The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-05-09
THE TURKISH BRIDE.
PECULIAR CUSTOMS WHICH SHE is
BOUND TO OBSERVE.

ef niociphue az Bride TeEMf-
mates After Six Years, but She WIZ
kever Again Open Her Lips 10 q
Man Unless He Bc Her Txinsman.
"The conduct demanded OF q newly
married Armenian woman will strike
Americans as very singular indeed"
said Antranig Azhdcrian, young Ar
menian, the author ot the book "The
Turk. and the Land OF Haig." "She
utters never o word except when alone
with her husband until after the birth
of her first child. Then she is allowed
to talk to her child a little later she
Is permitted to converse with her moth
er-inlaw, still later her own mother
may again hear her voice, and before
great while she will speak in whis-
pcrs to the young girls Of her house
hold. She must not leave the house
during the first year Of her married
life except to attend church. Her dis
clplinc rs bride terminates after six
years, but she will never again open
her lips to Il man unless lie be her kns-
man. Young girls are allowed to have
liberty Of conduct that is in striking
contrast. They chatter freely and
checrfully with whom they please.
"The Armenian woman differs rad
ically from her Turkish sisters. Nci-
thcr seclusion nor polygamy nor d.
vorce darkcns her present or threatens
her future. She Is not educated with
her brothers, however, as are American
girls. I remember how puzzled was
when l entered an American college
and saw girls seated among the boys
in the classroom.
John,' / said to my neighbor. what
are the girls here for-to make the
room look pretty?'
at seemed incredible that any one
could think girl capable OF learning
along with ilef brother. it is consider
ed disgrace likewise for man to
walk publicly with woman, even
though she Is his sister. She may en-
tertain men callers, and, of course her
face Is never covered, like Il Turkish
womnn'ssbut her mother or some older
female relative Is always present. They
attend the same entertainments and
church, but may not sit together. The
womens seats IN church are partition
GU OA ituu urC III Tue rear.
"While among many old Armenian
families parents contract for the mar
riage Of their children while they arc
in their infancy, in the majority Of
cases the young people are permitted
to make their selections, though al
ways with the consent Of their parents.
Elopements, therefore, are unknown.
The marriage tie IS sacred in Armenia,
and death can only break It, If per-
Son has m uncongenial companion, lie
must endure 1t with the same kind OF
patience he would endure n sore head,
which, though he may try to cure, hc
will hardly cut off.
with Turkish women their only end
In this world Is marriage. Accordingly
girls are from their infancy rocked to
sleep by their mothers with lullabies of
future husbands, handsome, coura-
geous and wealthy. The regular age for
marriage is from IL to IS years, but
unusual wealth or nhys!ca. attraction
calls for earlier contracts. Generally
speaking, parents are pleased if they
get chance of betrothing their daugh-
ters ut or @ or, at any rate, before
they reach II -ears, for at that age
women mnst-so the A1oiiammcti prov
eTb says-eIil,ss marry Or die. ii girl
Is readily married If she is either pret-
ty or wealthy. If she possesses both
qualities, then she Is n great catch and
will have many suliors. About her
wealth there can be no doubt, as in the
east ones financial status is known to
every one. The age, too, can be easily
ascertained, but the puzzlIng question
is about her good looks. Is she pretty?
Tint must must be discovered, and, as
the young man has no means of finding
out for himself, lie must get some wo-
man to act for him. He usually resorts
to Jewess, and If her report Is favor
able he then brings the matter to her
parents attention, and her mother, aft
er call on the girl, arranges n party
ut public bath. These bath parties
are extremely fashionable, and the wo-
men dress elab0rately. A meal of
greasy pastries and sweets is always
served, after which comes the smoking
Of cigarettes, long pipes and water
pipes, the women seated cross legged
on divans and gossiping the entire
time. Should the mothers report be
satisfactory, after n few visits between
the parents the marriage Is agreed up
on and the day set.
"As to the betrothal. the husband has
to give n dover, or rather hire as the
Koran distinctly states. The minimum
Of this dover is fixed. 1t may not be
less than $1.7O In your money. The
is left open, and by that ar
rangement the family Of the girl is able
to obtain some show Of fair play. for
In Turkey the only hold woman has
On her husband Is that to divorce her
ne must turn over to her this dover.
After marriage 1t is her prime duty to
court and obtain his good will, for IL
she dfspleases him she Is in imminent
danger of missing paradise. A wife
whose tongue hns made trouble for her
husband will have that appendage
to $50 feet at the Judgment.
Should man wish q divorce he has
only to return his wife's dover and
'ay to her, Get outv She has to 20;
here is no redress. He need not even
give a reason."-New York Sun.