The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-06-03
Marriage In Egypt.

When an Egyptian wants wife he is
not allowed to visit the harcms of his
friends to select one, for Mohammed for.
bade men to see the face of any woman
they could marry---that is to say, any be-
sides their mothers or sisters A man is,
therefore, obliged to employ "khathcn, u
or matchmaker to find one for him, for
which service, of course, she expects
backshet sh"--that Is payment. The
khathcn, having found girl, recommends
her to the man as exceedingly beautiful
and cmnicntly suitable to him. la, father
Is then waited upon to ascertain .lr lowry
he requires, for all wives are pun Chased as
they were in patriarchal days When
jacob had no money to pay for Rachel he
served her father for seven years as an
equivalent; and when duped, was obliged
to served second time to secure his prize
(Gen. XXiX.) Fathers still refuse to give
a younger daughter in marriage before, an
elder shall have been married. The
people of Armenia, in Asiutic Turkey,
forbid younger son TO marry before an
elder, and this is likewise the law Of the
lIindoos.
The price of wife varies from s
shilllngs to $1,000. The girl may not be
more than five or SIX years old, but, what
ever her age, two thirds of the dowry is at
once paid to her father IN the presence of
witnesses. The father then or his repre-
scntivc, says: 81 bctroihc thee, nv
daughter, and the young man responds,
Sc accept of such betrothal." Unless
among the lower classes, the father expcnds
the dover in tho purchase of dress orna
mcnts or furniture for the bride, which
never become the property of her husband.
hntr hn r.
the parties is very restricted. The Arabs
will not allow them to see each other. but
the Jews arc not quite SO stringent Tho
betrothals often continue for years before
the man demands his wife. Thus, "Sam
som went down and talked to the woman"
or cspouscd her, and "aflcr time lie re-
turned 10 take her." Girls are demanded
at the aye Of ten and between that and six.
teen years, but after sixteen few men will
seek them, and the dowry expected is then
proportionably low.
Girls i'll Egypt are often mothers at
thirteen and grandmothers at twenty-s
and III Persia they arc said to be mothers
at eleven, grandmothcrs at twcnty-four,
and past collaborating at thirty. when d
man demands his betrothcd day is fixed
for the nuptials, and for seven nights before
he expected TO give feast, which, how
ever, is furnished by the guests themselves.
Thus one sends coffee, another rice, another
sugar, etc. The principal time of this
continued feast Is the night before the con-
summation. The conduct is intrustcd to
tho " friend of the bridegroom" (John ill.,
29.) About tho middle Of this day tho
bridrc arrives nj the house and then returns to
the harem, where she sits with her mother,
sisters, and female friends. At the third
or fourth watch of tho night-threc or four
ii""ro otter ounoct tho bridegroom, who
has not seen his fair ono, gUrs to tho
mosqueto pray, accompanied by ''meshals"
or torches and lanterns, with music. Upon
his return lie is introduced to his BRIDE
with whom, having given her attendant a
present to retire, he is left alone. lie then
throws of her veil and for the first time
secs her face. If satisfied, he informs the
women outside, who Immediately express
their joy by screaming "zuggarcet. which
IS echoed by the women in the house, and
then by those in the neighborhood