Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-03-26

found. On the day of the wedding the
tent OF the bride is decked out with all
the available carpets, bags, silk rags,
feathers. ETC., in the place. The bride is
generally brought away at midday; II
the bridegroom il not in position to
spend much OF the wedding, he brings
his bride home at night, and then the
wedding takes place without guests.
The bridegroom's mother, sisters, fe-
male relations and friends, adorned with
all their available treasures, and with
their heads attired for the occasion differ
emily from the usual manner, collect and
adorn three or four camels with carpets
and variegated pieces of silk. These
stuffs, sewed together, cover the head and
neck of the animal, and are fastened to
the saddle; and thus the procession pro-
ceeds for the bride to the tent OF the
parents.
The men now divide into two groups
one proceeds on foot, as an escort to the
women; the other, armed as II for foray,
proceed in front of the bridal train. At a
short distance from the brides tent they
spur on their horses, discharge, at full
speed, guns and pistols, and perform
various other evolutions They then enter
the tent, and there, after conversation OF
about an hours length, sort OF strife is
entered into between the relations and
friends of the bride and those who have
come to remove her from the parental
roof. The bride generally feigns to re-
fuse to quit her relatives, and when they
succeed at last in taking her from the
tent they place her on carpet spread in
front of the tent by those men who had
marched on foot in the procession. After
this, having seized on the ends of the car
pet, these men hasten to the spot where
the camels were left standing. The
horsemen cover their flight, firing into
the brides party, who follow the men
with the carpet, and hurl clods Of earth
at them; the fugitiyes, obliged to
cover their heads with their clothes,
sometimes let go the carpet, or
stumble on some inequality of the
ground, and fall one on the top ofthe other.
Having reached the spot where the
camels stand the pursuit ceases. They
cause the bride to emerge from the carpet !;
the women arrange her dress and cover
her head and face with veil, leaving
open only the eyes and nose. Placed in
front, among the nearest relations of the
bridegroom, the young girl proceeds at
the head of the cortege. She keeps herself
erect and looks straight before her; when
passing near the tents the women around
the bride slightly raise her veil, in order
to display her to the curious. Just before
reaching the bridal tent the horsemen
ride forward and recommence firing, ut
tering piercing cries. The road is thronged
with people, who salute the bride with
do h,rr he and af ha ant
when she prepares to cross the threshold
of the bridal abode they place under her
feet pieces of pastry for the children; the
latter appear in the marriage train and
generally make terrible uproar..
During this hurry burly the women lead
the bride into the tent of the bridegroom,
and place her aside, with her back to the
entrance. The females in the vicinity
then hasten to visit and congratulate her,
but the entrance is barred to the men.
These remain in the street, and pass the
time till dinner in single combat and
racing, both on horseback and on foot
In the evening they smoke, drink tea, and
listen TO music.
There is yet another original marriage
custom, mentioned only by Vambery.
This ceremony consists in the bride, en-
veloped from head to foot in veil or silk
handkerchief, racing OH horseback with
her bridegroom; not unfrequently the
yelled Amazon reaches the goal sooner
than the youth accustomed to galloping
and untrammeled in his motions. Some
times the galloping bride holds on her
knees slaughtered lamb or kid; pursued
by the bridegroom and other youths, she
has to escape them during the whole race,
and not suffer one to approach her, pre-
serving thus her lamb or kid. This pas
time is called the Green Wolf"
The newly-married girl remains at
home the first fortnight, and occupies
herself with needle-work, in the society
of the female relatives of her husband
and their acquaintance. During this
period men are admitted to pay their
respects. After this the female relatives
of the husband lead the bride away to her
parents, with whom she lives for year
or eighteen months after her wedding.
Here she employs herself in making
carpets, sacks, linen, etc, for her future
household, while the husband is permit
ted TO visit her clandestinely from time
to time. During all this time the parents
are responsible for the conduct of their
daughter. After the lapse Of the APP
pointed time the female relatives of her
husband come to fetch her, and she goes
to him on an ornamented camel, and leaves
him no more. On this occasion another
and exclusively family festival is held
* hSgd and IOOrkistdn'J fr0Dathe R1sstG7l.