Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-11-04
A DESERT WEDDING.
An Interoating Account OF q Maria
Among the Wandering BedOuins.

In Ramleh-a seaside resort near Alex
andria-where many houses have Q
Bedouin CHAIR, who pitches his tent
near his masters house, and lives there
with his family and cattle, if he has
any.
The bridegroom was the son of a
friends CHAIR. Previous to the en-
gagement the father had obtained three
days leave on the plea of his going
down TO Alexandria for the choice of a
daughter-in-law. On the evening of
the third day several shots fred sue
cessively announced to the native Be-
douins the CHAIRS return and the hap
Ply result of his mission. The wedding
was fixed for that day week.
Groups of Bedouins fastened to an
swer to the invitation, and after some
talking and shouting the men soon
formed ring and began cIapping
hands, the body keeping time to the
movements of the hands by going up
ward and downward. Now and then
one of the fellows walled forth a Bed
ouin song, while the others chorused
The women sat chatting before the
tSnt and occasionally filed the air with
the shrill sound of the ziraleet. No re-
freshment was offered and their solo
eclairage was the moon, whose silvsry
light gave a weird aspect to the whole
scene. After an hours amusement the
guests retired.
The next evening the firing brought
forth all the company of the preceding
night. This time the great attraction
was two dancing women, very pic
turesquely dressed, and their faces
covered with a soft black muslin. They
entered the ring formed by the men,
each of them holding long
staff-an adjunct to the various
movements of their figures. They
went round and round, shaking their
hips and leaning at different intervals
on their stats, while the clapping of
hands redoubled in whichever part Of
the ring the women approached. OBJ
Jerved young enthusiast take hand
full Of sand from where one of the WON,
en- had trodden and kiss it repeatedly.
noticed that the bridegroom was alb
sent, and, asking for the cause, was In
formed that he was too bashful to ap-
pear. Two hours later the company
dispersed, to begin afresh at intervals
during the short engagement
At last the eventful morning dawned.
A new tent had been pitched for the
young couple, while in that of the old
ones several Oauldrons full of rice and
water were boiling. When the rice was
done some oil was poured over it, and
then very large wooden bowls were
brought forward to receive the con-
tents of the cauldrons. This formed
the whole menu of the wedding break
fast, and was attended to by the BRIDE
groom's mother, aided by some other
matrons. The ghafir and the young
people had gone to fetch the bride.
They had taken with them one Of the
ghatir's camels, which they had gayly
decorated wife red and blue cloth, and
erected canopy on its back to receive
the bride.
A large procession was formed, head
ed by horsemen and other Bedouins
armed with guns, which they fred fire.
quently. The bride, completely hidden
from sight by the curtains of the cano-
Ply, and followed by the women, brought
up the rear. They went all over Ram
to dance, fire and sing. At about 4
o'clock in the afternoon the merry
party arrived at the bridegroom's place.
The latter had remained at home. The
father, who was holding the camels
bride, handed it over to his wife, who
led the animal seven times around the
bridal tent, each time accompanied by
shots, which are the chief feature in q
Bedouin wedding. Finally the camel
stopped before the entrance of the tent,
and the bride was carried in by her
mother-in-law.
was curious to see her face, and, as
was asked'to go in, gladly accepted
The tent had two apartments, and was
quite devoid of furniture, except some
rugs and straw mattings, on one Oh
which the bride sat, surrounded by
other women. She was girl of four
teen, with regular features, beautiful
black eyes, and tattooed china most
prevalent fashion among Boudoir
women. She wore a long, dark-re6
silk chemise, caught up at the waist
with deep sash. On her head she
wore a dark blue veil, tied with a red
silk handkerchief, beneath which very
fine plaits of jet black hair came down
in two bandeaux over her temples
After exchanging a few complimentary
words with her, withdrew, glad tc
escape the sitting atmosphere Of the
tent
A Sholk had been called to perform
the marriage contract, which took
place between the parents of both par.
ties. The new couple were not present
at the ceremony. The ghafir hand over
to his sons father-in-law fifty pounds
on condition that, if later on the youna
q wife should ask to be divorced from hel
husband the money was to come back
10 its first owner; and II, on the con.
trary, the husband claimed q separa
ton, the sum would remain with his
father-ln-law.
During that time the guests had sat
over their frugal meal, of which they
partook in groups of four or Eve per
sons around each wooden bowl. Their
fingers spared them the use of fork.
and spoons. While they were still oc
cupied with their repart the bridegroom
stole to the nuptial tent, where he saw
his wife for the first time. Half ar
hour afterward the noisy yarty broke
up and quiet reigned. Queen
EmePgencies.
1t has been truly said that the luxur
les of one age are the necessities of tn,
next, and it may be added that tn,
luxury of one man is the necessity o
his neighbor. In fact, the two mingl,
SO completely that it is difficult to draw
the line between them.
At meeting of the board of alder
men in western city the presiding of
feer took occasion to reproach tn,
members with laxity of attendance.
"At the last meeting" he said, sc
verely, ''only three members were pres
emit Now, gentlemen, the city pay
you to attend to your duties, and hop
TO see resolution passed defining wha
Is a proper excuse for non-attendance.
Debate followed and finally motion
was made defining reasonable excus
for non-attendance as death or seriou