The betrothal of Chinese couple
is not considered made until the we'd
ding day is set. After the day Is
chosen the bride has her face shaved.
calls in her friends and mourns until
the wedding day.
The two young men sailed from
Vancouver this week on the ship En-
press of China. AS soon as they ar
rive in Hong Kong the ceremonies for
the wedding of Moy Book Tom, the
older of the two boys, will start.
The wedding gifts of tablets, bear
ing suitable Inscriptions, and geese
are sent to the brides parents. Wild
geese are LOGGED upon as emblematl-
cal of conjugal harmony. Domestic
geese are symbolic of fidelity.
On the first day of the ceremonies
the bride will be put in a sedan chair
adorned with festoons and artificial
flowers. The baggage of clothes and
ornaments will be carried by servents
They will also carry lighted fam,
beaux. Relatives and friends follow.
the nearest relative carrying the key
to the brides chair.
When the procession reaches Moy
Book Toms house he will be given
the key to the chair. When he un-
locks the door it will be the first
glimpse the bride and bridegroom
will have of each other. He will
lead her to a table set for two. The
company will be led to other tables,
the men sitting on one side and the
women on the other.
The bride spends the rest of the
day with her women friends and the
bridegroom will treat his friends in a
separate apartment. The next day
they will return to bend knee to the
family gods and pay respects to their
relations.
On the third day the bride will
visit her parents in a chair made by
the bridegroom especially for the oc-
casion. The visiting will continue for
about ten days when the ceremonies
will be concluded by feast given by
the parents of the bride.
AS soon as Moy Book Toms we'd
ding is over. that of his younger
brother will be started A few weeks
later they will return to the United
States with their brides.
Moy Book Quong, who has been in
engineering in the Armour Institute
in Chicago, has one more year before
he completes his course. He expects
to finish in 1914.
Moy Book Tom, who has been in
Ney Yory will take charge of his
fathers business in Milwaukee. He
will probably be Joined by his brother
after he finishes his work at school.