GENERAL ITEMS.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 705, 7 February 1922, Page 2

GENERAL ITEMS.

THE HINDU WIFE. ——s ■— ,• A Hindu wife is made to feel that her life is a failure unless she is the mother of a son. According to the Brahmin religion, a man can, with certainty, escape hell if he had a son living at the time of his death. Where a Avoman does not give birth to son in eleven years, her husband must cast her aside, and choose another wife, by whom he may possibly have a son. A girl has a miserable time of it all her life. Only at night is a mother allowed to kiss or caress her child. The boys are allowed to roam at will; but the girls must remain indoors, ana can only get out, at long intervals, for short periods. At six A r ears of age the child is married —that is, the first wedding ceremony takes place. It is more of a formal > betrothal, but with all the binding of a genuine wedding. The child must hoav remain indoors, and can only get ont, at long intervals, her face must be hidden from all men. If she is the daughter of a cast-ofr wife—that is, one who for eleven years has borne' no son—she has to suffer many persecutions, Svhich eventually lead her to almost any evil or sin. At twelve years of age the husband, too often a very olcl man, comes to take the child to his home. -Oftc ( n the child does not wish to go, and shrieks Avhile she vainly attempts to escape from the messengers sent to bring her to the waiting husband. When the husband dies, the wife is shut up in a room, sometimes for years, where she. sees no one. Her imprisonment depends on the caprice of her mother-in-law. As a widow, however, she is a disgrace, and the sooner she dies the better for her. It is deemed bad luck to look into her face first on arising in the morning.