Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-03-05

How TnEy % ififa u Ma
dame kihrixh. Msheme Pashs's book on
harenn lie, We, 6ud m amusing example
Of the mode in which wives are ubtainetl
smosg the Turks. Il sppears that .
General. With the ssueshnt fssuidable
name ofGueuslskls- Rsehid- Pssha. keow-
ing the experiences that Madame K. had
acquired in the world. commissioned her
to choose him : wife. Who vas to have 80
slender figure. spiritual ph,siogcnomy.
aud black hair" Il at oncs began the
campaign" |" says ths lady. ..and. having
Pot On nay handsomest attire. + sailed
forth upon round Of visits to all The
families Of \ rank eqnal to that ofthe Gem
eral. The custom is % follows: You
present yourself at the door of q house
where there is young lady of marriage
able age residing. What do you want.
madam? I? L wish to see your daughter. >
Thcreupou follows an Introduction to the
saloon. and you ars invited to take seat
upon the divan. until the young lady conf
pletes her toilet. Presently she comes
forth. clad in her richest robes, salu,es
you with her handkerchief, seats herself,
with eyes cast down. on a seat placed pur-
PCS 'ly for her. Some coffee is tEen brought
in small silver cup, which is supped
very slowly. as the young lady always
disappears the moment the cup is empty.
Presently one Of her relatives approaches
you. and asks what you think Of her
Naturally. nothing is said but eulogies
of the young lady; whercupon they emu
mcrate to you her dresses and her Jewels.
stating also the valne Of her dowry. Care
must be taken not TO believe too much Of
all this. for very often the relatives say
they will give much more than they can
or will give. and. though they break their
word in this respect, the daug gh,er or SON.
in-law have no recourse against them
l assured the family that would give
faithful account to those who had sen, me;
and | did. in fact. make a report every
evening to nv husband. who transmitted
it to Gueuzluklu- Rechid- Pasha. The lat
ter. however. showed himself very diff.
cult to please. Sometimes he found that
the girl bad too many relations. or that
she was too tall. or too old; sometimes the
fortune was not sufficient. For twenty
days ceased not to visit tie dwellings,
Of all the memas. ministers. and high dig
nitaries in general Tired at length of
making many frui,less inquiries, rcso.v-
ed to accept the first that came to hand
thereafter. She proved to ba tall. ro-
bust girl. with egular features. but her
hair and eyebrows were red. Gueuzluklu.
it will be remembered. wanted quite
the contrary. |. however. offered her the
bouquet, enriched with diamonds. Which
bis Excellency intrusted to ne for pre-
sen.ation to the lady who was to be cho-
sen. I took her to my own house, but
was careful not to whisper word about
red hair. At my request clever Greek
dyed her locks a deep black. as also her
eyelashes and eyebrows. This. contrast.
ing with the natural dclicacy Of her skin.
produced very agreeable effect In
spite Of these precautions. however. l
felt little terror. for the General threat
enrd to send her home on the morrow
after the wedding il. she was not to bis
taste, and give ven. to his anger not only
upon my husband. but upon myself
However. the next day he thanked me
for the choice had made. aud his affcc-
tion for bis wife became so strong that
he would never take second