OCR Text |
Show BREACH OF PROMISE IN CHINA. The Shanghai Shen Pac reports an interesting case of breach of promise proceedings which is very characteristic of the "celestials." Chen and Yu lived in a country village near Nanking. Yu had a daughter who was formally betrothed to Chen's son, and, probably on account of her parents' poverty, was sent to her future father-in-law's house, to be brought up there. After a time Yu, who is a weaver, went to live in Nanking, and his daughter came to pay a visit to her mother. The girl, who was now grown up, was very discontented with her lot, complaining of her father-in-law's roughness and coarseness; and her parents began to repent of the engagement, and determined to try and break if off. Next door to them was living a scholar name Chin, who was waiting for the next examinations, and occupying himself meanwhile as a schoolmaster. Constantly seeing the girl, he took a fancy to her, and formed an intrigue with her. The future father-in-law, Chen, finding the girl was not sent back to his house, and hearing a rumor of Chin's attentions, began to suspect that Yu was trying to break off the match, and sent a match-maker to hurry on the marriage. Yu replied that he had never accepted any betrothal presents, and that no one could make him take them, and that he would not give his consent to the marriage. Chen then went himself with the match-maker , but with no further result than a great deal of mutual abuse. Chen next filed a petition in the magistrate's court, and Yu presented a counter petition written for him by Chin. The case came on for hearing, and the magistrate soon elicited the truth. After rating Yu soundly, he turned to Chen and said, " You can take the girl or not, as you like, but I strongly advise you not to." Chen persisted in having her, and the magistrate ordered the two parties to draw up a formal contract. Chin, who was present in court, motioned to Yu not to sign the contract. He was detected, however, by the magistrate in so doing, and was called up and questioned, and then cautioned that a man in his position should not mix himself up in a case of this sort. The magistrate then looked up the almanac and chose a lucky day in June for the wedding day, whereupon Chin stepped forward on Yu's behalf, and begged that the marriage might be held in autumn. This interference thoroughly exasperated the magistrate, who thumped the table and ordered Chin to be kept in confinement till after the marriage was completed. In a few days' time the match maker presented herself at Yu's house with the customary presents. When she was well inside, the door was closed, and father and daughter fell upon her and beat her horribly. The woman, after this foretaste, not knowing what would happen on the real wedding day, appealed to the magistrate, who again called up both parties. Yu could only allege in excuse that the son-in-law had not come in person to the house. Chen said that the custom was given up in the country, and beside his son has not the money to buy a proper dress for the occasion. The magistrate replied that the bridegroom should certainly go to the house, and, as he was poor, the magistrate would give him the money for the dress. Moreover, when the day came, the magistrate said he would send two policemen with the bridegroom, and if there was any trouble the girl should be carried to the magistrate's Yamen and married there. When the day came, the policemen escorted the party to the bride's house and then back to the bridegroom's , and waited till the marriage ceremony had actually been performed, when they retired. |