Life and light for woman . ressions as, Wives are cheap this year, or, Wivesare cheaper at Hokchiang than at Foochow, are often heard. As soon as the betrothal is consummated the child is taken fromher home to that of her future husband, to be trained by hismother, and to become the drudge of the household. Miss Payson,of Foochow, writes: I asked a man well versed in Chinese cus-toms, if these little girls were never loved and petted in their newhomes. His answer was. Yery seldom; perhaps two or three in athousand. The experience of a convert to Christianity in Swa-tow, as told to a missionary
Life and light for woman . ressions as, Wives are cheap this year, or, Wivesare cheaper at Hokchiang than at Foochow, are often heard. As soon as the betrothal is consummated the child is taken fromher home to that of her future husband, to be trained by hismother, and to become the drudge of the household. Miss Payson,of Foochow, writes: I asked a man well versed in Chinese cus-toms, if these little girls were never loved and petted in their newhomes. His answer was. Yery seldom; perhaps two or three in athousand. The experience of a convert to Christianity in Swa-tow, as told to a missionary, will afford a fair specimen of the livesof thousands of girls in China. She said: — When I was eight years old. I was betrothed for eight dollars toa man at Xam-Leng, a village a mile from my home. I had neverseen the man or any of his family. I took nothing from home withme but the one tunic and pair of trousers that I wore. My mother,and the go-betweens who had acted as agents in my betrothal, led GIRLS IN CHIXA. 19Y. ^EIC^&ll CHINESE GIRL SELLING FRUIT. 198 J^IJ^E AND LIGHT. me to his house, and left me there. I jumped up and down, andscreamed to go back to my mother; and my husbands mother toldme not to cry, for my home was to be with her henceforth; but Ikept crying more or less for years. Indeed, I never really stoppedcrying till I had children of my own. I did not see my own motheragain for three years, for she was afraid I would cry, and be discon-tented if I saw her. I always slept with my mother-in-law% and, dur-ing the day, I spooled the yarn which the older ones spun and woveinto cloth. At this I worked from daylight until dark, only stoppingto eat. I had plenty to eat, and was only whipped when I noddedover my spools. All this time 1 never spoke to ray betrothed hus-band, and he only spoke to me to tell me to do something. Atfourteen, when his mother told me to do so, I became his husband never called me by any name whatever. When hewanted me to do anyt
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectcongregationalchurch
