The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-12-11
Curious Jewish Customs-Marrylng and
Dyingi In the East.

a Boston boy who was with EurTOgut
wrote to the Commonwealth, Of Boston,
from Smyrna rs follows;
When n jew IL married il is customary
for him to "keep his wedding rs it il
called, for eight days. During the time he
keeps an open house, aud all the friends,
aud strangers as well, call to pay their res
poets 10 the couple. Dancing and differ
emit games are CARVED on all tho time
When we were there they were expecting
some friends in TO dance. Ut was about
half-pGst three in the ~Ritsnoon.) They
said that there had been friends there and
dancing going on the previous night, and
till eight o'clock in the morning. The
same performances are gone through from
day to day for a week. Anybody and every
body calls in. Let me describe tho place we
gent into, not saying anything about the
people. There wore.two rooms thrown open
TO the public-the principal ones in tho
house; the first one contained 4 diyan
about four and q half or five feet wide, and
one or w chairs; and upon this divan
wore some men engaged in a game Of back
CANNON. In the other was q diyan
about half us wide, running around two
sides OF II, and upon this were seated the
bride ana several visitors. The rooms were
all very plainly furnished, and had one or
two pictures on the walls. The husband
was u tall and heavy man, with moustache
and beard, and without any Of the jew
look ubout him. He was dressed in com
mon citizen clothes aud received us in his
shirt sleeves and flowing vest. He request
ed IA, five felt anyways warm or uncom-
Portable, to take of our uniform coats -
The bride received US very composedly,
without q nod or u wink. She was the best
looking lady by far in the room-goodlooE-
ing, but not handsome; her features were
regular and fresh, but she had high check
bones. The Jewish females cannot wear a
head-dress tall after they are married, 10
that 1t in always very easily told who the
married females are. The top OF her head
was covered with a piece Of blue silk which
ven around the back of her head and
came up over her forehead, almost cover
ing up her ears. II did not come down on
the forehead, but passed just over the top
Of II. Then there was n small white band
around her head, and this was surrounded
by a small bead caronet. Her hair was as
black Us jet, aud very little of it could be
seen, She wore Il bombazino dfess, cut no
as 70 iii close around the ahoullers, but
low IN the neck, according TO the custom Of
their sect here. Then she wore II zouave
jacket, with bloomer pantaloong and long
skirt This Is tho same costume as that in
which they all dress. 1t is the custom OF
the Jewish ladies to paint the ends Of their
fingers brown during their wedding. This
gives a very bad appearance to the hands.
They gave us Rll Il glass OF cool lemonade,
and all the smokers INDUCED in cigarettes.
The host, who was able 10 speak English,
talked freely to us Of the Jewish customs.
II IL one of the customs of the Jews, when
they get old, 10 20 10 Jerusalem to die, for
they believe they will then 90 to heaven,
So whom people gel old they get Bomo Of
their relations 20 cary them there. Thene
Jews live 20 II ripe old age, and from what
! have heard, l should think It was not I'M
common lot them 10 attain the age OF 100
years. One man, who is now "a years old,
told me that his lather died at ia years of
age; and hat lately he had carried his
mother to Jerusalem TO die, who is now 80
years old. Last week an Old lady lOyears
Of age returned to Jerusalem to die.