River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-07-09
4 Cairo Wedding.

homeward.
Would the ladies like to see a
Cairo wcdding?
The invitation came from the drivers
box, and was given by none other than
Hassan, our dragoman. We eagerly
assented, and our sable coachmau
began driving at a furious rate through
the narrow streets The two ladies
VINO are To Be married are the daugl-
tcl'S Of Bey." said Ha>sau, when. a
minute later, our carriage came To a
stanGStillopposite long two-story house
of stona, covered with a generous coat
ing of whitewash Like most Oriental
homes it looked like a private prison,
the lattice barred windows strengthen
ing the cheerful effect 1t is only when
one passes beyond these jealousy
guarded portals into some sunny gar
den whose fountain spray is blown
over beds OF exotic plants. or waudcrs
through apartments where luxurious
divan tempt You to lmger for more
than a peep. that one forgcts for the
time TO pity the contcnted inmates
To the right of the house. was large
open court. protected from the sun by
canopy of bamboo mats. In this
rather public place was being held the
reception for the male guests, Lanterns
of every color and design We're Sus-
pended from the impromptu ceiling.
Two bands Of European musicians
occupied the centre Of the court. Our
arrival served to draw the attention Of
the byStanders away from the ugly
l. 3, d..
women. - HaSsan's 'gentlemans'
had also observed the strangers. and
approached our carriage. He was Il
handsome young man, dressed after
the fashion of our own brothers except
his crimson fez with its graceful tasSeL
Imagine our surprise when the gentle
mans, summoning a Thchian cunuch.
babe him conduct Us to the ladies
Ga privilege which our host himself
had never enioyed).
The sudden appearance )f tWo pale
faces in the harem created no small
excitement. The room into which we
We're ushcred was one OF five reception
saloons. the bridal chambers opening
into the same from either side. The
walls were hung with rich tapestries
and costly Turkish rugs hushed the
tread Of the guests. A long hall led
to the dining piazza, which was
screened from the ewes of the outside
world bya covering of canvas.
The women occupying the divan
nearest the entrance door becNoned US
to join them, In accepting the prof
fered place we took our seats after the
fashion Of Americans. Alas! the
mistake placed us in the most lidicul-
Gus posture. our feet dangling some
distance from the floor. This caused a
general laugh among the women,
whose feet were gracefully drawn up
under the folds of their dresses We
accepted the tiny cups Of coffee offered,
but refused a cigaret. I'VE do not
smoke, we said.
What these women did was much
more curious than how they looked,
for most Of them had exchanged their
pretty native costumes for a kind Of
Queen Anne dress. But in color and
material the effect was most Oriental.
Entire costumes of orange-hued satin
We're not uncommon. while the most
trying shades of red, purple. and green
seemed only TO highten the beauty Of
these dark-faced women. Paint and
dye had been freely used-;hC latter
laid to beauty disGguring their
shapely iinger-nails. Diamonds were
as common at this feast as Rhine stones
at a Swiss fall One bronze-faced miss
wore diadem thickly studded with
precious stones
We had just begun a pantomime con-
veTsation with our neigifborS. when an
attendant approached and invited Us to
pay our respects To the brides. AT one
end Of a spacious room was a raised
platform upon which in chairs of state
sat the daughters of the Bey. The
was Il years old. her siStel
being her senior By two years. Pretty
they were but @, incased in
immeasurabie yards OF pink and white
silk. not to mention the profuSe trim
mings of gay flowers and jewclry.
They simply dropped their lovely eyes
as we We're introduced, after which for
one long hour they gazed steadily at
the embroidery on their slipper-toes.
We should have pitied them. but the
looks of envy with which they We're
regarded 10y their friends led Us to
believe that they must be enjoying a
state Of rapt ecstasy.
AT times the noisy chatting among
the guests would cease. while one Of
their number arose. and. giving
weird cry. would clap her hands
rapidly over her mouth an expression
II pleasure 50 said our interpreter.
Once the mother If the brides spread
on the floor AZ their feet handkerchief
richly embroidered in silver. Into this
dainty contributiou-boX each guest
dropped an offering of money, the
gift being for the benefit Of the old
nurse who had rocked the brides
through babyhcod.
The revclry was at Us hight when
The sound of tamhouriLes and other
musical Instruments announced the
approach Of the hridegrooms hera!d~.
In twinkling the rooms were
deserted by all save the brides and our
.clves You Americans need not
hide called back our interpreter, a.
he lodged behind crimson portierc.
Ne are confident that some II the
women. whose black eyes pceped at
As from their hidjng-place. offered a
PRAYER 10 Mohammed for the enlighten-
ncut Of the benighted women who
Jared TO remain and face the awful
presence Of two men!
The Nubian usbcrs were more alarm
nc than their masters Their fan
astic costumes and black, shiny
aces. bearing the scar Of cut
Indicative Of former slavery. and the
.olemn step with which they kept time
. tones Suggestive Of a death-rattle
al tempted as 10 run and hide after
he fashion Of our Oriental sisters
The trembling brides were conducted.
zach il turn. 10 an apartment where
he lovers awaited them. The women
md eunuch- probably remained at the
Ioor. a. is the usual custom. Here for
he first time the rrooms saw the
aces Of their cbil6-wives They were
.ridentl, satisfied, and gave the
attendants the opportunity Of raising
ha cry Of ..zaghareet. or joy-a way
f announcing to the guests that the
husband was pleased to accept the
wife whom some one else had selected
or him. After the marriage ceremony
he brides We're led bv their husbands
Q their former position Of honor.
iere we left them still staring at their
.retty golden slippers.
LILLE Z POTTER.
The three pieces Of gentleman