Everlasting Pearl: One of China's Women

ents were urged to make arrangements for her future. "You can keep her a few years befo

onour to be entrusted with the future arrangements for a young couple. On such occasions a great many untruths are often told, which are only discovered after th

t, no pig died, no rice basin was broken-they were thought to augur only good luck, and to promise well for the alliance of the two families. So Mr. Hsü made out the "Cyclical Characters" of one of his sons, a young man twenty-five years old. He then called in an astrologer, and asked him to compare the two papers and give his verdict as to the advisability of the two young people being joined i

daughter, we want her to have a good outfit," replied the parents, "so Mr. Hsü must give at least $40 and some good clothes." The list was then made out-$40, ten articles of clothing, a ring, two bracelets, a pair of earrings, and three silver

middleman, was seen advancing toward Kucheng, carrying a sort of wooden box or basket, with several trays, one piled on top of the other. One tray carried all sorts of sweetmeats and the half of the money, twenty dollars, wrapped in red paper. Another tray was filled with pork

inner the party started off again for the Hsü home, taking the return presents. These consisted of the following articles-a hat, a pair of shoes and stockings, a sash, a number of embroidered purses, with

re settled for her before she had any idea of what such a future might mean. Her little girl-friends teased her, but there was an added respect in their treatment of her. She dimly realised that somehow

Writing the eng

s a marriage

racters appertaining to th