Marriage

In Burma there are no child-marriages, and the people seem happy in their domestic affairs. Although girls are considered to be the property of their parents, they are very seldom constrained to marry a man against their will. The young men, too, make love pretty much where their fancy leads them, obtaining first the consent of the parents, which is generally given, unless there is any doubt on the score of their character. Courtship does not now last as long as it did formerly. The period of day between eight in the evening and midnight is called courting time; In Burmese it is “Loo-byo-lai-thee-kala,” which seems somehow to have a romantic ring about it, or is it only the soothing sound of these words, so strange to our ears? A lamp placed in the casement intimates that the young lady is “at home” and prepared to receive bachelors. It is all very correct and proper, for the mother is looking on not far off. Moreover, the damsel probably receives as many as five or six together, on the principle of safety in numbers. The Burmese mother is a great match-maker, but she uses persuasion rather than compulsion. If, however, she should try constraint, it would probably be in vain, for in that case either the girl elopes with the lover of her choice, or she goes and hangs herself. The women carry on most of the trading and shop-ping, and are excellent housekeepers, as Mr. Rudyard Kipling shows in one of his short stories of Indian life. It cannot be said that there is any true marriage ceremony, but the following account condensed from “With the Jungle Folk in Burma,” a most readable and interesting book by our friend Mr. E. D. Cuming, will give the reader a good idea of how these affairs are managed:

You know the purpose of our coming? “said the young man’s father, as one who knows he is welcome.

“We are pleased to see you,” said the girl’s father, and his wife murmured words to the same effect, though, properly speaking, the woman should say nothing on this occasion.

Our son loves your daughter, and wishes to make her his wife.”

“We are honoured ? much honoured,” was the reply of the girl’s father, who went on to say: “I believe, good neighbour, I am sure, that your admirable son is of good blood; That in his family, on either side, has never been any taint of slave-blood. That none of his forefathers have been king’s slaves? ”

“There is no slave-blood in our family,” was the reply.

“No, surely not,” murmured the assembled friends and relations.

“And we are also sure that he has in his veins no taint of the Grave-digger class? ”

“Neither the ancestors of myself nor of my woman have had any strain of Grave-digger caste.”

“Surely not,” again murmured the friends and relations.

“He is a fine young man. We feel sure he is healthy? ”

To which his parents reply, “Our son does not suffer from leprosy, nor scrofula, nor from other evil disease that is properly held disgraceful. He is clean and healthy.”

“We are sure of it.”

“Well, then, good neighbour, in the presence of our friends and neighbours we consent to your excellent son’s marriage with our daughter; And we shall pray that long life, fertility, and much happiness attend their union.”

It is good.”

Then the headman said

“We all wish the young people freedom from accidents, diseases, and misfortunes, and very great happiness.”

After this the conversation became general, and everybody agreed that the match was most suitable, and sure to be a happy one. But, of course, they all expressed surprise (as was proper), and professed not to have had any idea that such a thing was impending!

On returning home, the young man’s mother said to him, “You will marry tomorrow, I expect.”

“Yes, tomorrow, good mother.”

Next morning, before the sun was hot, a cart with all the bridegroom’s belongings arrived at the bride’s house, the young man himself leading the way, returning with smiles the good wishes of the neighbours, who stood on their verandahs to see him pass, the bullock-cart squeaking and groaning behind him.

Mah Pan, the bride, wore her best tamein, a white silk jacket, and a new pink silk handkerchief about her shoulders, carefully arranged that it might not hide her necklet.

Pho Lone, the bridegroom, stepped into the house, where he was greeted by his father-in-law with the words, “The rice is ready, my son.”Meanwhile, the bride’s mother has set on the floor a new lacquer tray with a little boiled rice.

Pho Lone, sitting, ate a mouthful, and Mah Pan, taking her place beside him, did the same. They smiled at one another.

“It is done,” said the headman; They are man and wife.”

At night, the young bachelors came and silently threw stones thick and fast upon the thatch, just to prove their envy.

Irish “wakes,” we know, are far from dismal affairs, but no one ever heard of their being turned into occasions for courtship and love-making in a public manner, and by a considerable number of young people. Collective courtship, however, appears to be the distinguishing characteristic of funerals among the Karens. These are a people who live, for the most part, among the mountains of Burma, though some of them have come down to the plains. Under ordinary circumstances they are a quiet and peaceable people, but one branch of them, the Red Karens, are the most brutal savages, committing every atrocity except cannibalism.

When one of the Karens dies, the probability is that his relations are too much engrossed in other matters to conduct the funeral rites and ceremonies. Perhaps the harvest has not been gathered in, or the weather is too cold or too wet, in which case the girls would not think of turning out in their finery, as they are wont to do on these occasions, that they may be wooed collectively by the village swains. To the western mind this might seem rather an awkward dilemma, but the Karens have solved the difficulty in a delightfully simple manner. The man is buried temporarily, to be dug up again and “waked” at some more convenient season! Therefore, when a Karen dies, he is promptly stowed away in a hole in the ground, and the spot marked by stakes or a fence of cactus. If a rich man, his body is burned ? a safer plan, because the dogs cannot then get at it. The final ceremony may take place within six months, if there are a large number of young women waiting to be married; But otherwise there may be a delay of two or three years, or even more!

When the time has at last arrived, a platform of bamboo is erected in front of the house where the deceased lived, and his bones are dug out of their temporary grave. On this platform, or stage, barbarously adorned with pieces of cloth, a linen sheet is placed, on which the remains are laid.

People from neighbouring villages come in large numbers; But, although certain funeral rites are performed, these are postponed till the young men and maidens have done their courting and chosen their partners for life. And so the occasion partakes more of the nature of a public courting than of a funeral. The proceedings are somewhat after this fashion. The young men and the girls separate into two choirs and seat themselves on opposite sides of the remains. Family jewels are displayed in great profusion. The young men begin with a chorus celebrating the beauties of the Karen maidens, their charm of movement, and modest demeanour. To this the girls respond in a falsetto of the usual drawling character, accepting the eulogy of their graces. These overtures are usually set pieces, handed down from antiquity, or rendered into the Karen tongue from some popular Burmese play. Then the young bachelors begin, each in turn, and sing love-stricken solos, calling on the name of some particular damsel. Among an Eastern and poetic people, flowery language is only what might be expected on such an occasion; So we need not be surprised to learn that the girl is compared to a star, a flower, or a ruby. No painter could possibly do justice to her charms; She would ruin the peace of mind of a hermit! When rejected, the suitor becomes plaintive ? perhaps in the belief that “pity is akin to love” ? saying that he can neither eat nor drink, and will assuredly die before the morning! Far from feeling embarassed, the Karen maidens appear to be pleased at such expressions of devotion. Their answers are usually of a somewhat stereotyped character. The girl will declare that it is a shameful thing not to be married, but that to be divorced afterwards is much worse ? “to be like a dress that has been washed.”Another will declare that she is not going to give herself away too cheaply. She lets the suitor know that she is not like a day dim with the heat-haze, nor like a diamond that has lost the foil below to set it off, nor like a peacock’s tail draggled in the wet. All this means that the wrong man has applied, and the lucky swain will be a great fool if her eyes do not let him know that, when his turn comes, the answer will be favourable. A girl seldom says “No” outright; They prefer a more indirect and less crushing mode of refusal, expressed in some such terms as Come to me when the full moon appears on the first day of the month, “or” Eat your rice before it is cooked and come before daylight.”But these cases are exceptional; For, as a rule, the girl has made up her mind which young man she will accept, and the others will look elsewhere. The young people have met before, and so matters are considerably simplified. When all the courting is over, they retire and are married forthwith. Then the elders go on with the funeral rites!

THE old Scottish custom of the “Penny Wedding” has been thus described:? “When there was a marriage of two poor people who were esteemed by any of the neighbouring gentry, they agreed among themselves to meet and have a dance upon the occasion, the result of which was a handsome donation, in order to assist the new-married couple in their outset in life.”

Another writer says: A Penny Wedding is when the expense of the marriage entertainment is not de-frayed by the young couple, or their relations, but by a club among the guests. Two hundred people, of both sexes, will sometimes be convened on an occasion of this kind.”

In the same work the Minister of Monquitter, speaking of the time of “our fathers,” observes:? “Shrove Tuesday, Valentine Eve, the Rood-day, &c.Were accompanied by pastimes and practices congenial to the youthful and ignorant mind. The market-place Was to the peasant what the drawing-room is to the peer, the theatre of show and of consequence. The scene, however, which involved every amusement and every joy of an idle and illiterate age was a Penny Bridal. When a pair were contracted they, for a stipulated consideration, bespoke their wedding at a certain tavern, and then ranged the country in every direction to solicit guests. One, two, and even three hundred would have convened on these occasions to make merry at their own expense for two or more days. This scene of feasting, drinking, dancing, wooing, fighting, &c.Was always enjoyed with the highest relish, and, until obliterated by a similar scene, furnished ample materials for rural mirth and rural scandal. But now the Penny Bridal is reprobated as an index of want of money and of want of taste. The market-place is generally occupied by people of business. Athletic amusements are confined to schoolboys. Dancing, taught by itinerant masters, cards, and conversation, are the amusements now in vogue; And the pleasures of the table, enlivened by a moderate glass, are frequently enjoyed in a suitable degree by people of every class.”

Of the parish of Avoch, co. Ross, it is said:

Marriages in this place are generally conducted in the style of Penny Weddings. Little other fare is provided except bread, ale, and whisky. The relatives, who assemble in the morning, are entertained with a dram and a drink gratis. But, after the ceremony is Performed, every man pays for his drink. The neighbours then convene in great numbers. A fiddler or two, with perhaps a boy to scrape on an old violoncello, are engaged. A barn is allotted for the dancing, and a house for drinking; And thus they make merry for two or three days, till Saturday night. On Sabbath, after returning from church, the married couple give a sort of dinner or entertainment to the present friends on both sides: So that these weddings, on the whole, bring little gain or loss to the parties.”

Jamieson, in his Etymological Dictionary, quotes an Act of the General Assembly, 13th February, 1645, for the restraint of Pennie Brydals.

The following account, taken from a story published in the earlier part of the present century, will give the reader a fair idea of the way in which a Penny Wedding used to be celebrated in Scotland:

Johnny Stewart first saw Jeannie Buie at the kirk, when she excited lively emotion within him. He after-wards met her at Elgin fair, and gave her a bumper of drink, while her master was discussing the price of cattle. He saw her a mile or two on the road home that night. The next year it was arranged they should be married when Martinmas came round.

Jeannie left her place on Whitsunday so that she might have time to spin her wool for blankets, and lint for sheets, before she got married. Three weeks before the wedding the bride and bridegroom went the round to invite their friends. On the eve of the marriage-day the friends all came to the Feet-washing. They drank a good deal of mountain dew in its original state, “and by ten o’clock they were very merry and insisted that Jeannie should have her feet washed. A tub filled with hot water was placed in the middle of the room, and a ring from the finger of a married woman was thrown into it.

Jeannie, blushingly, removed her stockings and plunged her feet into the water, and the lads and lasses crowded round the tub that they might wash the bride’s feet and, perchance, find the ring, for the person that finds it will be the first to get married. When this ceremony was over, and the company had had some pulls from the Tappit Hen “(a large bottle containing four quarts), they became exceedingly jovial, and one member of the company after the other was called upon for a song. An admirer of Jeannie’s sang:

“There’s mony lasses round about
To charm the heart and please the e’e;
But Jenny dings them out and out,
The bonny bride of Fallowlea.
For 0 the bride’s a bonny lass
And happy will her Johnny be,
When ’she gaes o’er to keep the house
That stands beside the Fallowlea.”

The grandmother also sang about the “good old times” and the sad alterations of the present day, whereupon the men got into a heated discussion about the “march of intellect.”This being stopped, they drank” the health of the King ? God bless him, “and after a final glass of Glenlivet the company separated.

On the wedding morning Jeannie packed her wardrobe in a chest, and a cart was loaded with her belongings. The bride’s party set out after breakfast for the manse, where the ceremony was to be per-formed.

One of the young men, who escorted the bride, carried a bottle of whiskey, out of which he must fill a glass for the first person the party met on their way; This person ? called “the First Foot” ? must also turn back and walk a mile or so with the wedding party, be his business never so urgent.

The bridegroom’s party was waiting at the manse, and the wedding took place without delay. Both parties mixed, and proceeded to Fallowlea, the home of the young couple, the bagpiper playing “She’s woo’d an’ married an’ a’,” and the company singing the song on their way. At the cross-roads numerous people joined the party, for many intended being present at the wedding. When they arrived at the cottage the grandmother threw a number of pieces of bride-cake over the young couple’s heads, as a token that Jeannie Stewart was welcome to a house with plenty in it.”Just before she entered the house a lad came up, claimed and took a kiss from the bride, to which he had a good right, as he had been successful” in running for the Kiles.”For when the company were about 200 yards from the house, a number of young men started to run to the house, and whoever reached the homestead first, claimed the kiss.

The bride then took her place at the head of the table among her relations; The rest of the company took their dinner in the barn. The fiddlers fiddled away during the meal to their hearts’ content, and when it was over “two decent middle-aged men” went round, one with a glass of whiskey for every person, and the other with a basin to receive the shilling that each paid as the price of the meal.

Then the bridegroom led out the bride to the green, and they, with another lad and lass, danced the “Shamit Reel” before the company. This reel was called the “Shamit” because it was considered that it would take away the bashfulness under which the bride laboured before so many people.

Dancing was kept up in the house and barn with great spirit until the evening; For every lad that chose to give a “bawbee” to the fiddlers could have what tune he liked played a dozen times over. When the fiddlers made a pause the lads cried “kissing time,” it being the custom that every lad should then kiss his partner. They kissed one another right heartily and made “the roof and rafters dirl” with the sound.

At twelve the bride went to bed, and after a short time had elapsed her husband entered the room accompanied by a noisy troop of friends. She then threw her stocking in the air, and all present scrambled to clutch it, for the virtue in the stocking was, that who-ever gained possession of it would be the first to be married. The best man presented whiskey to the married couple and the company, and then all departed, the best man locking the door of the bedroom. The rest of the party kept up dancing until six o’clock. At nine o’clock next morning the married couple were presented with a glass of whiskey before they got up.

During the next two days the dancing was kept up, and on Sunday about forty couples accompanied the bride and bridegroom to church.

It may be mentioned here that, at Scotch country weddings, not very long ago, the bridegroom’s men and others ran, as in Wales, straight from the church to the bride’s house, in order to see who could first bring the intelligence that she had been duly married. Nor was the feat without danger, for in every village where they might be expected the young men were received with shots from pistols and guns, and if any men stumbled, or were somehow upset, there was great merriment. At the bride’s house a bowl of broth was prepared for the winner of the race. Hence the expression “running for the brose.”It appears that sometimes these races took place on horseback. A Scotch newspaper, The Courier, of January 16, 1813, records a case in which a young lady came in first:? “Immediately after the marriage, four men of the bride’s company started for the broos, from Mauchline to Whitehall, a distance of thirteen miles; And when one of them was sure of the prize, a young lady, who had started after they were a quarter of a mile off, outstripped them all, and notwithstanding the interruption of getting a shoe fastened on her mare at the smithy on the road, she gained the prize, to the astonishment of both parties.”

In Great Britain, as in some other countries, May used to be considered unlucky for marriages, especially May 14th. The 13th was old May Day, and no doubt the festivities connected with May Day celebrations were often marred by much unseemly license, being survivals of old Heathen observances. The Christian Church, in refusing to countenance certain practices, probably caused the whole of this month to be avoided for formal and proper unions.

In the Orkney Islands they prefer to marry only during the waxing moon, or at flood-tide. A bright day is generally a good omen: “Blest is the bride the sun shines on” is a well-known saying.

The Fairies, or little-folk, “so skilful in magic, are supposed to be active at these times; Hence no green should be worn at weddings among the Lowland Scotch, for green is the fairies’ colour, and whoever wears it will be overtaken by ruin. They would even go so far, in some cases, as to banish green vegetables from the meal. In the Highlands, the bridegroom must put on his shoe without horn, or lace; Otherwise the witches may play their evil tricks. Also, the people were careful to let no dog run between the bridal pair.

THE marriage ceremonies of modern Egyptians resemble those of Turkey at the present day, so we need not repeat what has been already said of that country. If a maiden, in spite of the efforts of her parents, has not succeeded in being chosen, and desires to obtain a husband, tradition prescribes the following mode of procedure. She must go on a Friday to midday prayer ? the most solemn service in the whole week ? in the Mosque of the Daughters. When the believers prostrate themselves for the first time at the cry of the Imam, “Allah akbar” (God is Great), and while their foreheads touch the reed mats on the floor of the mosque, she must walk once up and down the space dividing two ranks of worshippers. Then, beyond doubt, within a year she will become a wife.

In Egypt girls are prepared for marriage with a great deal of ceremony. There are tirewomen who make the beautifying of brides their special profession. On the morning of the wedding the bride is attired in her wedding robes, her hair plaited with the Grecian plait, small pieces of gold leaf are stuck on her forehead, and great care is taken not to conceal any of the stars and spots tattooed on her face and chest in infancy. A little rouge is added. Travellers sailing up the Nile may sometimes see a large boat going across, with a gaily-coloured canopy containing a bride, and a merry party on board all going to the wedding.

The Mandi, whose cruel and despotic rule in the Sudan has caused so much misery, has often a good deal to do with the matrimonial affairs of his subjects. Slatin Pasha, in his deeply interesting book, ‘ gives an example of the arbitrary way in which this despot exercises his authority. Abu Anga, commander of the Black Troops (Jehadia), and his brother, Fandl Manla, were sons of a liberated slave-woman, their father being one of the Khalifa’s relatives. Fandl Manla had a great friend and adviser, by name Ahmed Wad Yunes, of the Shaigia tribe. One day they appeared before the Khalifa, and the former asked permission for his friend Yunes to marry a certain girl and receive the prophet’s blessing. Unfortunately, as it happened, the tyrant was in a bad humour on that day; The girl’s father was at once sent for, and asked whether it was his wish to bestow the hand of his daughter on Yunes. Receiving a reply in the affirmative, the Khalifa, wishing to show his authority, said, I have decided, and consider it to the girl’s advantage, that she should marry Fandl Manla. Have you any objection? “Needless to say the father assented, for he dared not refuse; And the Khalifa, turning to his attendants, ordered them to proceed at once to read the form of prayer and blessing used at marriages, which they did forthwith, and dates were partaken of by the bride and bridegroom. Then the Khalifa dismissed all those present, and Fadl Mania departed, one wife to the good, whilst Yunes was one hope poorer; But what the girl said about the new arrangement I cannot tell.”The Pasha was detained for seven years a prisoner in the Mandi’s camp, and is probably the best authority on the ways of these Sudanese Arabs; And he states that he knew men who, in the space of ten years, had been married forty or fifty times! Also that there are many women who, during the same period, have had fifteen or twenty husbands, and in their case the law enjoins that between each divorce they must wait at least three months.

IN the Solomon Isles (Melanesia), a girl is not sought in marriage until her charms have been enhanced by the tattooer’s art. The painful and tedious operation is performed by a medicine man, whose services are handsomely rewarded. It is considered necessary to employ musicians as well; So he first engages a company of professional singers. The concert begins at sunset, and is kept up vigorously throughout the night. The poor child is kept awake by her friends in order to hear it all. At sunrise the man begins the operation, using only a sharp bamboo knife (bamboo is very hard, and frequently used for knives). Thus he makes curious and artistic network patterns on her face and chest. It is a painful process, but she suffers without a murmur, for all primitive races train up their young people to bear pain silently.

Next day all is forgotten in the joyful thought that she is now an eligible young woman! From this time her parents keep a watchful eye over their daughter, and check any levity on her part.

Proposals follow before long, and her friends who have subscribed towards the expense of tattooing look forward to repayment when she is married. The higher her rank, the more her parents demand of the suitor; Consequently, needy young men often have to wait a long time for a wife. But if a swain is known to have “expectations,” he may pay down a part of the purchase-money, and claim a girl as his fiancee, in which case she will not be given in marriage to another. The daughters of chiefs seldom marry early on account of the unreasonable demands of their fathers. A young man who dares to propose to the daughter of a chief and cannot pay the amount is liable to be heavily fined for his presumption!

Occasionally it happens that a chief’s daughter remains in single blessedness until the death of her father, in which case she may be bought “for an old song,” as the saying is, by some middle-aged widower, or an impecunious person who has been waiting many years for a partner.

When a young girl is betrothed, and her future husband has paid the amount in full, she goes and lives with his mother until the time arrives when she may become his wife. Soon after the purchase has been made her parents give a feast to those who subscribed towards the tattooing; This is followed by another feast given by the bridegroom’s parents, and there are no other ceremonies, either at betrothals or marriages.

Somewhat different customs prevail in one of the Solomon Isles known as Florida. Here the usual tattooing takes place, but there may be a delay of several months, or even years, before the young man’s father pays down the full amount of the purchase-money. In order to transact this business, he pays a visit to the girl’s home, and even when the payment has been made, and the visit has been prolonged for two days, the parents make a great fuss about giving up their daughter, interposing many imaginary difficulties. When at last the time of parting comes they demand further payment. This is called “the money to break the post near the door (used to take hold of in going in and out of the house), to finish her going in and out of the old home.”This payment is made to the bride’s female relations, who take her by the hand and give her up. The act of giving away the bride is rather curious; She is lifted off the ground and carried out of the house on the back of one of the women, who delivers her to the bridegroom’s father. For two or three months after this the bride stays in her father-in-law’s house, until the necessary presents of pigs and food arrive. Not till then can the wedding be celebrated. And here we meet with a curious custom, rather suggestive of the ransom “paid in the Tyrol and elsewhere. During the morning of the feast, the boys of the village harass the bride’s relations by playfully shooting arrows at them. So skilful is the youths’ practice that they can safely send arrows whizzing past the ears of a guest, over his head, between his legs, or even through his hair! These delicate attentions, however, become a positive nuisance; And after many forcible expressions of disgust, the men gladly purchase immunity by paying ransom.

At Saa, in the large neighbouring island of Malanta, when children have been betrothed, the little girl, bringing food with her, comes on a visit to the home of her future father-in-law. In this way the young people get to know each other, for they have frequent opportunities of playing and conversing together. From time to time the visit is renewed, and at intervals the boy’s father pays part of the purchase money, porpoise teeth being used as money. One advantage of the arrangement is that when the betrothed girl is grown up and her wedding-day has come, she shows none of the usual reluctance, either real or affected, to enter the bridegroom’s house, or rather that of his father, where she feels already quite at home. Hence there is no necessity for carrying her away or lifting her over the doorstep.

At the Santa Cruz islands, also known as Queen Charlotte islands, we find the same custom of infant betrothal. The father seeks a bride for his son with-out telling him. Some time elapses before the boy is told that a girl is engaged for him. His parents do not say who it is, but only warn him that he must not go near a certain house ? for it is not allowed for betrothed ones to meet. This is equivalent to informing him that his fiancee lives there. Sometimes youths show great reluctance to marry the brides thus chosen for them.

In various parts of Western Melanesia marriages are performed with religious ceremonies. Thus at Dorey, on Geelvink Bay, the couple join hands sitting before an ancestral image, and eat sago together, amid the exhortations and congratulations of their friends. The wife offers her partner tobacco, while he gives her betel nut. They must sit up all night while the relations partake of a solemn meal.

In the Northern New Hebrides it is only chiefs or other great people who betroth their children in youth. As in Malanta the betrothed child lives in the same house with her future husband, who very often is taught to regard the little playmate as his sister. Sometimes the boy, on growing up to manhood’s estate, is quite shy on learning the relation in which they stand. Girls assume the petticoat when they arrive at a marriageable age. On the wedding-day guests arrive in large numbers to enjoy the good things provided for them. The bridegroom fixes a branch of a tree, or shrub, in the ground, and brings forward his gifts of pigs, food, and mats. The bride’s father, or some special friend of the family, makes a speech ? which is unusual for these parts ? and exhorts the bridegroom to feed his wife properly and to treat her kindly. With such and similar admonitions he hands over, or “gives away,” the blushing bride, gaily attired and wearing her new petticoat. At the feast which follows the bridegroom is saved the trying ordeal of a speech; He merely strokes his father-in-law to show his gratitude and affection.

This is followed by a scene such as might be witnessed at an Arab wedding. A sham fight takes place, in which it sometimes happens that men are wounded. On the one side are ranged the bride’s kinsmen, on the other those of the bridegroom. Should a brother of the latter be injured, compensation, “in the form of a present, is required. When the bride’s family consider they have made enough show of resistance to prove how highly they value their daughter’s services, they allow her to be taken away. Accordingly she is dragged off by female friends to the bridegroom’s house ? sometimes with much reluctance, even to tears. It sometimes happens that 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. In such cases, if her parents perceive that nothing will induce her to return to the injured husband, they offer him a pig, as solatium, to soothe his wounded feelings; And there the matter ends.

In the Gilbert Islands a man can demand his wife’s sisters in marriage he is also expected to take his brother’s widows. Widows in New Ireland and New Britain are considered to belong to no one in particular. But if a widower wishes to marry again, the idea is at first opposed by all the ladies of his late wife’s family; At first sportively, by using every possible form of annoyance to make the man keep at a distance, and then in real earnest (if he carries out his intention), by destroying his house and all his goods!

In the Fiji Islands, when a young man wishes to marry a certain girl, he must obtain her father’s permission. This having been granted, he makes her a small present. Shortly after he sends to her house some food prepared by himself; This is the ceremony known as “Warming.”For four days the girl enjoys a brief holiday, sitting at home arrayed in her best, and painted with turmeric and oil; She is then taken to the sea by some married women, and all set to work to catch fish. As soon as the cooking of what they have caught is finished the young man is sent for, and the betrothed ones take a meal together. Some little interval follows, during which her future husband is busily occupied in building the new home, while the girl is being tattooed ? a painful operation. On the completion of the house a great feast takes place, after which the bride and bridegroom settle down to married life. On her departure from home her friends and relatives make a great fuss, all showing their affection by kissing her.

The following account of the presentation of a bride in former days is interesting.

“She was brought in at the principal entrance by the king’s aunt and a few matrons, and then, led only by the aunt, approached the king. She was an interesting girl of fifteen, glistening with oil, and wearing a new liku (waistband), and a necklace of curved ivory points, radiating from her neck and turning upwards. The king received from his aunt the girl, with two whale’s teeth which she carried in her hand. When she was seated at his feet his Majesty repeated a list of their gods, and finished by praying that the girl might live and bring forth male children. To her friends, two men who had come in at the back door, he gave a musket, begging them not to think hardly of his having taken their child, as the step was connected with the good of the land, in which their interests, as well as his own, were involved. The musket, which was equivalent to the necklace, the men received with bent heads, muttering a short prayer. Tuikilakila then took off the girl’s necklace and kissed her. The gayest moment of her life, as far as dress was concerned, was past; And I felt that the untying of that polished ornament from her neck was the first downward step to a dreary future. Perhaps her forebodings were like mine, for she wept, and the tears which glanced off her bosom and rested in distinct drops on her oily legs were seen by the king, who said, ‘ Do not weep. Are you going to leave your own land? You are but going a voyage soon to return. Do not think it a hardship to go to Mbau. Here you will have to work hard; There you will rest. Here you fare indifferently; There you will eat the best of food. Only do not weep to spoil your-self! ‘ As he thus spoke he played with her curly locks, complimenting her on her face and figure. She reminded him of a sister of hers who had been taken to Mbau in years past.”

The daughter of a chief is usually betrothed early in life. Should her intended husband refuse to carry out the contract, it is considered a great insult, and becomes the cause of a serious quarrel, sometimes leading to blows. Should the young man die before the girl is grown up (which is not unlikely, for he may fall in battle), then his next brother takes his place, and the child is betrothed to him.

Among chiefs and their families, or, as we should say, in high life, “marriages are often the result of mutual attachment, being preceded by courtships and the exchange of presents. Young people may even be seen “walking out” arm-in-arm, as in England. But freedom of choice is not always allowed, even to a chief’s daughter. A forced alliance sometimes leads to suicide. Some American travellers, a good many years ago, were told the story of the daughter of the chief of Ovolan, who jumped over a precipice because she had been married against her will. But among the lower classes of natives we find no such scruples. The usual price of a bride is a whale’s tooth or a musket, and when this has once been paid she becomes the absolute property of her husband, and her life is in his hands. Until purchased, young women nominally belong to the chief, who may dispose of them as he thinks best. Elopements are not unknown. As in some other countries, when two young people have made up their minds to marry, and from difference of rank or other cause are forbidden to do so, they seek refuge in flight. Some neighbouring chief of a kindly disposition takes pity on them, and uses his best endeavours to effect a reconciliation with the parents.

In the Samoa, or Navigator Islands, now famous as the abode of the late Mr. Robert Louis Stevenson, marriage transactions may be said to be merely speculations in fine mats, of which a bride’s dowry consists. These are handed over to the husband’s principal friend and supporter (”best man”), who arranges the match and provides the feast. Widows follow the law of the Levirate, and marry the husband’s next brother. Each bride brings with her one or two handmaids, who may become secondary wives.

A young man must be tattooed before he can marry. Having made his choice from among the girls of the island, he sends his best man “to negotiate and make all the arrangements. The young woman usually has no choice, but is obliged to submit to the decision of her parents. They, on their part, must obtain the chief’s consent. For a long time before the wedding takes place all the bride’s relations help in getting in her dowry of fine mats and native cloths. The family of the bridegroom are likewise actively engaged in collecting property for him, such as cloth, pigs, canoes, &c. When the contracting parties are of high rank, the ceremony takes place in an open place of public assembly, surrounded by bread-fruit trees. Here the guests seat themselves in a circle cross-legged, glistening with oil and bedecked with plenty of beads and flowers. At first the bride remains seated in a house somewhere near, from which extends a carpet of native cloth reaching to the place of assembly. There the expectant bridegroom is seated at the further end of the long carpet. And now, all being ready, the bride comes forth. Needless to say, she is gaily bedecked with beads, flowers, and shells, and also girt round the waist with fine mats, some of which form a flowing train behind. Her maidens follow, all bearing mats. These they spread out before the bridegroom, and return to the house for more. This is repeated a good many times, until, in some cases, the number reaches two or three hundred. All these constitute the dowry collected by her relations. The bride takes her seat by the side of the bridegroom, and presently stands up to receive the applause of her assembled guests. It is now time for the husband to show his wealth, which he does with considerable display. The disposal of all these worldly goods is arranged by the parents (or brothers) on both sides.

It was stated above that Samoan girls usually are compelled to submit to the arrangements made by their parents, but elopements are not altogether unknown. If the young man whose offer was refused by the parents should be a chief, ‘ his companions (in order to show their resentment as well as his) gather together in the evening, and walk through the settlement singing his praises and coupling his name with that of the young woman who ran away with him. Should the course of their love run smooth, the chances are that a reconciliation will take place with the parents sooner or later, and then the event is celebrated by feasting and exchange of presents.

The people who inhabit the Hervey or Cook Islands (between Samoa and the Society Islands) have a remarkable custom. Here they are not content with mats where-with to make a pathway for the bride to walk along. But should she be the eldest girl, the members of her husband’s tribe lie down flat on the ground, while she walks lightly over on their backs. This “street of human bodies,” called in the native tongue ara tangata, extends from the bride’s house to that of the bride-groom and should the distance be so great that enough people cannot be found to make the pathway, then those on whom the bride has already stepped get up and quickly run on ahead, so as to lie down again and fill up the rest of the path. A curious custom certainly, but one may perhaps safely argue thereupon that women (and especially brides) are held in greater honour than in many other parts of the world, such as China. This ceremony takes place a few days after the wedding. The husband, on the day of his marriage, goes through a similar ceremony, walking on the backs of the people of the tribe to which his wife belongs. On that occasion the bridegroom’s friends walk on each side of the human pathway, clapping their hands, and singing songs in his praise, not omitting to mention his ancestors.

Marriage customs in these islands may also be illustrated by the following story, which a traveller heard from the natives. There was war between certain tribes, and Uriitepitokura, one of the defeated tribesmen, remained in hiding. This enterprising young man occupied his time in making fish nets and valuable dresses, the latter being composed chiefly of the feathers of birds which he contrived to catch. There was a pathway running down to the sea, and looking through a little hole in the rock he could see the people going down to the shore. In this way he one day saw a young woman of some rank who had escaped the watchful eye of her grandmother. Akamarama was her name, and to her he made himself known, entreating the damsel to afford him her protection and to become in time his wife. Of course he did not for-get to mention those treasures which he had so skilfully made with his own hands. He was handsome and young, but that alone would not have enabled him to win the fair one’s hand and heart. The nets and dresses were the chief cause of his conquest. She hence-forth rejected all offers of marriage, and refused to undergo the fattening process which is customary in those islands. Her parents, suspecting some previous attachment, inquired of her if there were any man whom she would be inclined to marry, whereupon she revealed her secret. Next day they arranged matters with the young man, who bestowed his feather garments and nets on the father and uncle of the bride, and some more nets on the chief, so as to ensure his protection. On the wedding-day Akamarama wore a splendid head-dress of feathers made by the bride-groom, and sat by her husband on a white cloth to receive the presents of their relations. They then par-took of food together, and entered forthwith into the married state.

In Tahiti and others of the small Polynesian Islands wives do not appear to be purchased. That is one way in which their marriage customs differ; But here is another, and a curious one too. The young girl who has been betrothed, as she grows up is zealously guarded from contact with the outer world, and this is effected by keeping her railed up on a high platform in the home. Food is brought, and nearly everything is done for her. Only very occasionally is she allowed to go out, and then she must be accompanied by one of her parents.

On the wedding-day an altar is set up in the house, on which are displayed the relics of her ancestors ? their weapons, skulls, and bones. The presents she receives are usually pieces of white cloth. If bride and bridegroom are related to the reigning family, the party repair to the temple of two chief idols of the country in order to procure their blessings. If not so related, prayers can be offered up at home. In the former case bride and bridegroom put on wedding garments, which become sacred ever after, and when they have taken places assigned to them the bride-groom is asked the following question ? “Wilt thou cast away thy wife? “The bride is addressed in a similar manner, and both answer” No.”They receive a blessing, and prayers are offered up for them. Then the relatives spread out a piece of white cloth on the floor; The bride and bridegroom step on to it, and take each other by the hand. Sometimes the skulls of ancestors are here brought out, no doubt in order to represent their spirits, with the idea that they may take part in such an important affair of the family. This reminds us of the Chinese custom of informing the ancestors and worshipping their tablets. The bride’s relatives then take a piece of sugar-cane, wrap it up in the branch of a certain sacred tree, and place it on the head of the bridegroom, and then lay it down between the now wedded pair who are still holding each other by the hand. The relatives on both sides consider that the two families are now for ever united. Finally, another cloth is produced and thrown over bride and bridegroom by the relatives. This cloth, as well as the wedding garments, is considered sacred. The day ends in much feasting. A good deal of dancing takes place on the day before the wedding.

Mr. William Ellis, a missionary, who wrote on Polynesia, ‘ describes the arrangements made for a marriage in the island of Huahine, one of the Society Isles, where he was stationed at the time, in the year 1822. The bridegroom was Pomare, the young chief of Tahaa, and the bride was Amiata, the only daughter of the late king of Tahiti, not far off. They met at Huahine, which was midway between the islands to which the respective families belonged. More than a week before his intended bride arrived from Tahiti, Pomare sailed from Tahaa and landed in Huahine, where he was entertained with due regard to his rank by the chiefs of the island. It was not, however, supposed at the time that his consort would become queen of Tahiti, because her brother was then living, and Amiata arrived on a brig belonging to the king, and was introduced to her future husband, who wore an English beaver hat, but otherwise was dressed in full native costume. He took his seat and awaited with gravity the appearance of Amiata. Presently she and her friends arrived and took their seats near the young chief. But Pomare continued motionless, neither rising to welcome: His guests nor taking off his hat. The princess, who sat by the side of her mother, occasionally glanced at her future husband, who sat like a statue before her.

The interview was a singular one, considering that the two had never met before. Not a single word was exchanged between them. After about twenty minutes the queen and her daughter and companions rose and went off to the house prepared for them, while Pomare and his friends returned to their encampment. Shortly after this meeting they were publicly married with Christian rites and afterwards removed to Tahiti. The bride was sixteen years of age, and her husband not much older.

Occasionally real courtship takes place, and there are instances of brides being only won after a great deal of wooing. There was a case of this in the same island, according to Mr. Ellis. It was a young chief, tall and powerfully built, with pleasant manners, who fell in love with the niece of another chief, and tendered proposals of marriage. Her family had no objection, but the young lady refused to accept his oft-repeated offers, although no means to gain her consent were left untried. The unhappy young man gave up his ordinary occupations and took up his abode in the house where the object of his affections lived, in order to devote himself to her constant service, which he did with great zeal, although subject to the deepest melancholy. Kind friends interested themselves on his behalf, and his sad fate became for a time the topic of general conversation. But in time the fair one relented, the two were married and lived together very happily.

After this a case of the opposite kind occurred. A party of five or six men arrived at the island of Huahine in a canoe from Tahiti, and remained there some time, the guests of a certain chief. A good-looking girl, one of the belles of the island, who belonged to the house where the men were being entertained, fell deeply in love with one of them. It was soon intimated to him that she would have no objection to becoming his wife; But, alas! There was no love on his side, although the unhappy girl endeavoured in every possible way to obtain his affection. She followed him about every-where. Things went on like this for some time, until the enamoured one, becoming very unhappy, declared that, if he continued indifferent to her, she would either strangle or drown herself. In the end, however, the young man relented, and married her. In this case the marriage proved an unhappy one, for the wife before long took a violent dislike to her husband.

THE good old custom of “keeping company,” as distinct from being formally engaged, obtains among the gondoliers’ families at Venice. When a young man finds that a damsel eyes his suit with favour, he informs a friend, and the two don their best clothes and make a ceremonious call upon the girl’s father. If the parents are satisfied, a certain trial time of some months is arranged for, and the young people see what they can of each other, or “keep company” during this period. When this is past, if they have meanwhile discovered that their tempers are incompatible, the matter drops. If, on the other hand, all goes well, the young man, his parents and relatives, visit the girl’s father and make a formal demand for her hand in marriage. A day or two later the betrothal is celebrated, when the lover presents his mistress with a wedding and other rings, which must all be returned should the lady prove fickle. Mr. Horatio Brown I says that in the province of Udine a jilt must present her former fiance with a pair of shoes, as compensation for the time he has wasted in fruitless courtship.

The Venetian lover is exceedingly attentive; He makes certain regulation presents according to the season ? at Easter a cake, on St. Mark’s Day a buttonhole of rosebuds, at Martinmas roast chestnuts, at Christmas a box of almond paste and a jar containing a curious confection of fruit and raw mustard seed. The girl gives in return neckties and kerchiefs embroidered with his name, or two hearts, as a tribute of her affection. But both must beware of making presents which bring ill-luck, such as pictures of saints or books. To do so is to court misfortune. Neither should any person offer a comb, clearly because witches so often use one; Scissors, not, as the northern people say, because they cut love, but because in Venice they signify a sharp tongue.

A Tuscan youth visits his innamorata on feast days, bringing as an offering a carnation or a rose. When poetically inclined he also composes verses in her praise. In due time the house-father (capoccio), who rules the bridegroom’s family, demands the girl’s hand for his kinsman, and a feast celebrates the conclusion of the business. A curious piece of conventionality hems in the Tuscan maiden. Just as among old-fashioned folk in England at the beginning of the century it was thought incorrect for a betrothed girl to visit her future husband’s house, so the young Tuscan peasant of our day is ordered, as she values her reputation, never to approach her lover’s dwelling, and even in her walks to avoid it.

A valuer has meanwhile drawn up an inventory of the bride’s belongings, and this paper is delivered to the capoccio of the bridegroom’s house. Should the young man die without children, the widow receives back the full value of all she brought to her husband. Her dowry invariably consists of some clothes and linen, a bed, and a pearl necklace worth from ? 5 to 100; Or if her family are too poor to buy pearls of this value she must be content with coral. In the north of Italy the dowry consists of gold ornaments, and a bride will sometimes have as many as twenty-three gold rings upon her fingers at the wedding. The Venetian fiancee knows that she must provide, if possible, the furniture of the household, but if her means are not adequate to such a purchase, the bed-room furniture, consisting of a bed of walnut wood, six chairs, two chests of drawers and a looking-glass. This is invariably expected of her. She brings also an array of copper pots, which hang from the beams of the kitchen roof. These become heirlooms and are portioned out to the daughters of the house as they marry. In many parts of Italy the dowry is brought with great pomp to the bridegroom’s house the day before the wedding. A friend of the present writer met a cart drawn by white oxen, decked with gorgeous head-fringes, on the road between Scirollo and Loreto. The cart was laden with linen and household goods, two immense and gaily decorated pillows topping the pile. The bride’s mother and friends followed, on their way to make up the nuptial bed.

Before the wedding-day the Venetian bridegroom must seek out a suitable “best man.”This is not always an easy matter, for the duties of that functionary are heavy, and entail no little expense on any one who wishes to acquit himself of the task with eclat. On the day before the wedding he must send a box of bon-bons, on the top of which is a little sugar baby, to the bride’s house, with two bouquets, one of real and one of artificial flowers, and a present of jewelry, a brooch or earrings. It falls to his lot to provide liqueurs and wine for the wedding supper, four candles for the wedding mass, four gondolas to convey the guests to the inn for supper, and satisfy the demands of beggars and children, who cry “Evviva la sposa,” at the church door. A compare’s hand is always in his pocket.

In Italy the dread of a wedding in May seems to be universal, and in Venice people marrying are very much restricted with regard to suitable days. When all is said, Sunday is the only time when the nuptial knot can be tied with any prospect of future happiness for the bridal pair. Saturday is indeed an exception to this rule, but then it is reserved for widows. Marry on Monday and you are sure to go mad; On Tuesday, and there is the prospect of endless suffering before you; “while Thursday, as the witches’ combing-day, is out of the question. There are no doubt equally cogent reasons why Wednesday and Friday should be rejected.

In Venice they prefer to be married at the earliest morning mass; In some parts of the Val d’Arno after sundown. The Tuscan bride wears a black dress, with a white bonnet or cap, while even in the coldest weather she carries a fan. No bridesmaids, but only married women accompany her to church, as no unmarried girl is allowed to witness a wedding. Her mother-in-law, or the house-mother (messaia) of her husband’s house, also stays at home to give the newcomer the kiss of welcome on the threshold.

The Venetian bride walks by the canal side on the compare’s arm, in her second-best wedding dress, for only the evening dance witnesses her best display of finery. The bridegroom and the comare follow in their wake, and thus they go to church in procession. The groomsman’s services are frequently required during the ceremony; He kneels on a crimson faldstool beside the bridal pair, puts the ring on the lady’s middle finger, pays fees when all is over, and scatters small coins among the waiting crowd for charity. Then he gives his arm to the bride, and all go merrily home-wards. Still he is weighed down by a great responsibility during the remainder of the day. The bride is under his charge, and unless she is in her mother’s keeping he must never let her go out of his sight.

After some slight refreshment the company separate to meet at four o’clock, when they adjourn to the tavern for supper. No formal invitations are issued, and all, save the parents and the compare and comare, pay their share of the bill. Supper lasts four whole Hours; At dessert a cake of hardbake is placed before the bride with much ceremony; She breaks it and a bird flies out; The guests cry “Evviva la sposa.”Then the tables are cleared and they all dance. A curious feature of the wedding feast in Tuscany is the absence of the women of the bride’s circle. It is true she sends them a basket of good things when the meal is over; But one would think she must miss them during the merriment.

On the whole the Tuscan wife knows that hers will be a hard lot. So many of her husband’s family are gathered under the patriarchal roof. There is the frequently tyrannical capoccio, the paterfamilias, who orders the affairs of the whole family; There is the messaia, his mother or wife, under whose dominion the various women of the household, sons’, brothers’, nephews’, and cousins’ wives and daughters pass their lives. For the first week of her married life, the young wife, just to show her capacity, must rise early and prepare the meals for the male portion of her husband’s household. This is a foretaste of her future labours. Working early and late, in the house. And in the fields, we think as we watch these Tuscan women, grown old before their time, how abundantly in their case has the curse of Adam been added to the curse of Eve.

In Sicily the first step in arranging a marriage is for the young man’s mother to call upon the mother of the girl selected by her son, in order to ascertain, in the first place, whether she approves of the proposed alliance, and secondly to find out the amount of her dowry. Should there be no objection on her part, and supposing that the girl also has no serious objection, the other mother usually presents an inventory of all the worldly goods she is able to bestow on her daughter. This seems to be the usual mode of procedure, but other ways are customary in certain districts.

About fifty years ago, in the province of Syracuse, the overtures were made in quite a different manner, which was less direct, and therefore possibly more polite. The young man’s mother, when making the call, carried a certain kind of reed under her cloak, and inquired of the girl’s mother whether she had a reed like it. If the latter said they had no such reed in the house, or refused to look for one, it was taken as a polite way of intimating that her family, or perhaps her daughter ? were not desirous of receiving the young man as their son-in-law. This was considered final, and there the matter ended.

Mothers sometimes select wives for their sons; They are naturally most anxious to find a steady and industrious girl who will be willing to work ? not an idle flirt. The following method of selection may appear somewhat rough and ready, but there is something to be said for it. The young man’s mother having some particular girl in view pays her a surprise visit.”Should the girl be found working (of course all good girls ought to be, among people in whose lives there is but little time for recreation) it is taken as a signal that she would make a useful wife, and her mother is interviewed at once. If, on the other hand, the girl is idling, it produces an unfavourable impression of her character, and no further steps are taken in that direction. How far such a method with its obvious defects is justifiable, it is not for us to say.

The betrothal customs of Sicily are curious. In the province of Trapani, the girl is placed in the centre of the room; Her future mother-in-law then enters, parts her hair, places a ring on her finger, gives her a hand-kerchief, and finally kisses her. In the province of Catania the young man presents his fiancee with a red ribbon, which she wears in her hair until the day of her marriage.

This custom is observed in many parts of the island. The red ribbon being a sign of betrothal, serves as an announcement of the fact that a girl is “engaged”; And sometimes the young men merely present it to her, instead of making a formal proposal ? which apparently requires more courage. As soon as a maiden is betrothed, her lover must consider what kind of present would be most acceptable to his future wife. In bygone days, young men gave tortoise-shell combs, silver needle-cases, silk handkerchiefs, rings or gloves according to their means. Nowadays there is less variety in these matters; A ring, a silver ornament for the hair, or a small gold cross, is usually given.

The valuation of the maiden’s property, especially of her trousseau, is an important ceremony. Friends and relatives come to satisfy their curiosity. The garments are either laid out on a bed, or hung on cords stretched across the mother’s bedroom. Amongst other things are tables, chairs, and various articles of furniture. A professional valuer, always a woman, determines the worth of each article, and an accountant makes the entries in a book. Should the woman be inclined to make her estimates too high, the young man’s mother may protest, and sometimes quarrels arise in this way.

There is a civil marriage as well as a religious ceremony, the latter being considered the more important of the two; The bridegroom, in fact, does not really consider himself married until after the latter has taken place. It is a very festive occasion; And the ceremony frequently takes place at night, hence torches are used. According to tradition the bride used in old times to arrive at the church door on horseback.

In Spain when a young man desires better acquaintance with a maiden, he appears at her house-door and asks for water. If invited to sit down the lover rolls up a cigarette, and asks for a light. This gives him an opportunity to observe the lady, and, if his impressions are favourable, he finds excuses for subsequent visits. Having made up his mind to demand her in marriage he makes overtures to the damsel’s father. The latter, like a true Spaniard, is in no haste. Go, “he says, and make inquiries concerning me, so that you may learn who I am. I, for my part, will make inquiries concerning you; Come again after a certain interval, and you shall learn my decision.”If, however, before this stage is reached, the lady has decided that the swain is not to her liking, she hands the crestfallen youth a pumpkin, and by that he knows that his hopes are dashed to the ground. But if the fair one is not averse to the match, and the father is satisfied, the lover is allowed to pay more frequent visits. A Murcian courtship is, however, a very decorous affair; The damsel receives the youth under her mother’s eye. They do not shake hands, and kissing is not allowed. And it is only in the larger towns of Andalusia, where the strictness of these customs is somewhat relaxed, that a lover may offer his mistress an arm when they are out walking together in the streets.

Among Spanish lovers, especially in Valencia and Andalusia, the serenade is a favourite method of court-ship. The suitor, accompanied by two torch-bearers and musicians, stands, on an evening prearranged, underneath the lady’s balcony, and tells his love through the mouth of a trovador, who has skill in improvising and singing verse. After much entreaty the lady vouchsafes to appear on the balcony, and first making a show of maidenly reluctance, is sometimes so overcome by the trovador’s pleading, as to throw down the wreath from her head, and promise the lover to be ever faithful to him. Naturally this is all a comedy, even if a very graceful one, the lover having obtained the consent of the parents, and of his mistress, some time before this public display of his affection takes place.

If the girl’s parents are obdurate, and refuse to countenance his suit, the Spanish youth has a sure remedy; He appeals to them three times, and after a third refusal, applies to the authorities. A local official (Alkalde) appears in a carriage in full uniform, and demands either the father’s consent to the union or the person of his daughter. Should the former be denied, the girl is, without further parley, carried off, and placed in a respectable family until the wedding, which is sure to take place unless the youth is of questionable character.

In Castille the bride wears a white flower in her bosom; In Andalusia a wreath of pinks and red roses fastened on her head. In Cadiz no ring is given in marriage, but the distinction between a married woman and an unmarried girl is that the former wears a flower on the right side of her hair. Poor girls in Madrid wear a flower but do not always know on which side to put it. Hence the young men are sometimes at a loss to know what it means. Sometimes they say to a girl, “Are you married? You have a flower on the right side! ”

In the neighbourhood of Madrid a curious custom, though not without its parallel in other lands, is still preserved. Two youths stand at the door of the bride’s house on the wedding-day, and when all the children and idlers of the neighbourhood are gathered round, they begin an oratorical dispute. One points out the bride’s faults and failings, the other, loud in her defence, extols her virtues. Sometimes the orators are so carried away by excitement that they come to blows, and knives have been used at times. In the same district the bridegroom, if he is a native of another place, must buy with gifts of wine, meat, and good things, permission from the lads of the village to take away his bride ? another form of ransom.

In Barcelona only the relations accompany the pair to church; The remaining guests meanwhile assemble at the parents’ house, where the feast is to be held. The members of the different sexes have tables laid for them in two separate rooms, and while the gentlemen are well supplied with meat and wines, the ladies have daintier dishes, such as pyramids of candied fruits and sweetmeats of the most enticing description. At the close of the meal the bridegroom appears among the lady guests, who, seated in a semi-circle, hold out their dresses to receive the bon-bons he scatters from a basket into each lap. They are veritable children in the matter of sweetmeats, these sedate ladies of Spain.

After the meal is over the company dance, and as an interlude make gifts to the bride. This is, in a Spanish father’s eyes, a most important item; For as he is obliged in many places to provide the whole of the furniture and household goods as well as the house itself, for the young couple, he can seldom spare his daughter a further dowry. Where the seguidillas manchegas, as the popular dance is called, finds favour with the guests, each man, woman, and child takes a few turns with the bride and makes her a present, which usually consists of money. In the villages of Salamanca they place a pie and knife on a table at one end of the room, and every guest that dances with the bride comes up afterwards, cuts the pie with the knife and put inside a piece of money.

When at midnight the young Valencian husband tries to steal away with the bride from among the throng of guests, her girl comrades strive with all their might to keep her back, and he is forced to call in the aid of his friends. When at last they make their escape, the young people retire to the terrace on the house-roof, where a bower of flowers has been prepared. Truly they manage things poetically in Spain! In no other nation does (ostensible) courtship begin with music of the serenade under the stars, and married life begin with a bower of flowers!

In Portugal enamoured bachelors have to make the best of very slender opportunities for making love. A young man paces before the fair one’s window until he has aroused her attention, and then must contrive to make some pretty speeches before being observed by the passers-by. He is sure to find her at mass, and so becomes constant in attendance at her favourite church. If the duenna is not too vigilant, it is always possible to slip a love letter, expressive of his deep admiration, into the fair lady’s hand. They may be lucky enough to meet at dances; But, alas! How little can there be said, when decorum requires that the young lady should be led back to her chaperon the moment a dance is over.

It is a Portuguese custom for the priest literally to bind the hands of the bridal pair together with the end of his stole, before he puts on the ring. Directly the service is over, it rains bon-bons, and if the officiating priest is hit by any of the shower intended for the young couple, there is much laughter and merriment.