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Show wu MARRIAGE IN CHINA Cantonese aristocracy is official, There is nothing in the system to prevent a simple peasant from becoming be-coming Viceroy. Until recently on-tranco on-tranco into and promotion in official JtfYi wna hv n ntnnp.t It I Vfl ovnmlnntlnn Prinqes of the Manchu dynasty arc, of course, the real blooded aristocracy aristoc-racy or China, But there are not enough of them to go round, and outside out-side of Peking they exert little influence in-fluence in social life. While there are no watertight compartments com-partments Jn Cantonese society, it is possible to distinguish certain classes. I propoe to show, with the help given me bv our Consul, how typical fami-lios fami-lios of theso different olasBos live, especially looking into their living expensos and incidentally into the structure of family life in Canton. Taking tho aristocratic official class first, you will find in a typical family six Individuals husband and wife, two other women and two children. chil-dren. Their monthly household expenses would bo nhout as follows: Rent for a house valued at $10,000, $G0; oleven men servants, Including ono porter, four general servants, a cook, assistant cook and four chair coolies, $37. There will be seven women servants, at a totnl cost of $17.75, comprising two women's maids at $3 each, two babies' nursc3 at $-1 and three general servants, who also do the family washing, at $1 25 each. The food for the family would cost $75 a month. Tho mastor and threo wives havo four meals a day Breakfast, Break-fast, 50. qents; luncheon, 25 cents. Th0 two moalr, for the servants cost 25 cent a day. To this mu6t bo added for flrowood and sundry expenses. Thus the baje llvlugyxponaes for the family are $217 a 'month Tho two jxtra wlveB-are-practically slaves, If they be,ajr. no children thoy have no legal status;. If they bear Children their position in tbo family is assured They are subject to the orders of the first wife; their children chil-dren aro considered her children and subject to her direction. As thero always Is a steady exodus of men fiom Canton, the population numbprs more women than men. Tho law does not sanction, but on the contrary, con-trary, actually forbids plurality of wives. A Chinese may havo but one wlfo; there is no limit to the number of concubines he may have, Th.c wife is chosen from tho samo rank and poHltlon.of Jlfe as that of her hus-rbau'd. hus-rbau'd. George A. Darsoy In Indepen-sdnL Indepen-sdnL . u 4. i -- -n |