Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-12-16
Three American Girls Bidden as Guests
in Constantinople.

Three American Girls Bidden as Guests
in Constantinople.
For fully two hours we sat cross
legged on the couch before word came
that the bride was approaching. Then
we all crowded out into the hall and
up one flight of stairs to the room es-
pecially prepared for the reception of
the bride. This room was gorgeously
furnished in European style, with
bright red carpet. chairs upholstered
i'll scarlet and gold satin, and with
window hangings of the same material.
Between the two windows opposite
the door Il large armchair stood be-
meath bower of artificial rose bushes,
profuSely bloSsomng 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
announced the arrival of the bride. AS
the party was heard ascending the
stairs all the women, who had remov-
cd their wells on coming into the house,
hastily threw them over their heads
again. First came the sister of the
bridegroom the real hostess), then the
brides relatives (only women, of
course), and then the bridegroom, a
tinc-looking young man in dark blue
tiiiii vi III, llOluluSS lut Dllut ny
the elbow. At sight of her all the wo-
men broke out in exclamations of
pious admiration. And certainly her
costume was gorgeous enough to eX-
cite wonder at least. She was dressed
i'll long trained gown of pink satin,
embroidered with silver roses Her
tightly curled hair was crowned with
white ostrich plumeS fastened with a
spray of diamonds and 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
silver tinsel threads.
But all this elegance by no means
drew attention from the face of the
bride, which was made most conspic-
uouS by being adorned with big clus-
tcrs of brilliantS stuck with gum arabic
on the forehead, either cheek and chin.
L need not add that the effect was
grotcsque.
The bridegroom escorted her into the
room of state. and the guests were
pressing in after them. when a rela-
tive of the bride quickly closed the
door and held it for a few minutes I'M
til 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 all speed, eXclaiming:
Hurry hurry!' 1t was an lIndigni-
fled retreat, but us it was an innova-
ton to allow the bridegroom even this
much participation in the ceremony,
propriety made it necessary for him
to withdraw as soon as he had seated
the bride. They told us that he would
go to his part Of the house to make
merry with his masculine friends.
AS soon as he had vanished below
we all tlOcked in to look at the bride.
She was carefully arranged in the chair
under the tissue-paper roses. Her
downcaSt eyes We're fixed upon her
folded, white-gloved hands, where
rings Spariled on every finger, and as
we sat Solemnly about the room in
silent, admiring circle, with eyes fixed
upon this rigid, mamma fig
urc, | felt as if we We're assisting ut
the worship of some heather idol. An
extra pair of arms would have made
the illusion quite complete But after
il few minutes had elapsed the bride
proved herself Il human being by faint
ing away. OF course this caused great
tumult and confusion. The women al
talked at once and rushed wildly about
like so 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 partak-
ing of Il meal thai had been prepared
for U.S. we went back to drink Il last
cup of coffee in the presence of the
bride and to chat Il little with our hos
tess before taking leave. Several of
the brides relatives were just going.
and each of them kissed her on either
check carefully, so as not to dslodgc
the diamonds and whispered some
thing in her ear, to which she replied
with eyes still downcast. Poor thing;
they told us she would have to sit in
state for three successive days before
the wedding could be considered at
an end.
At last, with many salaams and cN-
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 elaboratcly
for the honor we had conferred upon
them by our presence at the ceremony
And the smiling throng of slaves fol-
lowed us to the street door, rcitcrat-
ing, "Good-by! come again. until our
carriage ratified away over the cobble-
stones of tamboul.-Evening Post.
The Home Ruie Uero