Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-08-23
Marriage In Egypt.

When an Egyptian wants wife he is not
allowed to visit the harems of his friends
to select one, for Mohammed forbade men
to see the face Of any woman they could
marry; that is to say, any beside their
mothers or sisters. A man is, therefore,
obliged to employ khatbeh, or match
maker, to find one for him, for which SER
vice of conrse she expects " backsheesb,"
that is, payment. The knatbeh, having
found a girl, recommends her to the man as
exceedingly beautiful and eminently suita-
BILE to him. The father is then waited upon
to ascertain the dowry he requires for all
wives are purchased, as they were i'll patri4
archal days. When Jacob had no money to
pay for Rachel he served her father seven
years as an equivalent; and, when duped,
was obliged to serve a second time to secure
his prize. Gen. xxx. Fathers still re-
fuse to part with a younger daughter in
marriage before an elder shall have been
married The people of Armenia, in Asiastic
Turkey, forbid younger son to marry be-
fore an elder, and this is likewise the law of
the Hindoos.
The price of wife varies from five shil-
ings to fifteen hundred dollars. The girl
may not be more than five or six years old,
but whatever her age, two thirds of the
dowry is at once paid to the father, in the
presence of witnesses. The father then, or
his representative, says, "l betroth to thee
my daughter and theyoung man responds,
ST accept such betrothal." Unless among
the lower classes, the father expends the
dowry in the purchase of dress, ornaments,
or furniture for the bride, which never be-
come the property of her husband. Even
when betrothed, the intercourse of the par
ties is very restricted. The Arabs will not
allow them to see each other; but the Jews
are not quite so stringent. TIL batrothals
often continue for years before the man de-
mands his wife, thus "Samson went down
and talked to the woman or espoused her,
and, latter time, he returned to take
her"
Girls are demanded at the age Of ten, and
between that and sixteen years; but, after
sixteen, few men will seek them, and the
dowry expected is then proportionately
small.
Girls in Egypt are often mothors at l2
and grandmothers at 26; and, in Persia,
they are said to be mothers at IL, grand
mothers at %, and past childbearing at 80.
When man demands his betrothed, day
is fixed for the nuptials, and for seven
| nights before he is expected to give feast,
which, however, is furnished by the guests
themselves This one sends coffee, another
rice, another sugar, &c.
The principal time of this continued
feast is the night before the contamination.
The conduct is intrusted to the I" friend OF
the bridegroom" John iii, 20. About
the middle of this day the bride arrives at
the house, and retires to the harem, where
she is with her mother, sisters, and female
friends. At the third or fourth watch OF
the night-three or four hours after sunset
the bridegroom, who has not yet seen his
fair one, goes to the mosque to pray, accom-
yanied by "meshals," or torches and Ian
terms, with music. Upon his return he is
introduced to the bride, with whom, having
given her attendant a present to retire, he
is left alone. He then throws off her veil,
and for the first time sees her face. If sat
isfed, he informs the women outside, who
Immediately express their joy, by scream.
ing "Zuggareet, which is echoed by the
women in the house, and then by those il
the neighborhood.