The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-04-25
a BRIDE m RED
Interesting Description ola Kohammsdan
Chinese Wedding,

I 0x1x0A AN 6A6Os
interesting Description OF Mohamnsdan
Chinese Welding.
From the Worcester (Mass) Spy. !
Tho following description Of q Mo
hammedan Chinese wedding is taken
from a family letter recently received by
Mr.. Charles NJ. Howe, fthis city, from
his daughter, Mrs. Grace Il. Roberts,
missionary at Kalgan, North China:
Kalgan, Dec. Is, 1889.
Last week we attended o Mo-
hammedan Chinese wedding, the first
ever attended by foreigners, I think.
Miss Garretson and Miss DR.. Murdoch
We're also there. The wedding was on
Wednesday. On Monday our teacher
(the bridegroom to beg came over and
brought the invitations to us, and prom
ised to send a cart for us Wednesday
noon. Then the question arose, What
should we send them for presents? We
thought and talked the matter over, and
finally decided to send tw
handkerchiefs, some stereoscopic
views, n or two
of my large views of the Profile House,
and Universal History in Chinese by
Mr.. Sheffield. We sent them over
early Wednesday morning, and prepar-
ed ourselves for the wedding. At about
1890 the cart came, and we went; they
live only o short distance from here.
We found DR.. Murdoch and Miss Gar
retson already there. We seated our
selves, and they Immediately brought
on some food; this the children enjoyed
immensely, much more than we did.
| We were at this time in the room Of the
bridal party, but were told that in q few
minutes we would be invited to another
room. This was soon done. We were
then informed that the next thing would
be the arrival Of the bride. We had to
wait a long time, but were very plea
sanity entertained by the wife of Miss
Garretson's teacher, a brother of our
teacher. At last the bride came, and
we were hurried into o retired corner
where we could see her enter. She
was dressed throughout in red, with
gilt figures, the clothes being bound
quite tightly about her. She had on q
brass G.? hat, from which was sus-
pended a little red veil, covering her
face. She was supported by two wo-
men, II on each side, and taken direct
ly to their room. She no sooner
reached the inner door than men and
childred jumped forward and smashed
in the paper window to see her. They
said that was a KaIgan custom, NOT
Mohammedan. Then the women shut
the inner wooden shutters. while they
should r~eattire the bride. The veil was
removed, her wedding clothes were put
on and her hair covered with ornaments.
Then the shutters were opened and We
were taken in to see her. She is sup
posed not to understand anything that
is said on her wedding day, but must
stand or sit with cast-down eyes
all day long to be gazed at. We then
came home to return in the evening.
AT five o'clock we went over again. We
were presently taken to a retired room,
where We could see everything that went
on. After o little, our teacher, beauti-
fully dressed, came in and paid his re-
spects to the Mohammedan priests, six
in number, to each one separately.
Then he and the priests began chanting,
one after another, in Arabia. just as
the last one finished chanting they
grabbed some walnuts from the table,
and pelted him with them; and one of
the family pulled and tugged at him,
but he was immovable. The nuts were
thrown at him to drive Satan away.
The boys sprang for the walnnts. Then
he, with the priests in unison, muir
INJURED a silent prayer {?) rubbed the
hands down the body, beginning at the
head. He paid his respects again and
disappeared. We saw very little Of him
during the day. Before this We had
seen the marriage certificate written
out in Arabic OF red paper. We were
again seated on the k'ang, and
our feast was brought in, con-
sisting Of twenty-five kinds Of courses.
1t is almost impossible for me to eat
Chinese food, but most Of this was real
" very nice. You know the Mohame-
dams do not eat swine flesh, so we had
only beef and chicken for meats, but
they were prepared in various ways, by
n 1 mean one fowl, from which
all were helped. We ate and talked,
went to look at the bride once more,
and started for home at about $50
o'clock, escorted by two servants, car
rying two large red lanterns. After
this the teacher (bridegroom) was al
lowed for the first time to see his bride,
She had come q distance of over 800
miles to marry him; she was very pref
ty, and only about 16 years old, while
he was over 80. She had been in the
city several days, only a few doors from
his house, but none Of his family were
allowed to see her. The Mohamme-
dams are very neat, especially those who
are well to-do. We are going to try to
get up q little feast for them as soen as
convenient.