Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1880-05-27
MARRIAGE IN EGYPT.
Girls Sometimes BetrOfhed at the Age OF
Five Years and Married at Ten-The
Price Of Wife From Five Shtll.
tngs to 81 500.

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 is, therefore, obliged to employ
'khatbeh," or matchmaker, TO find one for
him, for which service, of course. she ex-
poets ''backsheesh"-that is. payment. The
father is then waited upon to ascertain the
dowry he requires, for all wives are purchas-
ed as they were in patriarchal days. When
Jacob had no money to pay for Rachel. he
served her father for seven years as an equiv
alent and when duped was obliged to serve
a second time to secure his prize. (Gen. xiv. }
Fathers still refuse to give a younger daughter
in marriage before the elder shall have been
married. The people of armenia, in Asiatic
Turkey, forbid a younger son to marry be-
fore an elder, and this is likewise the law of
the Hindoos.
The price of wife varies from five shll-
lings to $1,50O. The girl may not he more
than five or six years old, but whatever her
age, two-thirds of the dowry is at once paid
to her father in the presence of witnesses.
The father, or his representative, then says
II betroth thee, my daughter, and the young
man responds, II 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 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 continue for years before the man de-
mands his wife. Thus, sampson went
down and talked to the woman, or espoused
her and 'after time returned to take her. y
Girls are demanded at the age OF ten, but
after sixteen few men will seek them andth
dowry expected is then proportonably low.
Girls in Egypt are often mothers at IL and
grandmothers at 26, and in Persia they are
said to he mothers at II, grandmothers at "a,
and past child bearing at 80. When man
demands his betrothed 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 primo pal time of this continued
feast is the night before the consummatlon;
The conduct is entrusted to the friend OF
the bridegroom. (John iii, 29.) About the
middle of the day the bride arrives at the
house and retires to the harem. where she SITS
with her mother, sisters, and female trlends'
At the third or fourth watch of the night
three or four hours after sunset-the bride
groom, who has not yet seen his fair one
goes to the mosque to pray, accompanied by
s'meshalls," or torches and lanterns, win
music. Upon his return he is introduced tc
his bride, with whom, having given her at
tendant a present to retire, he is left alone
He then throws off her veil and for the tirs
time sees her face. If satisfied, be informs
the women outside, who Immediately express
their Joy by screaming "zuggareet," which is
echoed by the women in the house, and ther
by those in the neighborhood.