The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-07-11
TURKISH TOPICS.
Cox on "MOhamme'
dan Marriages"
THE FORMS OF BETROTHAL
The Marriage Festivals The Gorge
q PrOcessiOn-The Damsel
at Home.

The ladies Of the United States now
have official authority, as it were, On
"MOhammedan Marriage" s. S Cox,
''our Minister to Turkey" has furnish
ed complete information on this inter
esting subject, in the July number of
the North american ReUieV. And never,
since the lively and versatile Mr.. Cox
described that gorgeous sunset of MS
youth so wildly as to attach a glowing
feature of nature to his name, has he
depicted anything with more enthu
s;asm and fidelity than he o portrays
a Turkish maiden, from the time she
becomes a nominee" for marriage to
the close of the election
Although polygamy Is the law OF the
land in Turkey-where a f~ree.bachelor
may become enthralled to four wives
If he desires to throw himself away in
that costly and reckless manner-stil,
it appears, the forms of betrothal and
marriage are quite as deliberately, if not
rectitudinally considered, in Constan
tinople, IS they are in the highly moral
and Christian city o. New York.
To be sure, marriage with Mussul-
mans is q merely civil Transaction, -
with n religious ceremony especially
obligatory" In fact. the only theo-
logical part Of the programme referred
TO by Mr.. Cox takes place Just before
the consummation OF the marriage,
when the bride sfeminine acquaintance
salute AID take leave of her with the
pious exclamation, "Mashallah T.
which means. May Allah guard your
Mohammedans often betroth their
children IN infancy. The right to make
the contract rests with the father. the
paternsl grandfather, OF some one in
the position 81 legal guardian. If the
father and grandfather make different
contracts, the grandfather's arrange
ment prevails. At first thought this
seems rather strange 10 Americans A;
but the grandfather being the older,
undoubtedly knows more about such
things, especially IL Turkey, and so
the law may be imagined TO rest on a
reasonable foundation. In our higher
civilization it is unnecessary for par
ents TO make marriage contracts for
their children; for the young people
are generally so smart and well edu-
Gated that they a beat the old folks
two to one at q sharp bargain. The
Turks are far behind US, but they evil
IDENTIFY mean well.
In his North American Rerier article.
Mr.. Cox limits himself to the spe cial
consideration Of marriage formalities
between free adults not covered by con-
tract in their infancy.
As o o as the boy attsins the mar
- -. Em.E-- - -aaHE--
cast abo I 10 find him a wife" The
mother looks around carefully in all
the harems of her .'set''-that is, the
rooms separately and solely devoted to
Turkish ladies, in the households Of her
friends. When she finds a damsel that
she thinks would make a nice, high
toned daughteT-in-law, the fact is re-
ported, with full particulars. TO the
bows father. II he likes the descrip-
ton. which is he best photograph he
can get. the mothers next step is to
call on he damsel and invite her TO be
one OF = party 10 the Turkish bath: for
bathing parties are as fashionable in
Constantinople as picnics are in II bo-
ken. The bath, in fact, i, to some ex
tent, a Rcnic. Cooks are kept busy
preparing for il. and il ends IN a ban
0uet. The ladies 90 in full dress. at
tended BIZ servants, and as soon as the
parties meet, there Is a series OF endless
commitments The candidate for
mother-in-law pays special, unremit-
ting attention 10 the young girl who IS
the queen OF the May on this bath
ing excursion. The bath and banquet,
coffee. shsrbet and cigarettes, are
beautifully adapted 10 bring nj vir-
ginal attractions both physical and
mental, 10 the eye OF an experienced
would be mother-in-law. She knows a
good deal about the young bather at
the conclusion OF the picnic. which
.may last three or four hOu s."
Then she makes q second and more
detailed report 70 her husband. II il is
favorable and he audits IL, she pays a
visit 10 the other family ard pops the
duesticnr-to the girls mother. She
always bushes and is very much SUI
prised. but feels duly honored by the
proposal, snd promises 10 lay it before
the girls father. If be consents, the
two old governors hold a meeting, come
down 10 business. and fix up the dover
and the happy day"
The dover IS payable half in advance.
The other half is held back as a sort OF
alimony for the wife in case OF repudia-
ton. IN Turkey this precsution Is a
wise QuEs AQE lAFOlIE i GA-- 1 II
yorced wifeis under the painful penalty
OF remaining single for SIX months
During { 81 time the hal dover Is
handy for board ana clothes
In the Ottoman Empire marriage fes-
tivities generally begin on Monday and
last four DAYS. Four different grades Of
invitations are semi out for these differ
emit DAYS, beginning with cards 10 the
high d~ignitaries OF the place, and end
ING with open doors to al acqusint-
anees. Che bridegroom and the bride.
each in the separate establishment Of
their relatives and frien 5. 90 through
this ceremonial. On the fourth day
the afternoon Of Thursiay-the two
parties gather IN the house where the
couple are TO live The women In tho
harem Iik and the men IN The selam Liz,
which meaps in English, each sex on
their own side Of partition. Then he
display of the brides presents Is IN Or
der. in almost as civilized q fashion as
thew do it on Fifth Avenue
But on the morning Of this Thursday
there has been 8 gorgeous procession Of
carriages from the brides ola home.
one Of these--s4lyanized 4 not an
actually golden chariot--nolds the
hide and toe other vehicles contain