Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-24
A MOORISH MARRIAGE.
CEREMONIES ATTENDING THE cELE-
BRATloN IN MOROCCO.


Peculiar Appearance of the Bride She
Was Fat. but Beauty in That Country
Is Gauged by the Quantity of Adipose
Tlssue-Carried on Her Brother's Rack.
1t was evening when we started off to
Moorish wedding, one of the most interest
ing sights of Morocco We found our way
Co low, whitewashed house, which the
ladies of the party entered. The gentle
men had TO remain outside, as no man is
permitted TO look on Il Moorish lady. We
found ourselves in short passage leading
into the patio" a square hall around
which the rooms are built. The patio was
crowded with women squatting on the
floor, some slipping tea and eating sweet
cakes; Others (the paid musicians) sing in
low, nasal chant to the accompaniment
of tomtoms.
Passing through these we came into the
room where the bride sat IN state. The at
mosphere was sitting. She was surrounded
by lady friends and relatives, many of
whom held long lighted candles. The
women were smartly attired and had their
faces and eyes highly painted. The room
was long and narrow Its ceiling was
painted in brilliant colors" and the white
with handsome dado of crimson velvet in
panels, each panel being a Moorish arch
applique IN green broehe with gold en-
broidery. Behind white lace curtains at
each end of the room stood bed with pill
lows encased in Moorish embroidery on
silk, valance Of the same reaching to the
ground.
THE BRIDES APPEARANCE
On one of these beds sat the bride, tailor
fashion, with veil of checked muslin en-
tirely enveloping her. This was presently
raised and disclosed the lady to our view
She was II girl of fourteen, and, being very
fat was considered a beauty. To be fat is
considered wOman's greatest attraction.
Indeed, when nearing n manageable age
1t Is common for girls to lie for weeks GOV
cred with warm blankets, passing their
time in doing and feeding on fattening
diet of milk, "boos koosoo" Ohe native
dish), oil, peas, or a certain bean supposed
to be infallible as fat producer.
Her face presented the most extraordi-
nary appearance, being painted white With
a delicate pattern in pale blue, yellow and
black on a three cornered patch of crimson
on each cheek and chin. The eyebrows
were indicated by "A thin line of dense black,
and from the corners of the eyes, which
were blackened, extended a fanshaped de-
sign in black to the top of the ears. The
tips Of her fingers and toes were died terra
Gotta with henna. Aysha $50 she was
called) was clad in a gorgeous HAITIAN of
red silk and gold brocade, embroidered in
gold and reaching to her ankles. Her
undergarments were pure colored brocade
and her waistcoat green velvet and gold
Over the HAITIAN hung light gauze gar
I,t,s, . In nY,I E,,,
by band Of gold and silk in many colors
Her headdress was composed of silk
handkerchiefs, pinned around so as to
show a narrow edge of each on the fore
head. Above these came a band of black
velvet with a close design of seed pearls
and emeralds Her neck was encircled by
many necklaces principally strings of
pearls with occasional uncut emeralds
and amethysts She further wore a num-
Der of rings and bracelets and anklets of "A
costly but clumsy description. The most
remarkable piece of jewelry was the ear
rings, which were as large as an ordinary
bracelet, the part going through the ear
being a tube of gold quite half an inch in
diameter. The girls accustom their ears to
this by pressing date stones through the
hole. At the front Of the earrings was an
ornament of gold fligree and precious
stones, to which was attached a gold chain
fastened by n brooch to the headdress Her
outfit was completed by pair of velvet
and gold slippers,
RIDING PICKABACK.
While we We're gazing at her we heard
cry in the patio, which was quickly taken
up by the women in the bridal chamber.
The bridal veil was Immediately dropped
and the women assumed their helks, a
long, white wooden shawl The reason of
this commotion was the entrance of
Aysha's brother, tall Moor in dark blue
cloth diellabea and white turban. He
seated himself on the bed front of his sis
ter, and the latter putting her arms around
his neck, was carried pckaback into the
patio Here the women were congregated
around "A curious wooden box, swathcd in
bridal clothes At one side was an open.
ing, where the Moor knelt. The bride
climbed over his head and into the box
Draperies were dropped over the opening,
and Aysha, in her cage, was hoisted on IA
mule at the door Of the house.
The procession then formed up, the mu-
sicians, playing drums, leading the way,
followed by Moors carrying brass candle
labras with colored candles Then came
the brides box, surrounded by twenty or
thirty Riffians doing n wild, fantastic
powder play" with their long brass or
silver mounted guns Then more candles
and long array of friends. In this way is
the bride borne to her husbands home; no
matter how far it may be, in the box she
must remain till she arrives there
Then the box is lifted down to the
threshold and the bridegroom's mother
comes with bowl of milk, loaf of bread
and salt for the bride to taste, The keys
are then delivered to her, and the old lady
keeping in front of the box, the bride
crawls out, crawls on to her mothern-
laws back and is carried to the bridal
chamber, there, still yelled, to be locked in
alone. The mother then delivers the key
of the room to her son, who goes to unveil
and look for the first time ON his bride
London Graphic.
Nagary of Disease.