The social corner-stone of Tlamco was not the family but the clan. Husband and wife must belong to different gentes, and the children claimed descent from the mother. The spheres of the sexes were clearly defined but manfully, the wife being the complete owner of the house and all it contained. If a mother, she was not required to perform other than household duties. Slovenliness was severely punished in both sexes, and so was idleness.
At no time was the life of the ordinary woman of greater hardship than is that of the wife of a poor man in any enlightened or so-called Christian country to-day. Should her husband ill-treat her, a woman of this civilization could permanently evict him from the home. The husband owned the crops until they were housed, and then the wife had an equal voice in their distribution. The live stock was his; but there was an unwritten code which forbade his disposing of it without consulting his wife.
For these reasons, certain of the afternoon hours of each day were set apart, in the market, by the guilds, for the reception of the women. They came in two sections, and took turns, so that each guild received a weekly visit. It was to head a procession of this kind, visiting the bazaars devoted to Monbas handiwork, that Kerœcia and her attendants hurried through the streets.
“See the crowds of children, the priestesses and the women,” said Kerœcia, as they whirled through a circular gateway leading to the bazaar.
“They are waiting for us,” exclaimed Ildiko, with a glow of satisfaction and self-importance. “Setos, the wise and kind father, forgive our being tardy,” she continued; “we were detained on such loving pretexts as befits the exalted regard felt for our guests.” She gave her hand to Alcamayn and bounded lightly to the ground.
“Shame oppresses me sorely for having kept thee waiting,” said Kerœcia, as she suffered Orondo to assist her.
“Thy dalliance was slight,” he answered gallantly, “and our first concern is for thy pleasure.”
“Let us go at once,” they all said.
Each one picked up a basket of flowers and followed Kerœcia and Orondo.
It was a pretty sight. The women and children filled every nook and corner of the booths with flowers while the priestesses swung incense up and down the aisles and over the commodities. The men paid their guests compliments, plied them with sweet-meats and were as courteous and considerate as the occasion demanded.