The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-12-06
ABYSSINIAN LIFE.
The CEREMONIES OF OWL AND RE-
L.lGIOU5 MARRIAGE
Curious Supers titions - Conceainont OF
the Real e-Blacx5miths Pos.
session by the Evil One-Tha
Professional ExorcIst.
[O. a. Eierstalt,s -. ]

Romance is rare in Abyssinia When a
girl has reached the discreet age of S or 9
she i con iisrel to be in tho matrimonial
market. If she owns few cattle or some
other desirable property, a boy VITA half
her wealth generally proposes to her father
for her, and u bargain is driven over her
quite as if she had no more sentiment in her
Juan a cow, which doubtless is often the
case The engagement last usually three OF
four month. Though the groom often sees
his prospective father-in-law, be never lays
eyes upon the bride unless ne can brib9
soma female friend to allow him & stolen
glance. Tae bride-to-be may previously
have rompei with her intended Ton years,
but she woull run screaming away il ne
vera now to appear before her
NEAR THE WEDDING-DAY.
As the wedding day draws near, the girl
is washed an event SO rare rs to call for
special note, in a pond where a certain
saints day is celebrated for being the epoch
OF the sole annual ablution of most Of the
inhabitants. and dass or bower of green
branches over a frame Of stakes is erected.
In this a great feast is given on the day be-
fore the marriage All the hungry idler5
round about strive by hook or crook to get
in and, squatting down on thu ground, they
gorge themselves with the qaivering raw
meat of the COW that has Just been killed,
and with other Abyssiniau delicacies. The
distinguished guests bless the bride, putting
their hands upon her head AMI getting them
well CREASED for their pails.
Meanwhile similar feast is given iE tho
groon's abode, and next morning he starts
out with his friends, and from six 10 twelve
ar.ess or bridesmau They rig themselves
Up in all the plumago they can possibly
borrow. AMI, on approaching the brides
house, fire off their guns and nave q sort Of
sham fight with q view, perhaps, to ailay
tue groou's nervou5ness. When the happy
man ha, taken the seat Of honor in the
bridal bower his brld5 is brought in
wrapped up in q cloth almost like mummy,
eni placed upon stool Ihen the groom IS
asksI whether he wi,ne, to marry the
woman before him; they crook their fingers
together under the cloth or, perhaps, kiss
one another, and, after any priest or elder
present has given some sage advice, the
marriage settlement @. what eash is to
bring is finally enierel upon, the INST, but
not the least imp )r5ln5 part of the cera-
mony.
Such are the civil marriages lightly Ell.
tered inso an iigdtiy brokon. On the
shortest notics and for the slightest cause
couple viii separate, tho prop9rty being usu-
ally divide /, the man taking tde boys, the
onea sGo girls. Church marriages are
more rare and are regarded as indissoiuble;
once husband AM wife have partaken Of
TIE holy sacrament to gelhar they arc united
until death,
SINGULAR sUPERsTITIONs,
Woman ofteu call cach other such na mos
as "my heart my mirror" "ny enchant-
lnsHt' an men ad Iress women as soft
lsa..' ".res'y triold "lnan-slayer" There
seems - be q great dosiro to conceal the
raj namo9, and this is due to n singular
sIysrssiGiol Tho Abyssinians believe as
d:I tho ancient j W., that the devil often
taxes 20 seii,n Of III iividuals Curiously
enough blacksmith' are regarded with Pc
cuIiar awe; they ara ~uppo ed on occasions
- e4a uee item elves into hyenas; more
over, sort of devil they enter into any
hannah bain { waosa true name they can dis
cover ard piGy all manner of antics, hence
il l. very dc irlble to remain anonymous.
TIE devil possessing Il person is usually
callol Bon la, anl he does such an extensive
In ine-s that many people have founi it
worth while to claim the power of eXOrcia-
ing him.
Generally women are the ones to be cursed
with the Bou la, and any traveller in Abys-
sinia will have soms such story as the fol-
lowing t. relate: Ole of his female SER
vGut,-nsver does g man make journey IN
the country without little host of them
complains Of faintness and soon after sun
set she lap:es into unconsciouSness. The ma
t,ves declare she is posse 5sed, and by the
we;ri hight OF Pickering fagots their dusky
figures may be seen crouching around her
rigid holy. Tho traveller holds liquiJ am
m5nia under her noss without effect; 10th
ing short of vivi>ection seems likely to move
her, an1, as the case j. boy oni him, he gives
it up to the amateur or professional exor-
cist
Though this possession by the Bouda IS
probably often only feigneI, there have
been eases which have puzzlel tho most in
tell cent o, observers. It has been thought
t. re emble hy=teria o. epilepsy, but what
over it may be, it is well adapted TO invest
ing Ably -inian won IN with additional in
tere-t, to giving man one mere motive fer
that incessant stuly o. womanis complex
nature, everywhers nece 5sary AMI dnsir
aUle
Tho Fate of an Imperial Yacht.
Detroit Free Pressl
The car Of Alexau lsr H. : famous yacht
the Livadia, turneI up not long ago as q
coal hulk III the Ear5oV Of Sabastopol. This
is an ignominious en- ling for Graf. which