The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-07-11

our aghirlikw Nude means GOOD
news, aghirlik dover, or literally
weight, as derived from the notion thai
bridegroom ought to purchase hi
bride for her weight in gold or silver
but this precious custom, if it ever ex
listed, has fallen into disure, and ricf
Turk now hands over in . silken purse
about E20O, which counts for hi
brides first installment of pin money
A week after this the betrothal
takes place at the brides house
in the presence of an imam (priest),
who, however, is only invited for good
luck, marriage being among the Mus.
sulmans q purely civil contract. A
proxy and two witnesses represent the
bridegroom, and a like number of male
relatives appear for the bride. When
the question of settlements has been ar.
ranged, all present sign the contract
and then the imam, going to the door OF
the harem, which stands aiar, asks the
bride-elect, who is out of sight, but
within earshot, if she will consent to
become such a ones wife. She must
answer distinctly three times: "Iwill;'
and from that moment she is virtually
married, for the wedding which takes
place few days afterward is merely a
merry-making without civil or religious
ceremony. In the interval between be.
trOthal and marriage the bridegroom
may send presents to his intended, but
is not allowed to see her; aud he must
fain nurse his fancy with the descrip.
tions which the geurudji has given him,
trusting the while that this person will
not prove to have been ian old woman
of the deceitful." Mothers blessed
with capricious sons often delegate the
difficult functions of geurudji to some
old lady not of the family, who will re-
main unmoved by the bridegroom
maledictions if the bride should not
fulfill his expectations. There is a
special name given by the Turks to the
imaginative passion which a man feels
for girl whom he has never seen but
whom he has heard described as a
marvel; they call it achik, as distin-
guished from alaka, the more sober
love felt for a woman whose features
have become familiar.
A Turkish marriage gives occasion
for much ostentatious display on the
part of the brides parents. The house
and grounds are thrown open, and a
mob of men and women flock into the
garden to see the bridegroom arrive.
He comes on horseback, dressed in a
blue frock coat, fez and yellow gloves,
if he be a native of Turkey in Europe;
in a turban, tunic and kafran if he be
an Asiatic. A number of porters pre-
cede him, SC altering fruit and small
coin among the crowd, lest they should
make disparaging remarks upon his
stinginess; but even q generous bride
groom will not altogether escape fire
of small chaff; for there are sure to be
some who have picked up nothing in
the scramble, and these Especially the
yelled women) delight to hurl facetious
epigrams. However, the bridegroom
rides by with native stolidity, and,
alighting at the door of the house. at
once ascends the staircase between the
two rows of the friends of both fami-
lies, who proclaim their good wishes
very noisily. At the top Of the stairs
his bride is waiting for him, all yelled
in pink gauze, and escorted by two
ycnghie cadines (duennas.) No word
is spoken, but the bridegroom makes a
low bow and conducts his bride by the
hand to saloon, where, having in
stalled her under dais, he retires.
Then an interminable concourse of
women, of all ages and conditions
friends, neighbors, beggars-burst into
the room and file through, staring at
the bride, who has meanwhile lifted
her veil. She must bear this visitation
as she can; for it is customary. and
etiquette forbids her to express any
annoyance if some of the intruders
should be too free in their remarks. As
matter of fact all will 60 off well
if the brides parents have been liberal
in supplying refreshments to which the
chattering women may help them
selves gratis before leaving the house.
AS weddings take place in the after
noon, dusk will have come on by the
time the brides levee is ended, and
now the voice of an imam will be heard
in the garden calling the faithful to
evening prayer. The bridegroom, his
friends and the beggars will join in
these devotions, which last but few
minutes, and then will be the moment
for the bridegronm's bachelor friends
t. take leave of him with thumbs ON
the back and volley Of old Shoes.
Escaping from these marks of good
will, the happy man will fly into the
house and be conducted straight to the
harem, where ut last he will enioy the
privilege of asking his wife to show
him her face while dinner is being got
ready. Anxious moment! The Turks
attach such fated importance to the
impression produced by the first glance
at a BRIDES face, that in order to break
the shock, as it were, the lady always
takes care to gum on her cheeks a
number of little stars and flowers cut
out of spangles. The few minutes
which it requires to remove these one
ty one gives the bridegroom time to
get his feelings under control. If the
first impression be very favorable, it is
said that the stars of the pair have
met" if, on the contrary, there be dis
appointment, the bridegroom will pos
sibly confess ON the morrow to his
mother, IS Yildizim barichmadi'' (Our
stars did not meet); but ne will be sure
to add. with commendable philosophy,
+" Kismet!'-it was written.
~0