The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-08-26

The Importance of Her once at the
Bridal Bath.

The Importance of Her once at the
Bridal Bath.
rs. s. Cox. in North American Roview.l
The day is appointed for the bath.
Great preparations are made. 1t is
tacitly understood, though not ex-
pressed, what the bath party means.
The cooks of both par IS are kept
busy for several days. They prepare
dainty dishes, "dulcet syrups tinct with
cinnamon" and sweetmeats of every
description and flavor. The Turkish
women, not unlike the children of the
azure sheen" are very fond of confec-
tionery. The greatest attention is paid,
also, in procuring the rarest and most
elegant suits for the bath. A COMPETE
tive but friendly excitement arises be-
tween the families; for the Turks are
as particular about their bathing clothes
as the fashionable belle at Schevingen
or Newport. Each person is to be tur-
nished with suit of the rarest quality.
The bride, or the nominee for that
function, is arrayed in her most elegant
dress. She is gallanted in her best
bravery of silk and satin, feredie and
parasol, to the bath. She is accompa-
MED by her mother and all the women
of her house. The servants and slaves
are summoned for this service; and the
more numerous these are the more the
display OF luxury is enhanced. As soon
as the parties meet there is series of
endless compliments. In this the Turk
ish people excel. Coffee and sherbet are
served around to the company, which
is seated on the divans. Amid clouds of
smoke from narghileh, pipe and cigar
cite, and with gossip and laughter which
makes old wrinkles come" the future
mother-in-law adroitly seats herself by
the nominee. She persuades her to
talk. Unconscious of the object, the
girl undergoes a skillful cross-examina-
ton. Her intellectual and moral char
acter is thoroughly scrutinized. Her
life, with its tastes and qualities, is
winnowed. When the smoking termi-
mates there is the disrobing in order to
go into the interior of the bath. Then
follows the robing for the bath. The
bath being intensely hot, the robing is
not cumbrous or extensive. 1t consists
simply of big towel around the waist
covering the person down to the knees,
and a second towel which is thrown
over the shoulders like a sash. This
last towel is taken of as soon as the
interior of the bath is entered, as the
heat and perspiration consequent make
it intolerable. Gibbon says that Zeno-
bia, when led in triumph by Aurelian,
almost tainted under the intolerable
burden of jewelry. Not SO with ou1
candidate for the bridal Office. Her
decorations arc reserved for her tri-
umphal procession and entry into her
new household. The hair is unloosened
and hangs over the shoulders. Each
lady is taken care of by one or two
servants; but the future mother-in-law
never quits the nominee. She makes
thorough investigation until the bath
is over. If, like the sisters of the Cor
CONS, the Grace who had but one eye
and one tooth among the entire sister
hood with which to go out and make
their calls, our nominee should bt
found wanting in these or any Other
prerequisites to healthy and beautiful
womanhood, is it not reasonable to be
lieve that the future mother-in-lav
would discover the flaw and announce
the fact to her lord and husband?