WIFE-BOYIG.

NZ Truth, Issue 151, 9 May 1908, Page 8

WIFE-BOYIG.

WHERE WIVES ARE SOLD AT TEN SHILLINGS EACH.

The "Points" of the "Human Goods."

Good Hair, Sound Teeth, Firm Chest, Straight, Strong Umbs.

Where Ten Women are Supposed to Have but One Soul.

Russia is semi-Asiatic— indeed, m some respects it may he termed, and truthfully termed, fully Asiatic. For instance, there are the marriage customs that nrevail m parts of Russia. Women are actually sold to their husbands. They stand m a line at the market place until they are picked out by the purchasers, and some of them fetch very little, as little as ten shillings. However, the most desirable of the girls may fetch as much as £20, or even more, and competition may even take place among the buyers, m which case there is practically an auction of the women. An English newspaper thus deals, m a recent issue, with the practice of wife-buying m Russia :— The mercenary side of matrimony has supplied numerous novelists with themes for sensational fiction. Once, again, however, it is possible to assert that "truth is stranger than Action." Witness the following account a Russian correspondent gives of the state of affairs prevailing m outlying parts of his j dismal and disordered country :— The annual ! MARRIAGE AUCTIONS are, he says, now being held m the towns of Gschatslc and Lystcheffka. The first-named town is the more important place, and possesses a cathedral. More than 300 would-be brides have arrived there from the surrounding country on sleighs. Most of them are accompanied" by their parents and . relatives. At 9 o'clock sharp -'the bride show" is held, m front of the cathedral. , The girls . are drawn up m a line reaching from that building to the City Hall. All are dressed up specially for the occasion, wearing their' best clothes, the picturesque head-dresses, earrings and other jewels and ornaments, which it is the greatest desire of Russian girls to amass. They have all taken a hot bath m preparation for this occasion, and consequently they look much prettier and more attractive than at ordinary times. The men pass along the line examining THE HUMAN GOODS with interest and varying degrees of emotion. The middle-aged and well-to-do customers usually regard the girls with critical and business-like attention, while some of the young fellows exhibit considerssis bashfulncss. The careful customer looks all along the line before he begins to pay any attention to individuals. Then he stops before an article that takes his fancy and examines her points thoroughly. He runs his fingers through her hair to see if it is her own, of good quality, and well-kept. He opens her mouth and looks at her teeth. He taps her chest to see if it is firm and solid. He looks carefully AT HER LIMBS to see if they are straight and strong, and capable of doing the extremely hard work he Avill require of her on his farm. Having satisfied himself regarding all I these points, he mentions to the girl the price he is willing to pay. This will vary from five roubles (about 10s) up