The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-10-23
a ruRkIsA WEDDING.


Aho Grotcsuuciy Adorned Bride EftH In
State For Three Days. o
For fully two hours we sat crosslegged
on the couch before word came that the
bride was approaching. Then we all crowd
ed out into the hall and up one flight of
stairs to the room especially prepared for
the reception of the bride. This room was
gorgeously furnished In European style.
with bright red carpet, chairs upholster.
ed In scarlet and gold satin, and with win.
dow hangings of the same material, Be-
tween the two windows opposite the door
large armchair stood beneath q bower of
artificial rosebushes profusely blossoming
with red and yellow tissue paper roses.
The other chairs were ranged against the
wall on three sides of the room.
A great tumult and clatter of voices an
nounced the arrival of the bride. As the
party was heard ascending the stairs ali
the women, who had removed their wells
on coming into the house, hastily threw
them over their heads again. First came
the sister OF the groom (the real hostess),
then tho BRIDES relatives (only women, OF
course), and then the groom, a fine looking
young man in dark blue military uniform,
holding the bride by the elbow. At sight
OF her all the women broke out In exclama-
tions Of pious admiration. And certainly
ANh ecoeNAAc was eoiStolS tlluuBu 10 tNclIe
wonder at least. She was dressed in a long
trained gown of pink satin embroidered
with silver roses. Her tightly curled hair
was crowned with white ostrich plumes
fastened with spray of diamonds and a
veil of silk and tinsel fell to the end of her
train. From her headdress, on either side
of her face, dangled long streamers of sill
yer tinsel threads.
But all this elegance by no means drew
attention from the face of the bride, which
was made most conspicuous by being
adorned with big clusters of brilliants stuck
with gum arabic on the forehead, either
cheek and chin. need not add that the
effect was grotesque.
The groom escorted her into the room of
state, and the guests were pressing in after
them, when relative of the bride quickly
closed the door aud held it for a few min
utes until it was opened by the young man.
The moment he reappeared the women
threw their wells over their heads again and
literally pushed him down stairs with ali
speed, exclaiming, Hurry, hurryr' 1t was
an undigniiled retreat, but as it was an in
novation to allow the bridegroom even this
much participation in the ceremony pro-
priety made 1t necessary for him to with
draw as soon as he had seated the bride.
They told us that be would go to his part
OF the house to make merry with his mas
culine friends
As soon as he had vanished below we all
flockel in to look at the bride. She was
carefully arranged in the chair under the
tissue paper roses. Her downcast ewes
were fixed upon her folded, white gloyed
hands, where rings spark led on every fin
ger, and us we sat solemnly about the
room in silent, admiring circle, with eyes
fixed upon this rigid, inanimate looking
figure, l felt as if we were assisting at the
worship Of some heather idol. An extra
pair of arms would have made the illusion
quite complete But after a few minutes
had elapsed the bride proved herself hu-
man being by fanting away. OF course
this caused great tumult and confusion
The women all talked ut once and rushed
wildly about like go many hens, until at
last the bride was carried into another
room to recover her breath. 1t was not
long before she was back in the chair of
state, as rigid as ever.
Later In the day, and after partaking OF
meal that had been prepared for us, we
went back to drink last cup of coffee in
the presence of the bride and TO chat a lit
tie with our hostess before taking leave
Several OF the BRIDES relatives were Just
going, and each Of them kissed her on either
cheek Carefully, so as not to dislodge tile
diamonds) and whispered something in hei
ear, to which she replied with eyes still
downcast. Poor tbingi They told us that
she would have to sit in state for three sue
cessive days before the wedding could be
considered at an end.
At last, with many salaams and ex-
changes of compliments, we took leave Of
all the assembly. Our hostess shook hands
with us-out of respect to our custom
and thanked us deliberately for the honor
we had conferred upon them by our pres
ence at the ceremony. And the smiling
throng of slaves followed us to the street
door, reiterating: "Goodbyl Come againw
until our carriage ratified away over the
cobblestones Of Stambol.-New York Post