The Village Marriage. 163
she was very unhappy at the prospect, and began to look about to see if there was not some way of escape. But what door of hope was there for her? Was she not engaged to be married to this man? And did that not at least settle it till the marriage had actually taken place? We must not forget that in Korea engagements are not like pie crust, made to be broken, but are made to stand almost any sort of a test till the wedding day, after which event the binding force is no stronger than the will of the husband in the case. So the outlook for poor little Rhoda (for this is the name I gave her when she was baptized) was not at all bright. But in their distress they doubtless prayed much, and came to the leaders in the Church for advice and help. The matter was brought to my attention, and my sympathy was all with little Rhoda; but how to make my sympathy count for something was not so easily decided. The advice of some of the Church people was to have nothing to do with it, as it was a very serious matter to meddle with engagements in this country. Others said it would not do to allow it to go on, as Rhoda would lose both soul and body if she were compelled to marry this man. I followed the latter advice, and had a trusted helper to see the groom to-be and ascertain on what terms he would be willing to set the girl free. It did not take him long to decide that the sum of fifteen dollars to reimburse him for what he had spent on them during the past three years would be sufficient to induce him to give a quitclaim on the girl. But where was the money to come from? The mother and the girl
