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Show Definite Price Put on Native Wife in Africa When an Inlianibanl native of Portuguese East Africa wants to get married lie usually goes to Jolian- ! ner-liurg to work in the gold mines j for the price of a wife, Mis3 Ruth j Thomas, a St. Louis missionary re- cenrly returned from there, says. The price of a native wife is ?T3, which must be paid to her father. "The prospective bridegroom marches into the home of the father," fa-ther," .Miss Thomas reports, "and says In n bold tone, 'Ho the cattle eat here?' (Inhambanian for 'Are there any marriageable girls here?') "If tiie father replies affirmatively the hoy produces the 'bride price' i and asks for the daughter's hand. The fattier answers that the young man must obtain the consent of his daughter. "If the daughter is obstinate It may require a good deal of arguing on the part of the parent to change her view. Seldom, however, does a prospective father-in-law allow $75 to slip away from him. "When an agreement has been reached the two kneel before the father for Ids Blessing. He fills his mouth with water and sprays the bride's face and then does the same thing to the bridegroom. That is the wedding." Exchange. |