Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-03-18
EVERY YEAR A LEAP YEAR
Women Have Privilege Of Picking the
Mem They VIII Marry

Once again will 1890 women have a
chance to take the initial step toward
providing themselves with an introduction
to the heavenly kingdom. a boon which
marriage brings to them, according to
Mormon philosophy. The return of year
Which leaps forward a day. bringing to
them . privilege monopolizsd by men
three years out Of four. has no significance
for women of many lands, since they en-
JOY that liberty all the time" says a
bulletin from the National Geographic
society.
Tho women Of no race possess more
freedom In this matter than the Eopi In
dams Of Arizona" the bulletin continues
"A maiden docs not WOO the man Of her
choice, but simply and forciby states her
proposition to his mother without any
encouragement on his part. Her only pre-
liminary proceeding is to do her hair in
two gigantic whorls, one over each ear.
This Is her announcement that she Is
going accounting. These peculiar knots
are intended to represent the blossom of
a squash vine. symbol Of virginity. but to
those untutored in their meaning they re-
semble huge door knobs set at a rather
violent anglo When some debutantes
thus announce that they are out on the
carpet. 1t Is said that as many as six
or eight OF the eligible young men Of the
tribe literally take to the woods.
After this aggressive young lady
has selected her victim and his mother
has agreed he shall be sacrificed, she
serves in the house of her future mother.
in-law for 30 days grinding meal, very
much after the fashion that Jacob of old
served IA days for Rachel. The poor youth
in the meanwhile does not sit idly by.
but weaves her wedding garments
Among the Batus of the Uganda Pro-
tectorate Of Africa, il a girl Is not for.
tunate enough to be asked In marriage
In her home town. she goes to another
village and offers herself to some man
there. Though not honorcd In her own
country. she at least receives considere-
ton in that Of her neighbor for a. wom-
man is an excellent agricultural laborer.
and man is not likely to refuse such a
business asset.
The Gala woman Of the eastern coast
Of Africa has the rare privilege among
savage and haif-civilized people of re-
fusing to marry a man who is undesir-
able TO her.
Little Is known Of the marriage Gus
toms Of the ancient Egyptians, but we
can easny believe that women had at
least the privilege of expressing A pref
erence. il they did not actually do the pro-
posing. for, If we trust the historian Do
dorus, a man promised his wife to grant
her complete control over him and to Of
fer no objection to her commands
Some survival Of this liberty of Egyp-
tian women must have permeated other
portions Of Africa, for princesses on the
west coast of that continent whose chill
dren may become future rulers choose
their own husbands. Nor Is princess
limited in her choice 10 unmarried men
She may just as easily decide upon one
who has already entered tho marriage
state. and the poor fellow has TO put
away his other wives and become her
slave. Moreover. she has the power Of
life and death over him. He sometimes
has only one consolation-he inherits all
her property II he is fortunate enough to
be spared until her death.
In the Tyrol a girl may express her
preference for man by presenting 10 him
bottle OF spirits II she Is afraid that
her procedure has not tho endorsement
Of her parents. she may contrive to lower
the precious fluid at night from her cham
Der window.
I'm north Transyivania, a Young peas
ant woman may give n particular swain a
tip that he is the apple of her eye by
going with him IN his cart at the time Of
the harvesting of the oats to help carry
in his crop. 1t Is said that at this season
one sometimes sees a procession of gaiiy
decorated carts going aficld, willing
maid sealed In each.
"One of the obligations # a father in
Rumania and Bosnia IS to provide so
we'll for his manageable daughter that
when she receives a list informing her Of
the means and qualifications of the ell
igible young men IN tho vicinity she will
not BIS hampered by n Jack of worldly
goods on her own part in making her
choice.
I'm bygone daya in India women were
sometimes allowed TO choose their own
husbands. One OF their old fairy tales
tolls OF fair princess who after tourna-
ment placed a ga rland around the neck Of
knight who had Won her heart.
Among the Eskimos of the east coast
OF Greenland man captures the girl
he wants. but from that time on the
usual order OF things Is reversed, He has
to exercise the greatest vigilance to pre-
vent her from clipping with any other
man whom she may prefer. as this seems
to be her privilege. In the northern New
iebrides. a bride who is unhappy seeks
the earliest opportunity Of running away
from her husband and seeking a home
with some man she likes better. II her
parents cannot induce her TO return to
the injured husband, they Usually send
him a pig to sOothe his wounded feel