, 1880-09-06

maiden cheek. Selika, for that was
her pretty name, was attired in the
usual Wedding robe of blood-red satin,
richly embroidered with gold. A
crown of gems was on her head, and
jewels plentifully besprinkled her per-
son, perfect dew OF diamonds. The
procession was now formed, and this
consisted of the bride and supporters,
preceded by an old hag cracking jokes
"a sort of female fool and follow
ed by covey of young girls bearing
lighted tapers. decorated with paper
flowers, The usual bowling women
professionally brought up the rear.
handsome hall, at one end of whicn
raised dais was prepared for the bride.
Selika on her throne, her eyes cast
down, her lips half smiling. looked
charming, as we told her afterward,
much to her satisfaction apparently. for
this time she really blushed, all the
hard flaming not twitbstanding.
Now began the formal presentation
of gifts, and these, strange to say, all
consisted of Cashmere shawls. 1 be-
lieve it is customary for relations and
friends to agree beforehand as to the
nature of presents to be offered. There
were eighty seven of these shawls. all
of considerable value, while the best
ones must have been worth 81 200 to
81 500 apiece Each shawl was in a
kind of velvet portfolio, which, how
ever went back to the donor. The head
nurse called out the name of each do
nor as she opened the parcel. This part
kl.
during which time scented woods and
spices were burned. and many pious
things from the Koran repeated. Out
side in the court performed the pro-
fessional fantasia girls-young lad
les more renowned Tor their dancing
than their decency--their faces are
"fa,dees," their blackened eyes CLEAN
wlckedly, their costume is rudlmentary ,
save in the matter of jewels and ban
giles, their voice is strident, their gest-
ures more suggestive than graceful.
Although they are what the men would
call "s.ady sat, and are never al
lowed within the harem walls, where all
is, of course, strict propriety, but must
give their questionable perfot mances
III the outer court. All this time the
blide sat motionless and speechless,
with doWn-cast eyes and modest mien,
but wen all the gifts had been dis
PLAYED SHE was led back to her private
room. AS soon as she had left, her little
sister Miriam, shrimp of six, ordered
eunuch to fetch the money bags, the
contents Of which she pro eeded to
hurl broadcast among tie motley
throng. B-ing "swell " wedding,
the coins consisted Of silver piastres,
with fair spl l,nklipg of gold pieces
The scramble which now ensued was
one of the most vehement it is posi-
, bic. to imagine.
Picture to yourself eight hundred
females-most of them fat and al
. dressed in the brightest of coiors-
plupging and rolling over one anothrr
grabbing, tearing, and shrieking; the
g air cloudy with dust and with the
smoke of incense. The scene is mos
|, extraordinary. The rich scramble
. Just as hard as the poor, for coins thus
g acquired are tremendously lucky. aver
the evil eye, insure the possessur
h health, and are altogether most de
>. slrable acquisitions. Tue eunuch
y vainly endeavor to maintain order, ant
:, are at no pains to enforce their wishes
n with moderation, but elbow and shoul
:. der about con- amore. Suddenly arise
n piercing shrek, every one for an Ill
4 stant stands still. A large muslin cur
tain has caught fire through the care
a lessuess of two negresses who, in thei
# determination each to Iossess hersel
n of gold piece, have pulled it tn
; curtaiu-dO~n on to the harlui
torches. The flames have already con
= sumed the curtain and are blackeninI
= the ceiling. If the turmoil has bee
y terrible before, it has been as nothin,
a compared to the really internal "hol
f bella" which now arises. Words ut
h terly fail to portray the scene. As
), the eunuchs, they take their stave
+, and lay about them indiscrimately, al
h it is Chiefly owing to the frantic exel
:. tions of these pitiable wretches tina
- the whole place is not burned down
"a With singular unanimity and presenc
y of mind they repair to the spot, freel
# walking over their fair charges, and i
:, a few moments succeed in masterin
70 tie flames. A welding is often Ell
At livened by fire, owing to every one
= carelessL ess, 80 that the clever condut
stt of the eunuchs is quite explicablt
4 The atmosphere had by this time b.
70 come quite irrespirable, and we Il
trouped down to the court below
n where sherbets and coffee were hande
IF round. We soon afterward left.
h So ended the first day of the wet
u dug. On the morrow much the san
I'd thing occurs. save the guests meet tn
I'd time in the house of the bridegroom
,e When all is over the nurse brings tt
re bride, dressed in all her wedding ga
u ments, to the bridegroom's apartment
DO and there leaves ber on chair