THE TORN VEIL 3

Page 3

Kwame Asante made a long bill to his father-in-law, claiming all the money he had spent on Akosua since he married her, as well as well as the presents give to her parents: it come to three hundred and fify pounds. He thought better of the matter next day.

After all Akosua is a woman and women are always weak; after my marriage I can soon coax her round. I can then have one wife in Akwapim and another in Accra-after all, monogamy is all humbug. There is a ratio of about eight women to one man; when I marry one and keep to her alone, what happens to the other seven?'

Martha Aryeetey, Kwame's second choice, a school teacher, was a pleasant-looking girl, plump and cheerful, and extremely proud of herself for having secured Kwame Asante. He had just built and furnished a house at Adabraka, and ever since he fell in love he had been giving her three pounds a month pin-money, and provisions as well; and besides, she was earning seven pounds a moth. In fact, she was one of the happiest girls in Accra. Did she think of the women whose place she was going to occupy? Not at all; after all, she was only a cloth woman.

The great day arrived. Holy Trinity Church was packed with guests and gate-crashers - for many people make it a habit to attend weddings without being invited. According to custom the relatives of the bride and groom were in white.

Kwane and Martha looked well, and radiantly happy.

The service was fully choral. It was soon over and a grand reception took place at the Rodger Club. The bride and bridegroom, together with the best man, yaw Asante, and the bridesmaids and pages, sat on the dais.

A few special guests had champagne, some had whisky and soda, some beer, some ginger beer, others nothing. Thin slices of cakes and atsomo, or 'twists' as they are called by Europeans, were served round. The handbags of some of the guests were served round. The handbags of some of the guests were packed and overflowing; some had a slice or two, others sat through and somehow just happened to be overlooked.

Shoals of telegrams arrived from distant friends and relatives. The best man received them, opened some and told the bridegroom the names of the senders. The telegrams were so many.

Tomorrow we shall read all,' they decided.

At last the guests began to stand and walk up the dais, to shake hands with the newly-married couple. It was a long and tedious ceremony but everything has an end. The last guest had gone; the bridal group walked down the dais to the waiting car. They went from one relative's house to another. All gave good advice and a glass of cold water for lick.

TO BE CONTINUE ......

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