, 1877-06-03


coHatantnoDis Eorrespordenes london Tftnra
card was minded to Us requesting our A.
tendance At an Armenian welding, for tho
determination Of which midnight was appointed.
Before 10 our eyon!nE fuery was all lauucd.
VIC ansconced ourselves In our sedan chairs, and.
fn 4 muskY air, were carried At 4 brisk peco
through = aea Of btaek mud up tho narrow and
ill.lightcd " "Hrande kuo dc Perx.H
Tbs streets ia Ppra are narrow and dInpy:
and on either side OF ta matu tltorouRhiare there
open dark and crooked lurking lines aud alIeyt,
nust1y mere hlghts Of rugged steps sloping
in that maze Of dreary ways and byways, how
ever, live many Of tie pera people, great and
small; md crowded with the mcai'cst hovcls arc
hero sna there ststely sliascs, substantial man.
mosques, and churches. We turned a curncr
on the lett, passed under gloomy aschway,
little be.ond tho upon space before GafatA
ecfn'; we found ourselves IN sudden blazo of
light caused BY n multitude Of oll-lamps placed
Al hali-yard distanre from one another, iii along
30 avenue leading 10 the doorsteps OF III
Armenian ehlsrkl,, the very e1istencc 81 which
III = el!eulpntll's residence IN pcra bad never
auspeeted, and the WAY to which should, even
nov. not be able TO find II my lIfc dopsudel
0nce within h. church. .o, upon ,ecov.,,no
The use Of our syss, wbicl, were da1zied BY i ,hs
glars OF thousand tapozst wa began to Look
about u, and, ~ We were among the earliest
art,vala. . We were At leisure to survey tug sacrel
Which IL wns slowly aud quietly llling.
The ghurcli was large, Imposing, and really
nandsoms @ edinee, consitting ot . aluRte nava,
aaaod wn 5aS o. nan ,Ma a, stas fronting the entansc
There were Pictures, looking vel! enough BY
candle light, hanging on tho walls above tue
communion tables, all bedlzcncd with golden
arapesy and festoons in tue sl1ns style aud with
Tie sarne luxury as u common with the gsner-
ality Of Roman Catholic houses ot wurshfi5: liza
Armenfans Of the tireeor!an rite r'va'Ins lie
grandeur, and, ia spite u themselves. ebscry.
Church, with which they dIsvlaim all connection.
Before tho main altar was dna, or platform,
up 70 which few sta9s led, AMI which, at a few
raa ynss s w. so. 9y D.ls
On tno main altart and On the two si4c affairs,
as well Is on the wlole space within the baIus-
trade. we're burning wax-llzhts inr.lmcrable.
swathed ia white drapery hangiug luwt IL the
door, and called tue "napiial tapcra.' Other
lights hung from the ceiling. Or were clustered
hero and there onlofty chandeliers. The Invited
gneata aud the chance spectators presently illlei
tho rows Ut oeuts IN our reat. and the Inisea II
our party were admitted among tic Tcjattons
anl M friends q tug bride M IN sl1e space between
IT, ba!ustEade and the steps OF ne main altar.
contrastcd with nll tho brtlliancy OF tlat cnstjy
il!uaination The saying III England Is Bless
cd ia the bride the sun shines >un." This
Ar,ncnlans IN pcra syemcd bcnt on wishing .ller
midnight bridal pair rs muel! lappiness aa au
unt,oun.lrd supply Of wax-Itghts could procure.
Anon there was little conimDtlou altioug the
assembled multitude, ut,d tho bridal party catilo
4, at The main door, rcscrysd on that night for
their exclusive entrance. They took their places
within the bAiuatradc and before tLe stcps OF
the main altar. From tho Side loors on tho right
aud le1t a. tho sane Tins tho clergy
Vt sncrfstAns aud acolytos took their pinres ull
round On tho platform, aud tho thuristers
squastca down on the tioor, Turkish fashlon,
them holding lighted taper In hts han.l. lu
front Of the main altar wure thrco hugo arnl-
chairs, on which tho Patriarch aud two OF tho
Arelltlsl'ops at witt. their BACKS to tho Holy Of
Of high rank, two Of whom wore large black
hoods FILLING down 10 their shoulders, shape Ike
huge, cooked hats, nltd casting soll,bre shaJu
Preates were at least bali yard higl, glltteriu:
with gems and gold embroidery, md thor rot,cs
wcre equally stiH With massive oruament Thu,
ground Of the patfiarcla dress was wlito cloth :
green, and TINT Of tho on his LETT, rcl. Ali Ut
them had hard, st!1 collars standing out behind;
tnc upper garment, Or cope, was gathered tn
the brcast BY middle button, while tho collar,
which could not bend round the neck, stood up
like q wooden boartl on thslr shoulders. Tho
three lrclatcs rat with their mnssivo silver
right shoulder - 80
The ceremony began immediately. Thero
were no bridesmaids; tho bride was only attend
sas ssssVs or an *s xs Ss sss%sa Ssau
grooIn's best man was hfsown brothcr,-a young
gentleman married to tho daughter Of Nular
Ps,aa H., Of Eaypt: Ths happy PAL, wese peF.ons
groom having been for sotno time settled In
f.ondonin connection With great tradEpg house.
Tho BRIDE was tnagnI1ccntly atttrcd, young. and
what woman Is n9t handsome on hsr wedding
dayl bhe hal on the conventional white drcss,
and veil falling down 70 her feet, and heavy
brocnded white train impeding her movements.
Tho popularity was q BUNCH OF silver strlps
down her back; on her brest were orange
flowers; a wreath Of the same With diamond
tiafa or diaden, rested on iar bead underneath
tho veil. Thu bridegroom was OF about the
family or national likeness to her. ! should
have mentioned that, N the party walked up
tue nayc OF thc church, they stopped halfway
wsre tses faits ,9 1ssn passd for the p
hurryIng forward all alont, sat in the middle
chair, when tho bridegroom aud beat man ful-
luwcd ard took their places beside her. Thst
shyuess or coyncss Ut ths bride, aud Ia In Keep
ing with tho custom observed among &ii {
Atmenlans Of thu lower orders, whose bridas
aireet to 1pn array ttop the Il!ss A that awaits
forced to acquiesco In the inevitable. This
ltttle hy-play lasted only = few seconds, for
Immediately the cun,t,.tTs bustcu up. and helped
after her. The party then gil within tie rui.-
in0s auu stood before the steps Of tho altar,
surrounded By. the chor!sters singing hymn.
There followed distrcsslngly long ehunh
service, during parts Ut which the bride md
bridegroom .aonet!aiea standing, sometimes
kncclfng, were tied together with golsea!
chain-tha Greeks uas instead wreath u
dowers-fsclng ons another, and 10 closely that
their faecs almost touched, both casting down
their eyes to the ground, tho poor bridegroom
especially, looking exceedingly sheep!sh, whlle
the brldG bad calm, though somewhat wearie!
look. Tho gold chatn was again aud a9aia la1 !.
on the two devoted heR.ls and removed, tu the
evident distress OF The sufferers, who perhaps
wondered whether the knot ol which that chaln
was typical was equally to hc fast aud loose al
tha days OF the!f life. All the tins the two
wors thus yoked together, tho best man held =
littlo silver cruc!ax between them very cIoss to
their faces, the Prclates and sotno Of the other
clergy Ill having tho sana little csoaaes Ia thoir
hanJs, not, however, touching thetn, but bold.
Ing, them By. piece Of spsuglcd RauIe or
tuTlataa hanging down like . lsdy's pocket.
han With wI,fsh aha h1Ha q aren't