Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-04-14
MARRIAGE IN EGYPT.
Girls Sometimes Betro he'd at the
Age Of Five Years and Married
at Tsn-Ths Pric, ola Wife
from Five shlllings to "A p
$500. e 49,

When an Egyptian wants wife he
is not allowed to visit the harems of
his friends to select one, for Moham-
med 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 employ a t'khatbeh," or match
maker, to find one for him, for which
service. of course, che expects shack
sheesh'--tbat is payment. The khat-
beb, having found a girl, recommends
her to the man as exceedingly beau
tiful and eminently suitable to him.
The father Is then waited upon to as
certain the dowry he requires, for all
wives are purchased as they were in
patriarchal days. When Jacob had no
money to pay for Rachel he served
her father seven years as an equiva-
lent; and, when duped was OBJ
llged to serve second time to secure
his prize. (Gen., xxix.) Fathers still
refuse to give younger daughter
in marriage before an elder shall have
been marriaged. Thepeople Armenia,
in Asiatic Turkey, forbid younger
son to marry before an elder, and
this is likewise the law of the Hin
docs.
The price of a wife varies from
Eve shillings to $1,000. Thegirl may
not be more than five or six years
old. but Iwhatever her age. two-thrds
of the dowry is at once raid 20 her
father in the presence of witnesses.
The father then, or his representative,
says: II betroth to thee my daugh-
ter."l And the young man responds,
II accepLiof such betrothal. SUNLESS
among the lower class, the father ex-
ponds the dover in the purchase OF
dress ornaments. or furl iture for the
bride, which never become the proper
ty OF her husband. Even when betroth-
ed, the intercourse of the parties
is very restricted. The Arabs will
not allow them to see each other, hut
The Jews are not quite 80 stringent
The bethrotbals often continue for
years before the mau demands his
wife. Thus, Samson went down and
talked to the woman" respoused her
and "atter a time he returned to take
her," Girls are demanded at the age
of ten and between that and sixteen
years; but after sixteen few men will
seek them, and the dowry expected is
then proportionably low.
Girls in Egypt are often mothers at
thirteen and grandmothers at twenty
ak, and in Persia they are said to be
mothers at eleven, grand mothers at
twenty four, and past childbearing at
thirty. When man demands his
betrothed a day is fixed for the
nuptials, and for seven nights before
he is expected to give feast, which,
however, is furnished by the guests
themselves. Thus, one sends coffee,
another rice, another sugar etc. The
principal stime sof this feast is the
night before the consummation. The
conduct is intrusted to the friends of
the bridegroom. John iii. 29.) About
the middle of this day the bride ar
rives at the house and retires to the
harem, where she sits with her mother,
sisters, and femals friends. AT the
third or fourth watch of the night.
three or four hours after sunset
the bridegroom, who has not yet
seen his fair one, go to themes
que to pray, accompanied by zines
halls" or torches and lanterns. with
music. Upon his return he is intro
duced to his bride, with whom, having
given her attendant present to retire,
he is lefts alone. He then throws off
her veil and for the first time see her
face. If satisfied, he informs the wo-
men outside, who Immediately express
their joy by screaming "Zuggareet,"
which is echoed by the women in the
house, and then.by those in the neigh.
borhood. -. - -, CO.. -, =. ~