The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-04-10
MARRIAGE IN EGYPT.
Girls Sometimes Betrothed at the Age OF
Five Years and Married at 10--The Price
of q Wife From Five Shillings to d 300.

Girls Sometimes Betrothed at the Age OF
Five Years and Married at 10-The Price
of Wife From Five shiliings to - 800
When an Egyptian wants wife, he is not
allowed 70 visit the harems of his friends to
select one, for Mohammed forbade men to
see the face of any woman they could marry
that is to say, any besides their mothers or
sisters. A man is, therefore, obliged to en-
ploy "khatbeth,' or matchmaker, to lind
one for him, for which service of course she
expects Observation-Disclosures is, payment.
The khatbeth having found girl, recon-
mends her to the man as exceedingly beautl-
fu and eminensly suitable to him. The
father is then waited upon to ascertain the
dowry he requires; for all wives are pur-
chased as they were in patriarchal days.
When Jacob had no money to pay for Rachel
he served her father seven years as an
equivalent, and when duped, was obliged to
serve q second time to secure his prize. Gen.
xxx. Fathers still refuse to give younger
daughter in marriage before elder shall
have been married. The people of Armenia,
in Asiatic Turkey, forbid a Younger son to
marry before an elder and this is likewise
the law of the HindoOs.
The price of wife varies from five shil
lings to 81, 500. The girl may not be more
than five or six years old, but, whatever her
age, two-thirds ofthe dowry is at once paid TO
the father, in the presence OF witnesses. The
father then or his representative says: ~
betroth to thee my daughter" and the young
man responds Il accept of such betrothal.
Unless among the lower classes, the father
expends the dowry In the purchase of dress,
ornaments, or furniture for the bride, which
never becomes the property of her husband
Even when betrothed, the Intercourse of the
parties is very restricted. The arabs will
not allow them to see each other; but the
Jews are not quite so stringent. The betrot-
ais often continue for years before the man
demands his wife, thus: "Samson went down
and talked to the woman" or espOused her
and latter time, he returned to take her.
Girls are demanded at the age of 10, and be-
tween that and 16 years; but after Is few
men will seek them, and the dOwry expected
is then proportionably low.
Girls IN Egypt are often mothers at 1;
and grandmothers at 26, and in Persia they
are said to be mothers at H., grandmother
at % and past child bearing at 80. W hen |
man demands his betrothed day is fixed
for the nuptials and for seven nights before
he is expected to give feast, which, how
ever, is furnished by the guests themselves
Thus one sends coffee, another rice, anothe
sugar, etc. The principal time of this con
tinued feast is the night before the consum
nation. The conduct is intrusted to tn
"friend of the bridegroom" John iii. ,29)
About the middle of this day the bride ar
rives at the house and retires TO the hsrem
where she sits with her mother, sisters ant
female friends. At the third or fourtl
watch of the night-three or four hours al
ter sunset-the bridegroom, who has not We
seen his fair one. goes to the mosque to pray
, accompanied by "meshals," or torches an
lanterns, with music. Upon his return h
is introduced to his bride, with whom, hay
ing given her attendant present to retire
| he is left alone. He then throws off her va
| and for the first time sees her face. Ii salts
| fed, he informs the women outside, who i'm
mediately express their JOY by screamin
"Zuggareet," which is echoed by the wome
in the house and then by those in the neigh
borhood.