The Chemawa American, March 01, 1915, Page 3, Image 5

THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN
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went a Modification, and became more gentle. This change must have
affected in the first place the mode of procuring a wite, for, we find
that everywhere marriage by capture was succeeded by marriage by
purchase. The more advanced bridegroom came to realize that by
carrying off his bride against her will, he exposed himself to the ven
geance of her family, and he began to offer some compensation which
was looked upon as an indemnity for the loss sustained and for the
maintenance of the girl until her marriage. The earliest form of such
a compensation was the personal service rendered by the bridegroom
to the father of the girl. This custom finds its expression in the bibli
cal story of Jacob, who served fourteen years in order to obtain his two
wTives, Leah and Rachel. This form of compensation was kept up un
til man began to acquire and realize the value of property. As soon as
this took place, we find the prospective husband paying property to the
owner of the girl. And in such manner marriage by purchase became
an universally recognized " institution. Among our Indians, for ex
ample, purchase is the only way of contracting a valid marriage.
Among some tribes the children of a woman, who has not been pur
chased, are considered illegitimate, and they constitute a class of social
outcasts, who can intermarry only among themselves. This form of
marriage exists even among the most advanced and Christianized mem
bers of the Red Race. I recollect such an instance from my own personal
experiences. My Coos (Oregon) interpreter was a Christian and , he
married according to the rites of the Catholic Church, of which he is a
member, but he was nevertheless obliged to pay for his wife the sum of
$100 in cash, in addition to a horse.
The number of people that still practice marriage by purchase, is
legion. One finds them in every part of the world. It is interesting
to note how the standard price paid for a wife by the different races
varies. An African savage is able to purchase a wife with an ox or
two cows; the Asiatic husband values his' wife at a price that ranges
from $2.50 to $25, while our Indian pays for his "better half" the sum
of $50 and up. In some cases, when the bridegroom is too poor'to
pay the price, he is allowed to contract the marriage with the under
standing that he will settle the debt at some later opportunity. Such
an instance of marriage "on credit" is recorded by Emin Pasha, the fa
mous African explorer. According to his statement, a savage of the
upper Nile region may marry "on credit," but his w7ife and children
remain in the parental home until the full price is paid.
That even such highly civilized people as the Jews and Mohamedans
purchased their wives until very recently, is shown by their nuptial
ceremonies. The orthodox Jews today have a sham purchase, called
"marrying by the penny," which forms an important part of a wed-