Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-09-16

UtautN are > UuhyuipuS, ana y NDiilaH of itiuu-
crate professions must be one who cannot
walk without slave under each arm to sup
port her, whilst a perfect beauty is u canels
load
In Turkey, child twelve q thirteen years
Of age is snatched from the house Of her pa
rents, and consigned 20 the keeping af an IN
solent ard illmanncred boy only d few years
older. She must herself have become a
mother before the rules Of Eastern etiquette
mot, indeed strictly obsersed-- allow der to
enjoy again a mothers converse. In tile
meantime. she remains generally under tic.
guardianship Of her motlier-in-law. and Is ex.
posed to all the rudcncss and caprice OF her
boy husband At times, this victim show
no immediate signs Of becoming mother, he
takes it into his head to rcpudiaio her
which case she returns to her parents house,
when she must wait for three months 10 see
whether her husband is pleased to repent bis
precipitate conduct. and demand her back
Twice TIE husband may rcpudiate Lis wife :
but after the third time he cannot, by the
laws Of lslamism, receive her agni1, and she
become the wife Of another When Turk
decides upon taking wife bis female friends
inspect the pedigree and personal qnalilica
tiuns Of the intended bride ilcr hair is sha-
ken up and combed, to slow that it is her
own; her mouth is examined for false teeth;
and her checks aud eyebrows are well scrub
ned, that any culorng matter may be removed
The day before the marriage, the bride goes
to the bath, aud is washed by three or four
women with great care. This ceremony is
so solemn, that her Bearest relations walk
before with lighted torches in Their hands
In the wedding procession. the bride rides
with veil over her face. accompanied By her
servants, who make great clamor, and pre-
tend, as in the case Of Jephtha's daughter. TO
lament her less. The Turks may marry
their sisters, pfoviled they begin with tic
Oldest; for If they begin with the youngest
they cannot marry the others He is allow
cd four lawful wives.
The shortest courtships are in Georgia and
Circassia. Marriages are often contracted
from sudden resolutions, aud are celebrated
either in the church or in their own houses
They come under no Obligation except that
made before witnesses, to be faithful, and not
to be united 20 another 50 long as either lived
4 ut CtltuOuN 10 BtIibtUtt W putting
crown on the heads Of the bride aud bride
groom, using these words, and naming the
persons Let the servant Of God here the
nainc) be crowned by tie servant of God
(here the priests name.)' The garments
of the man and woman are now sewed togeth
err and the priest gives them glass Of wine,
of which both purtake; lie then cuts the
thread by which their garments are held to-
gciher. ana all the ceremonies Of the mar
riage are ended.
In Wallachia and Moldayia marriage is
brought about BY the audacity pf . party Of
rcevcrs or women stealefs who take away the
bride by force from the house other relations,
and place her under the protection of the
bridegroom to whom she is married without
further ceremony
In Ioccatara they indulge in dolyga.ny,
and may change their wives at pleasure; by
carrying them Into market or public place
where they may also exchange With others,
for time or forever.
Among the ancient Assyrians, a singular
mode of providing husbands for plain young
ladies was adopted Every year ali their
manageable women were assembled and put
up to auction A spirit Of competition a
mong the rich men raised this price to very
considerable sums which were appropriated
TO the purpose Of portioning off such young
women as were less handsome, and consc-
quently less admired The more ugly girl
was the larger was her dowry in order to IN
duce some avaricious man to marry her. The
only ceremony used was sort Of feast. at
which the husband assembled his friends, and
called upon them to witness that he had COM
Piled with the conditions Of his bargain.
AT the present day. among the japanese,
the women are married without PORTIONS
The reason given for this custom is, that the
women have no occasion for pride and inso-
lence; but among the more wealthy families.
the brides pareuts on the wedding day send
a sum of money as formal present to the
bridegroom, which be presently returnsin the
same ceremonous way.
The Japanese female is the presiding del
ty at all festivals and is the ornament of So
cial life. Intercourse with tanners is avoided
as well as forbidden--that trade forming a
caste beyond Che pale Of society, and supply
ing the country with executioners.
--~.,>,>>>,S>.~~-----
senator Phelps, of Vermont, on, the Fugitive
Slave Law.