Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-07-02

with pearls, and showed me her ear
rings, which were large solitaire dia-
monds. She had on no br0ach or neck
lace, and one of the women interpreted
for me and told me the bridegroom was
togive themafter the ceremony. Wethen
all sat down and coffee was brought in
little cups about the size of an eggshell
and carried in little gold fillagre holders.
would like to immortalize the coffee
they make here. even as Lamb did his
vanity, but I feel Inadequate to the
task. It is the sublimated essence of
spirit of coffee. of which we get but the
material in America. I shall bring a
Turk with me, with all the apparatus Of
fcoffce- making, when return to Amer
lea. Sweetmeats are handed round,
contained in glasses, while two more
are for the spoons. J took spoonful
of something into my mouth, and when
got it there I found that it was fla
vored with anise-seed or mastic. It
tastes just like paregoric, and hate it.
This would not dissolve, and would not
go down, do the best !, could.
would have given anything to have
been able 10 get to the window, but as I
couldn't, I heroically determined it
must GO. down, and reached for glass
of water on the tray. I had on loose
sleeves, and in taking the glass man
aged to upset both glasses Of teaspoons,
which went on the floor with horrible
clatter. I at last swallowed the lump
of condensed paregoric, mentally VOW
ing never to touch Turkish sweetmeats
again. After this episode, allthe lady
guests went into another room to see
the trousseau, which was laid out for
their inspection. Many of the dresses
were very elegant, but T found it very
tircsome, as must examine every arti-
Gle, being the massufara, or guest of
the guests or foreigners: Ihad arrived
at 6 o'clock, and, before the things were
all examined the mother of the bride
entered and called us out to the larger
room, telling MS that the table was
spread for the marriage-feast, and we
must come and look at it. We traversed
a long cold sallo to the upper;room,
but il was bitterly cold, there being no
appliances for fire. We went then to
the parlor. to await the arrival of the
bridegroom and the priests, four of
whom were to perform the ceremony.
The bride was seated upon sort Of
chair without back, and her veil ar-
ranged carefully so Us to completely
hide her. The rooms in all the houses
here are furnished very simply, this one
having but one table and one chair.
There were divans all around the walls,
and in the centre of the room q foun-
tain very handsomely carved. The
floor was covered with an elegant Per-
sian carpet, and the ceiling fairly fes-
tooned with lamps, think We fur
nish our houses too much generally, and
they, none of them, look so really ele-
giant as do the houses here. The BRIDE
groom and his friends arrived at about
9 o'clock, and other friends and &C.
quaiutances began to arrive, but the
priests did not come. We waited and
waited. Ten o'clock! IL! and still
no priests. n The father of the bride
went to see what was the reason Of the
delay, and soon returned to say that
they were at another wedding, and
would be here soon. So We had coffee
and more sweetmeats (Which left
alone), and the gentlemen drank mastic
to sharpen their appetites, and
smoked cigarettes to enliven the mono
tony. I wanted to go home, but those
who had brought me would not hear to
it, and was compelled to, remain,
though more tired than ever before in
my life, I think. Twelve o'clock came
and half-past, ,and then l land no priests.
Finally boy came and said the priests
would be along directly, and no spread
q piece of carpet in the middle Of the
room and retired. The people did not
seem to mind the delay, but I feltsorry
for the poor bride, who sat erect all this
while on her chair, speaking to none,
not even moving: I had the corner
divan, and, with all the cushions, I wis
pretty comfortable, and am not quite
sure that I didn't go to sleep, for /
found T mixed things little after
ward. At half past the priests arrived,
preceded by crowd of boys bearing
censers, and bumblebeeing some sort
of thing suppose they called sing
ing. It was worse than the ear-split-
ting torture I had submitted to ut the
christening. Tic priests were deco
rated with gold embroidery from head
to foot, and tho chief priest wore q
sort of mitre on his head literally blaz-
ing with jewels. The carpet that h,.t1
been laid by the boy was now covered
with one far more elegant, and having
tnssels Of pearls at each corner. The
chief priest took his place OH the centre
Of this, and the other three behind him.
The father of tho bride took her by the
hand and led her forward to the bride.
groom, and the two then stepped before
tic priest. The boys brought cushions
witha green wreath OH each for the bride
and the bridegroom. The brides wat
kept in place by the tinsel veil, but thai