The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-11-04
PRIZES GIVEN AWAY WITH
WIVES IN LITHUANIA.

)
Getting a wife in Lithuania is lots
of fun. 1t is also worth while from
a business point of view, for the
brides father must give up fistful
of rubbles with the apple of his eye,
and the husband may lay his hand
on anything he sees and likes when
he takes the girl to his own home.
Yes, as a woman writing in the Lon
don Times agrees, it's lots Of fun for
everybody-except the old man. He,
it seems, has to fork up everything
in sight and smile as he does it.
When this Englishwoman in Kovno
was asked by her husbands soldier
servant, Charles (born in America,
and proud of it, if she woul like to
attend the wedding, she said she
would. 1t was suggested that she bor-
row a motor-car for the trip, and
quite casually she was told that the
ceremony and festivities would last
five days. She gasped, but caught her
breath again. And Charles said:
Surely. On Saturday night is the
first dance. Ny brother and his
friends dance all night at my fathers
house. His girl and her friends dance
at her fathers. Then after the we'd
ding we all go to the brides faith
er's house and dance and sing, eat
and drink until Tuesday; then they
come to our house and dance, etc.,
until Thursday, and then they go to
their home"
| I thought it was about time.
We started off at the appointed
time for Emo. With me took sack
full of white bread, which Charles in
formed me was the best offering l
could give During the journey Char
les instructed me on what I should
do and what should not do. Also
he told me about the betrothal GER
emony.
asked if the young man spoke
first to the father. Charles was hor-
rified. 1.-The man must not speak one
word to the father until the money
is fixt." Money!" "Of course. The
girls father has to pay my brother
money"
'The young man who falls in love
and wishes to be married." 'contin-
ued Charles, chooses an old mar
ried man (every man who is mar
ried is old;) to go with him to see
the girls father. Dame (Jonas's
girl) lives close/to our house. wen,
at about ten o'clock one night Jonas
and his friend went to Danes house
and walked straight in. We never
knock at doors in Lithuania. Tney
had taken two bottles Of vodka with
them. They went to the table IN the
center of the room and sat down at
it. Then Jonas's friend said to the
father. Have you any hens to SELL?
and the old man said, No The frlend
said. Soon your hen will be too old
and no one will want to buy her.
When the father saw the vodka ne
said Yes
"Still Jonas must not speak, al
though he saw Dame peeping from
behind the stove; an dhe and she mad
an understanding all by themselves.
The friend then asked how much
money the father would give, and
the father said 'None.' And so they
talked for some time. Then Danes s
father said, I will give five thous-
and rubbles.' (Charles said this with
much pride, as the sum, it appears,
was large.) The friend bowed, ana
then Jonas could speak" (Which ne
did fast enough, I'm sureD
Danes mother came with sauce
pan and broke eggs into 1t and COOK
ed them and set them with bread up
on the table. To the friend she SAID
mot to Jonas, who had paid for the
yodka.) My eggs and bread and your
vodka The friend called all the fam
ily round, and they ate. Danes
mother brought two towels and two
handkerchiefs and gave one OF each
to Jonas and his friend. They tied
the towels round their necks and
went home. Next day, Jonas went to
see his girl and they arranged all
about the wedding.
We soon arrived at Emo. A large
hill stood at the back of Charles
fathers farm. climbed 1t during my
visit and saw the Polish frontier IN
the distance. Our car stopped IN
front of a small house, that Of Eva,
Charles's sister. Soon we had a crowd
round us. Many Of them had never
seen an EnglishwomIn in their lives
and I was much amused at hearing
myself and clothing fully discussed.
Soon it was time for us to go to old
Mr.. G-'s (Charles's father's)
house. l was anxious to call at the
brides house, but this was not allow
ed, as 1 was friend of the bride
groom's family. The houses stood
near each other, and from each could
could be heard the singing, shouting
and music in the other. Mr.. C
received me with great ceremony; he
was delighted with the white bread
I had brought. l was led to the table
and made to eat and drink, and then