The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1871-08-31
4 Moorish Wedding.

grOOm'S house, where men were
screaming and firing guns. An old
Moor seized me by the shoulders and
pushed me into the doorway, l
thought I might as well go in and see
all that was to be seen; so / ventured
in. On Mr.. Y trying to follow me
he was seized by half dozen stalwart
MOors and detained outside, and none
of the men were allowed to enter; the
rest of the ladies came in, in fear and
trembling, though there really was no
danger. In the house there was a
terrible row; seven or eight women
were beating drums OF various dimen-
sIOns and screaming at the highest
pitch of their voices, al, al, al, in
the shrillest of tones. In another room
were women cooking on the ground,
over charcoal earthenWare hre-places.
They have no table or chairs, and it
was very strange to see the women
with their plates on the ground, step
ping about over them with their bare
feet and legs. The entrance to the
bridegroOm's room was closed by
curtain.
I had just time to notice all this,
when we heard loud screams of d" al,
al, al, al, al ~ and in came four men
carrying the box that contained the
bride. They deposited the box in the
curtained room, and eXpeditiously re-
tired; all the women having hidden
their faces when the men entered.
We tried in vain to see into the room
and catch a glimpse of the bride. An
old slave held up her blanket before
the door, and would not allow any
one to look i'll. Presently q man
came in and carried out the empty
box, which was Immediately hoisted
on to the roof and left there. Then
the men outside commenced firing in
to the house; and we, finding no one
but the bridegroom could see the bride
that night, and being half suffocated
with smoke, determined upon trying
to make our exit, and in lulI in the
firing, rushed out as fast as we could
run, for fear of being shot, for they
We're aiming straight into the house,
and marking the walls and door.
We ladies afterwards went and saw
the bride. She was seated Oh q kind
of bed, covered with thick gold and
silk shawl or veil, and looked like a
pyramid. In trOnt Of her, on the bed,
were four women holding candles,
and on the ground some eight women
playing Moorish music and singing
in dOIeful minor about the charmes
of the bride When they saw me look
ing steadily at the pyramid, they
slowly raised the veil, and l beheld
the bride. She was most gOrgeously
dressed in gold and scarlet; gold chains
round her neck, huge earrings in her
ears, and a cloth of gold head dress.
Her face was excessively painted; two
large triangular patches OF scarlet with
blue and white and black patterns on
her cheeks, a bIue cross on her chin,
her eyebrows and eyes blackened, and
the latter glued shut for three days!
Her hands were traced over with In
dian ink in wonderful patterns, and
the insides and nails dyed orange.
There she sat like n great doll while
we stared at her. Some of the women
were very anxious to paint me; but l
shook my head and ran away.
We have also seen q Jewish wed
ding in which the bride was most
magnifcently dressed. The cap of
pearls on her head were worth more
than e100 (as the bridegroom told u.s.,
besides other splendid gems. We ladies
have also visited several harems, the
bashaW's among others; and we have
aad tea at One-such tea! 1t Is con-
sidered great luxury, and Is given as
a great compliment. To be offered 1t
and to refuse is an objectionable in
suit; so of course we had to drink it.
The sugar, six huge Jumps were put
into the teapot, and the chief wife
calmly stirred it with a spoon fOI
! about five minutes, then three times
over poured out cup and returned
/ it to the teapot, and finally gave us
each a cupful Of this weak syrupy tea,
! The slaves handed us horrible nasty
/ Moorish SWEETS and cakes. We had
! to pretend to eat, and some we man
aged to swallow, but glad enough were
we for the ceremony to be over.-O1t'
! O1C71 EtTesjde.