The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-05-06
MARRIAGE IN EGYPT.
Gir's Sometimes Betrothed at the Age Of
5 Years and Married.;at 1O-The Price
ola Wife from Shiliings to 81. 800.

When an Egyptian wants wife he is
not allowed to visit the harems of 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 ia.
therefore, obliged TO employ a 1khat-
beh, or matchmaker, to find one for
him, for which service, Of course, she
expects ''blacksheep'-that is, pay
ment. The khetbeh, having found a
girl, recommends her to the man as ex.
ceedingly beautiful and eminently sui
tabe to him. The father is then waited
upon ascertain the dowry he requires,
for all wives are purchased as they we're
in patriarchal days. When Jacob had
no money to pay for Rachel he served
her father for seven years rs an equiva-
lent; and when duped was obliged to
serve the second time to secure his
prize. (Gen. xxx Fathers stii, refuse
to give younger daughter in marriage
before an elder shall have been mar
ried. The people of Armenia, in Asi
attic Turkey, forbid a younger son to
marry before an elder, and this is like
wise the Jaw of the Hindoos.
The price Of a. wife varies from shil-
lings to $1,000. The girl may not be
more than or years old, but, whatever
her age, two.thirds of the dowry is at
once paid to her father in the presency
of witnesses. The father then, or his
representative, says: II betrothed thee,
my daughter" and the young man res-
ponds, Il accept of such betrothal."
Unless amosg the lower classes, the
father e1pends the dover in the pur-
chase of dress, ornaments or furniture
for the bride, which never become 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
betrothals often continues for years be-
fore the man demands his wife. Thus,
Samson went down and talked to the
woman" or espoused her, and "after
time he returned to take her." Girls
are demanded at the age of 10 and be-
tween that and Is years, but after 16
few men will seek them, and the dowry
expected is then proportionably low.
Girls in Egypt are often mothers at
13 and grandmothers 26, and in Persia
they are said to be mothers at IL, grand
mothers at "a. and past past child.bear-
ing at 80. When man demands his
betrothed day is fixed for the nuptials,
and for seven nights before he is expec-
ted to give feast, which, however, is
furnished by the guests themselves.
Thus, one sends coffee, another rice. an.
other sugar, etc, The principle timeof
this continued feast is the night before
the consummation. The conduct is in
trusted to the '.friend OF the bride.
groom" John, iii. 29) About the mid
die OF this day the bride arrives at the
house and retires to the harem, where
she sits with her mother, sisters and fe-
male 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; goes to the
mosque to pray, accompanied by mes
halls, or torches and lanterns, with mu-
sic. Upon his return he sees his bride.
with whom, having giving her attend
ant present to retire, he is left alone.
He then throws off her veil and for the
first time sees her Ease. If satisfied, he
informs the woman outside, who i'm.
mediately express their joy by scream.
ing "zuggareet," which is echoed by the
woman in the house, and then by those
in the neighborhood.