Democratic messenger., 1894-12-08
esRseR MARRIAGE MARKETS.
The brides Are Painted Surprisingly and
Laden with borrowed Finery.

Africa women are looked upon rs chat
tells 10 be sold like other possessions, and
they are accordingly disposed of 10 the
person who makes the highest Offer TO
the father or other male guardian. Many
of the Berber tribes of Marocco. AlgicrS
and Tunis hold yearly marriage mar
kets, TO which all the young marriage u
bic girls and widows from tho neigh
boring villages arc brought. The mar
kets are attended not only by young men
and old on the outlook for wife. but
also by curious crowd anxious to see
what lots are for sale and what prices
they fetch. Tho girls, when on view.
are allowed TO have voice III the Sc
lection of their husbands and may de-
cline any proposal.
They are arranged III rows right
across tho market place; decked i'll the
most telling Berber costumes; painted,
powdered and patched i'll tho highest
style of Kabyle art; loaded down with
rings and bangles, brooches, chains and
coins enough to stock a jewelers. shop.
The jewels are rarely the GIRLS proper
ty, but are borrowed for the occasion
! from friends and neighbors, as every
village takes pride In its girls and
wishes them TO sell well. The young
women are all seated on small squares
of carpet spread upon the ground. Each
has an elderly woman beside her. and
/ in front she has, as if for sale. u small
roll of stuff woven by her own hands.
The faces of the girls are uncovered.
1 for Berber women do not wear the face
concealing haik of the Arabs, but il is
impossible to tell whether they are pret-
| ty or not, for their faces and forchead>
are so painted and even tattooed that the
natural features cannot be made ont.
Here is Il description of girl of lG:
Yellow bars are painted across her face.
and "a patch of gold foil is stuck on her
right cheek Her forehead is tattoocd
with blue circle, and her lips and
gums are well reddened. Her hair is ar
ranged i'll narrow plaits, from the end
of each of which dangle ribbon and a
coin. She wears long slceved red silk
garment, falling from her shoulders
half way down her legs, and u red silk
scarf worn Ike plaid across the left
shoulder, where it is fastened by jew
eled gold brooch. The legs from the
knee down are bare, but the feet are in
I closed III little yellow slippers. with
I gold embroidered edges and jeweled
/ tops, while round the ankles is a double
row of bangles, with bells attached. On
her head is Phrygian cap, with u
/ thick corded silk border and fringed
ends, to which tiny coins are fixed,
hanging over the forehead down tn tho
eyebrows. To pair Of small earrings
are attached two larger rings six inches
I i'll diameter, from which dangle little
| bells. 4 heavy necklace is round her
neck, and below that u massive chain,
with a central brooch. Round each arm
winds broad band Of gold and below
| it seven bangles. to which bells are
\ fastened
Another girl may have her whole face
painted yellow, with little stars and
suns and moons in silver foil pasted all
| over it. Another has blue circles tat
tooed all over her cheeks. The widows
wear white cloth fastened to the top of
the head and secured by "a brooch at the
waist
The man who wishes to purchase
steps up to the woman of his choice and
asks the price of the woven stuff before
her. If he rleases her. She names very
low figure. Then Il loud, shrill and pro.
longed "Yu-yu-yu-uu" uttered hy the
old woman at her side announces that
bargain has been made, and the crowd
/ chnrf. afprnt.a1 el.n I.as
! for the man, she names AN absurdly
high price. Then he walks off TO inspect
the next lot.
The girls are perfectly self possessed.
The young men are good deal more
nervous and look rs sheepish rs Il Eu-
ropean might i'll their place. They are
dressed i'll their best, i'll long, red bur
nous, with high straw hats surmounted
by cabbage shaped plumcs. One will
spend an hour and sometimes two or
three walking about the girl he wants
before he dares to ask the price of tine
woven roll. The girls watch the men
ont of the corners of their eyes, appar-
emily unconccrned, chatting and laugh
ing at them. When the suitor presents
himself, they eye him boldly from head
to foot as they would horse, and if he
suits he gets prompt answer. Some
times the old woman will encourage u
bashful youth with wink or u nod.
The old men set To work i'll business
like manner and walk down the line,
making their proposal to one after an
other till they find some one who will
accept their offer.-New York Sun.