The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-03-21
An EGYPTIAN MARRIAGE.
CarIsa. Castsms that Prevail la the hhs'
dives ktaEdsHa.

dives ktaEdsua.
The following interesting account Of
an Egyptian marriage rs taken from Dr.
KnuEinger's book Of Upper Egypt {"
When their young SON wishes to have
"a wife, the father ami mother set out IN
quest of u bride for him. Both young
people have also 10 aclulcsce IN the
arrangement they cannot be forced, and
the marriage is not valid until on the
"uucuyeriug and unVelhng the PAIR
feel mutual pleasure The search for
the bride is generally unnecessary, AS
in two-thirls of the cases Il has been
previously settled that the young fellow
ID 10 marry his female cousin, and II lac
has none, more distant relations are APP
plied 10, and last strangers.
ON the evening OF the wedding day is
held the marriage banquet, on which
great sums are often expended by the
more wealthy. Everybody III the place
ia invited ~ the house Of the brides
parents. Whole hecatOmbS (this Is
often literally correct) of sheep are
slaughtered and deVoured with a rapid
ity that has become proyerblal with the
most vOncious appetite. Only the very
poorest contiue themselves 10 inviting
none but the members Of their intimate
family circle. In the course of the day
the bride aud bridegroom frequently
take a bath. 10 which they often proceed
in grand procession. The chief fcstiyi-
" does not take place, however, until
uightfall. Under the red glow nj crack
ling pitch torches, amid the unmelodiOus
noise Of copper hand drums, the joyful
toot of double reel pipe and the hymns
chanted by the schOolmaSters and 9th
or pillars OF the faith. followed 10y half
the inhabitants of the town, the bride
groom walks from night prayer IN the
mosque TO his own dwelling Here the
procession halts. The singers form a
ring and sing around the hero uf the
welding, for whom the marriage torches
form an illumination. 4 transparent
yernal down Is springing on his full,
smooth cheeks. his stature gives hope
ho will grow for some years still HIS
voice. as IL is heard now and then. sounds
childishly delicate or struggles pain
fully with the voice Of manhood. The
immature form Of youth is clothed in u
coat OF scarlet clCth for the first time,
the manly turban rises on his head, and
by his side hangs the marriage sword
Solemnly. seriously and slowly he
passes onward in the midst Of few Of
his companions This procession halts
before this or that house, and the chief
personages or musicians are RECALLED
with the swrrteIei coffee and sherhet,
muskct shots sound in the stiffness of
night, tall AZ last his fathers house is
reached. Hithcr the bride has already
come in another direction from the house
of her parents. from the crown of her
head % the soul OF her foot cnyeloped IN
a cashmere shawl, which. Ike the rcd
cat Of the bridegroom, Is generally for
this day only. She - embraced and al
most carried by two wives and followed
by a crowd of women and girls uttering
cries Of loy. The house of feasting IN
lighted up outside with gay lamps and
lanterns. and here the people amuse
themselves with the dancing girls. sing
ers and buffoons, or, II more seriously
disposed, listen 10 the mysterious words
Of the Koran or tire themselves out in
Eikrs, while the bridegroom mounts n
the chambers Of the women and lIfta the
veil Of her who has been chosen for him,
and when he has never yet seca, unless
tormented by impaiicnoe, be has already.
ON the occasion Of the procession from the
mosque gone through this momentous
proceeding in the house of the bride.
There she stands before him the little,
tender, lovely maiden. her eyes deeply
blackenei with kohl, her hands colored
red, her face dotted over with beauty
spots; her tender limbs can scarcely
support all her heavy ornaments Of gold
and silver-her armlets, bracelets,
anklets, crowns. hair chains and other
trinkets. The doll bride bushes in
childish modesty, and. instead OF her
husband, not seldom wishcs-her play
things. He, however, intimates TO her.
in the name Of God, the all-merciful,
that he has become her husband. II
the bridegroom has had reasons TO be
satisfied with his bride, the women who
have been IN attendance on the pair
utter cries of pleasure. and the JOY
passes through the whole house and ex-
tends to the people collected below.