West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-05-15
Marriage in Egypt.

When an Egyptian wants wife he i
not allowed To visit the harems of hi
friends To select one, for Mohammcd for
badc men 10 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 "khathen.
or matchmaker, To find one for him. fo,
which service, of course, she expect,
" backshet sh that is payment. Tn,
khathen, having found girl, recommend,
her to the man ms exceedingly beautiful
and emniently suitable TO him. The father
is then waited upon Ia ascertain the dowry
he requires, for all wives are purchased n,
they were IN patriarchal days. When
jacob had no money To pay for Rachel he
served her father for seven wears ms an
equivalent; and when duped, was Obliged
To served second time To secure his prize
(Gcn. XNiX.) Fathers still refuse to give
younger daughter in marriage before. M
elder shall have been married. The
people of Armenia, in Asiatic Turkey.
forbid younger son To marry before au
elder, and this is likewise the law of tho
Hindoos
The price of a wife varies from Z
shillings to 900. The girl may NOT bc
L.
ever her age, two thirds of the dowry s M
once paid To her father IN the presence of
witnesses. The father then or his repre-
sentlvc, says 81 bctrothe thee my
daughter, and the young man responds
~ accept of such bctrothal." Unless
among the lower classes, the father expcnds
the dover IN the purchase of dress orna
mcnts or furniture for the bride. which
never become the property of her husband
Even when betrcthed, the intercourse of
the parties is very restricted The Arabs
viii not allow them to see each other, but
the Jews are not quite So stringent. The
bctrothals often continue for years before
the man demands his wife Thus. "Sam-
som went down and talked 10 the woman. -
or espouscd her. and "attcr "A time he re
turned To take her" Girls are demanded
al the age 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 in Egypt are often mothers nj
thirteen ana grandmothcrs at twonty-siN,
ana IN Persia they are said to bc mothers
at eleven, grandmothers at twenty-four.
and past collaborating at thirty. When a
man demands his betrothed u day In fixed
~ th' hhIlldiN, anu LOT seven nights before
he Ia 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
the friend of the bridegroom" John iii,
I'D About the middle OF tins day the
bridre arrives at the house and then returns To
the liarcm, where she sits with her mother.
sisters, and female friends. At the third
or fourth watch of the night--threc or four
hours after sunsct--the bridegroom, who
has not seen his fair one, goes TO the
mosque pray, accompanied by 'meshals."
or torches and lanterns, with music Upon
his return he is introduced TO his bride.
with whom, having given her attendant IA
present To retire, he is left alone. lie then
throws oil her veil and for the first time
sees her face. If satisfied, he informs the
women outside who Immediately express
their joy by screaming "zuggareet, which
Is echoed by the women in the house, aud
then by those in the ncighborhOod.