Why did they have the dowry? Why don't they use it yet today? Well I have done some thinking and I believe I came up with an answer. As far as I know having a dowry started up in the fourteenth century. A dowry was property, food, and money. It was given to a young man along with the privilege to marry the daughter in the neighboring family.
When you stop and ponder it, back then people got married a lot younger fourteen, fifteen, however seventeen was pushing it. I have a daughter who is fifteen, at times she has ugly mood swings. U.M.S. Is what I call them. It stands for Ugly Mood Syndrome! She can turn from cute little girl into an ugly prickly porcupine at the drop of a hat.
The day is going pretty good, then someone calls, suddenly she starts bawling! I can't tell you how often I thought one of my parents had died, been in a bad accident or hospitalized.
When I finally get her calmed down. I find out that one of her friends no longer likes her, because she hadn't called them in the last hour.
The TV commercial that advertised to have a piece of soap take them away, in order to get serenity, seems a bit far-fetched. They obviously did not live in our house!
Once my daughter and her friends wanted to go shopping. We went, I thought this will give us mother daughter bonding time. Right? Not! "Mom can I buy this dress?" "Mom, can I get this makeup?" "Mom! Can we go get our nails done?" "It's only $39.99 each!"
By the time the day is over I am half crazed, completely wore out and I have the housework and supper to fix for everybody. Besides laundry and the lawn to mow.
No wonder some father's gave half the farm plus food, and a little cash to the first young man showing any interest in his daughter. The goal was to get his little girl married and into a young man's home to get some quiet!
WANTED! Young man looking for a corner lot, plus enough potatoes and onions to last through the winter.
We have a young strong-willed woman for you!
Up to the highest bidder!
No reasonable offer turned down!
Sure lets you see that those dads were wiser then they let on!
I'm more than ready to vote back in the dowry! Are you?