Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-01-13
ORIENTAL CUSTOMS.
Contracting the Habits of the Turks with tho
High Civilization of America.

Contracting the Habits Of the Turks with tho
High Civilization of America.
The lecture room of the Butler Street
Methodist Episcopal church was partial
ly filled last evening by an audience, says
The Pittsburg Comercial Gazette, who
listened with much interest to Il talk up
ON Turkish manners and customs by a
young Armenian named Shadrach V.
Bedikian. This gentleman Is 26 years
old, and has been i'll this country four
years, most of the time at school at
Delaware, 0. He speaks excellent En-
gish, is intelligent, and an entertaining
talker. His object, as he announced IT,
is to obtain money enough by lecturlng
to complete his education and return to
his native country to introduce American
manners and civilization.
In the courss of his Iemarks the lecturer
stated that thcre are no saloons among
the Mohemmedans. As soon as one of
the faithful takes drink, he becomes an
outcast. All the saloons IN Constant,
nople are kept by foreigners. As deslra
BILE as it Ia TO have all the Turks Chris
tianized, it is feared that as soon as they
abandon their religion they will, like tue
Americans, soon be struggling with the
saloon question.
He described the interior of Il Moham-
medan home, and said among the Turks
the custom is to take off the shoes and
leave ON the hat when entering the house,
Which he thinks preferable to the Ameri-
can habit OF leaving on the dirty shoes
and taking off the clean hat. Their man
ner of eating afforded much amusement
for the audience, the speaker sayiug that
although the Turks used NO knives or
forks, yet they observed table etiquet, and
to use more than three fingers IL Il breach
of form. Everything Is Partaken of
jointly from a single dish-an economy
of both time and dishes.
He dwelt some time upon the interesting
theme of matrlmony, which seemed to
interest and amuse the audience more
than anything else. The Turkish parents
choose life partners for their children,
the mothers doing the selecting.
When the matter is arranged satlsfactor-
lily, the engagement is formally made by
the exchange of silk handkerchlefs,
purses, rings, and sometimes bibles. The
engagements last at least three years,
sometimes longer, during which period
the Dlothers in Law elect exchange all sorts
of presents and professions of esteem.
The young couple are not allowed to see
each other but the young man, instead,
courts his mother law, who Is not the
much abused individual she is in this
country. In this connection the lecturer
took occasion to say there was too much
SQUIRTING in America, too much love be-
fore marriage and TOO little afterward,
and seemed to think that explained the
excess of divorce. In Turkey the young
people save up their love, and it accumu-
lates to such a great extent that 1t lasts
lifetime. They do not think it necessary
q wife should love her husband at the
time of her marriage, but she must learn
after ward. If she does not instead Of
com planning she calls it "kismet'-fate-
and keeps on trying till successful.
At the conclusion of the engagement
tho wedding festivities begin, lasting
from Saturday night until Tuesday. On
Monday the bride is escorted to the
church, where the groom joins her, and
the priest reads instructions 10 them
very similar to our marriage service. The
ceremony follows, and after il the bride
ia taken to the groom's home and her veil
removed for the first time. big celebra-
ton follows. One good point about
Turkish wives is that they never want to
be the "head of the family"
In describing the manner OF burial the
speaker said q coffin was not considered
necessary adjunct, though they were fire.
auently used. No women are allowed at
the grave, the men alone attending to the
interment. After the burial they attend
little feast perpared for theEs, and every
one vino was at ths grave is expected to
eat something. Three days afterward
the women are permitted to visit the
grave for the first time, and they make II
the occasion Of much lamentation.
Mr.. Bedikian was attired in full Turk
ish dress. fez, bsggy trousers, and aii, and
presented rather piciuresqus appear
ance. A collection was taken up for him
a. the conclusion of his lecture, aud the
audiepcs went forward, at his invitation,
TO examine numerous fine specimens of
Turkish fancy work which he has for ex-
hibition and ssls.