Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-04-24
oFRs,AN MARRIAGES.
,oa Of Contracting Matrimonial
,"'amccs in the Land of the Shah.

>uianccs in the AAand OF Enc Snah.
ave at first sight is unusual in q
,,,t,v where the women r habit
~. yelled, and a glimpse even Of a.
l.s,s face is seldom to be got save by
.s,acem or by what is considered inn
odest-the raising of the corner of
l. vail by the lady herself. Shrouded
she is from head to foot in an i'm.
onse sheet of blue, two yards square,
..ot further precaution must betaken.
.:yor all this is. placed the rub band or
Hlno transparent or flimsy device,
~ o1r own lace 'fall," or the thin
ga1zy yashmak of the Turkish
E11o s~pryiceable alike to triumphant
u to fading beauty. The ruh-band
- niece of white calico or cambria, a
ID long. which hangs down like a
n@ mask in front of the Persian
nman's face. when clad in her hideous
hi punrposely unbecoming outdoor
pstume; which costume, sad to say, is
20 m impenetrable disguise. In it
women are alike. An aperture four
ches long. running transversely across
y ewes, enables the Persian lady to
y the way. and little more. For even
Is aperture is covered by an elaborate
Eli curious embroidery, between the
READS of which she can only peep,
ut the Persian belle will yet find .
|av of rewarding an admirer with a
lance: and thus the marriage so care
liz brought about by parents and
[jatives are not infrequently the result
predilections slyly manifested. The
Indoor dress, being a disguise, cuts
Dth ways, and the intrigante amuses
prself with impunity.
Certain marriages take place because
the eyes of the Orientals they are
at,ral ones, such as the union of first
bl1sins. The children have been like
other and sister from the cradle. and
[ey are married as a matter of course;
i their fate, and they submit to it.
hi outside these marriages of custom,
od far more numerous than the mar
aces of prediction to which we have
[ferred, are the marriages usually ar
Rnqed by brokers'" These brokers
Re old women who always keep them
Ives in a position to quote the state
the market, which f1uctuates. In
ard times even girls of good appear
nee are comparatively a drug. In
me of plenty they .srule firm" The
bsrriage broker is evera welcome guest
here there are daughters to marry,
nd also in houses where the sons
"a, E,~l ~ c3,{nl1nH 1vsIn . IS,n
pmg people are not consulted by the
roker. She deals with the. parents,
hid generally with the mothers. Crafty
"a householder, she runs glibly over
ne various advantages, mental, phys
al and pccuniary, OF her clientele of
bhl sexes. So-and-so is a steady, quiet
an. Such an one has brilliant pros
Ects-has %Gmportant considerat on)
b other wife. AS for Yusuf, how
bod blocking he is! And Hassan, no
an was ever so good-tempered. OF
he other sex she sings the praises no
S. The skill of Bebe as a house
eercr; the wealth of the ugly daugh-
rof thebanker; the dangerous charms
the portionless Zuleikha, she can
tAtl SlN UOV l1llkCl lIOOllI. x1Ol H1utlA
psiness is to bargain for the sum to be
bid to the father for his daughters
bnd; Il sum which is usually expended
that father in pots and pans Gall of
bpper) and other utensils, which he
Fe>ents to his child as her separate
operty. The details being settled
ter much haggling, the young people
n an oo C.nJ ny,.J f1,o ~ a ps,siO no h,.01ya,
bis her permission, both from the
arents of the bridegroom and those
the bride-elect. Among the poor
pa the laboring classes the bargain is
ranged on other grounds. The peas
1t takes a wife for her thews and
news, or her skill at weaving carpets
making cheese; while the BRIDE
room is or is not eligible according as
may be capable of hard work, or
a!y hold some small office, or have a
of land OF a shop. Here the .'mar-
age-broker'' is generally an amateur
20 conducts the negotiations purely
ON that love of matchmaking which
such a blessing to the world.
lie akd, or marriage contract, is
(nply a legal form; but it is marriage
ID not betrothal. A few friends are
v.ted. The bride-perhaps a child of
us seated in a room with her par
Is and relations; over the door hangs
e usual curtain. Or, if the ceremony
Aes place in one room or the open
the women are yelled. At the
Aer side Of the curtain, in an outer
ON OF in the open air, are the male
Fests; and here squats the moollah or
lest OF the quarter, who now drones
! IN a monotonous voice the marriage
Atract, which has been previously
avn out by him. 1T is agreed be-
zen hassan the draper, who is vakeel
SSeht) Tor Houssein, the son of the
hef, that he Houssein, hereby ac-
o%iedges the receipt of the portion
Nlssa, the daughter of Achmet
grocer" Here follows a list
IAe property of the bride in
.as' moneys. houses, cattle, dresses,
"''aTe' carpets, pots, pans and SO
Always u copy of the Koran and
bs,talh weight of sewing silk are
Enuoned. This detailed account of
! property, constituting the woman's
ralale estate, her husband merely
ms IN trust during their cohabita-
AT death or divorce it goes back
S'll 70 herself or her heirs. And tits
Aiehr' OF separate estate, that rem
niSscoie the otherwise precarious
f.unof the Eastern wife in a po-
Fahlous county,: for the varin,s