The National tribune., 1890-10-09

they reach the house sheep Is sacrificed on
the threshold, and they step over the blood OF
this into the house. They seat themselves
side by side on q sofa, and baby boy Is placed
on the knees Of the bride with the wish May
you be happy mother" After the baby has
been taken away, all the children present rush
to take off the brides stockings and to get the
money which has been hidden within them for
this occasion. There are other ceremonies,
making the wedding last from three to eight
days and the brides parents are not supposed
TO visit her until o week after the marriage.
When the bride is presented TO her father-in-
law and mother-in- law she kisses their hands,
and she then fastens on q vail of crimson crepe,
which she must continue to wear until her
father-m-law gives her permission to lay it
aside. This often does not happen until she
has child, and up to this time she has no right
to pass her opinion upon anything that goes on
in the family. During the first year of her
married life young wifo goes to church only
twice-at Easter and at the Feast OF tho Annun-
citation, but after this she attends moro fre-
quently.
THE ARMENIAN HOUSES.
The Armenian houses of Armenia proper
are by no means comfortable. The poorer
classes have homes that would hardly be con-
sidered fit for cows In America and, in fact, the
cow lives with tho family. The floors are be-
low the level of the roadway, and there are
little windows about tho size of portfolios.
Most of tho houses are of one story and ii is not
uncommon to build n house against the side OF
hill, so that there will be no back wall. Step
ping down into the house you find tho cow
stable on one side and on the other the kitchen
and the private apartments OF the family.
Each room has stone fireplace, and oil the
cooking is done with cow dung mixed with
straw. There are no tables and few chairs aud
Ii is a curious thing that large part of the
hnn of In frnt tln tf,nnl HIM
produced by the cattle in the stable which adj
joins the kitchen. Tho houses of the wealthy
and middle class of Armenians are moro COM
Portable, and in the big Turkish cities you will
find Armenians occupying palaces. In the Conn-
try, however they have few of the comforts of
Christendom, and the chief furniture consists
OF divan running around three sides of tho
room covered with Persian rugs and resting on
q carpet of gray felt. The Armenian women
arc good housekcepers, aud though they live in
little moro than novels they keep their homes
clean. They are fond of dress and are by no
means averso to the use of cosmetics.
ARMENIAN CHILDREN.
The Amenians arc very patriotic. They
have much better homo life than the Turks,
and they are very fond Of their children. They
have curious customs as 20 their babies, and the
mother gives q reception to her friends when
the baby is three days old, to show them the
new HTTlNAi. w ucu bBc Oaoy is elRnt uayb Oiu
it is baptized and is washed all over with warm
water every day before this. The baby is laid
on tho doorstep OF the church while its god
father psrtakes of tho sacrament and is con-
fessed in order that he may DO purer when he
stands up with the baby. The god father kneels
while he holds the baby and the priest asks n
lot of questions of the baby, which the god
father, as its mouthpiece is TO answer. lie puts
the old man through catechsm longer than
that of the Presby terrain Church, aud the god
father, answering for the child, replies to the
questions. After this there is a long prayer