Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1903-03-07
BUYING A WIFE
AN ENCLISHMAN'S OHSER-
VATIONS AT A MARRIAGE
FAIR IN TUNlS. =. =.


ing of the crops is finished, the product
disposed of, and the tribesmen of the
country, flush with money rs money
Is reckoned thereabouts, think of add
ing Il wife to the other purchases they
always make for the ensuing twelve
months.
Being within thirty miles Of the Ait
at the time of the market. l rode over
to see how such Il show was organized
and managed. In the open space the
damsels We're ranged ready for inspec-
ton In the marriage market. There
they face the visitor. separated from
the noisy part of the fair, ranged in
four separate rows and numbering, |
should say, between GOO and 200. Each
dnmsel Is seated on small, bright
colored carpet spread upon the ground,
and each has n negafa-a sort OF nurse,
attendant and duenna combincd-Seat-
ID beside her. Consplcuously displayed
in front of each, moreo1cr. is Il big
roll of woven stuff. This roll of ma
terlal plays an important part in the
marriage negotiations, and is always
woven by the girl herself. The young
women are attired in the most cXpen-
sive and richest garments the parents
and relatives can secure.
They are painted, patched and pow
dered as Is the invariablc custom Of
Kabyle bellies and wear sufficient rings,
bangles, bracelets, chains and brooches
to stock small-sized jewelers. shop.
These jewels are not by any means
always the property of the girl or her
friends. In fact, they are mostly Dor
rowed or hired for the occasion. AS
there is good deal of rivalry between
the different deheras and kcbails in re
gard to the appearance of their damsels
in the marriage market. there is no
difficulty in getting on loan as much
ornament of the kind as the girl can
carry Oh her person, especially If she is
ut all good looking. 1t is not easy for
Il stranger to decide upon the beauty
nf a Berber maid, for she tattoos the
face as well as paints it.
How IS sale and purchase effected?
In the simplest way imaginable. The
would-be buyer has only to walk up
10 the carpet upon which the girl he
wishes to own Is seated, touch with
his finger the roll of woven stuff in
front Of her and ask the price. If the
young woman on looking over the in
Quiring tribesman is satisfied with him
she names very low figure, the small
of ninnnS yvhinh 10 n ,ptppl
among the several clans as the equiva-
lent Of acceptance.
If not, she merely quotes high price.
sometimes up in the hundreds, and it
is then understood that the offer is
respectfully declined. md the deal is
money price to be paid for q girl de-
ponds upon the standing Of her family
and the kebal to which they belong
1t is fixed, moreover, by immcmorial
usage, so that every young man knows
pretty we'll what he will have TO pay
for wife. Hence only those who
have the requisite means can venture
to make an offer for any lot on view.
1t should not, however, be supposed
that these young Berber beauties are
by any means prepared to yield them
selves to the first conner who can afford
to pay the recognized equivalent TO
the parents. Kabylc women are any
thing but the dOcile and Obcdient
drudges many Western readers i'm
aGinc. They enjoy good deal more
freedom, in many respects, than EN-
ropcan wife in like rank in liin
They unuucstionably rule the domestic
roost and know how to use their wood
on clogs, the kabkab. with convincing
effect upon the bare pates of their
spouses.
The satisfactory results of such home
discipline is apparent on the deport-
ment Of the young girls on view in the
market. They watch the tribesmcn,
young and middle-nged. who make in
spectiOn of them, out of the corners Of
their eyes, while they chatter away
nonchalantly with their negafas. They
throw amused glances at the more
bnshful of the young visitors, WHO
cannot summon up courage enough 10
approach and put the momentous QucS-
lions as to the price of the roll Of
stuff. When one OF them does, ut
length, come near to try his luck it is
delightful to see how the girl raises
her eyes, looks the young fellow de-
libcrately over from top to toe. and,
if he does not strike her fancy, dis
misses him with an olthand manner
and toss Of the head. The Kabyir
bellies have. or seem to have. an in
Stinctivc perception when really
promising candidate for their possession
makes his appearance. Then, indeed,
their answer is as prompt as it is de-
ridcd. The negafas. too, know their
business. They see in an instant how
matters are going.
When Il promising young clansman
is either too bashful to step forward
or is likely to pass on without an in
quiry the wrinkled old dame who looks
so quiet and sleepy under her ample
white wimple. sends him glance with
the tail Of her eye that brings him
up TO the roll in an instant, and gener.
ally results In q sale.
Business goes on briskly while l am
looking around and taking stock of the
lots on show. l note half Il dozen deals
concluded in less than half an hour. III
the case of one little Kabyle damsel
watch the negotiations from begin
ming to conclusion. She is quite n
beauty, her face nicely painted pale
lemon yellow, with little suns, moons
and stars cut out of silver foil stuck
all over it. If she has one of these, she
has twenty OIL cheek and forehead.
She wears pancakeshaped silk hat
on her head. well stiffened out, and
fastened under the chin by ribbon
covered with small coins. a smart
looking young tribesman Of the Benz
Yussef comes striding along in his
four-yard-long train and straw hat
big enough to stow the girl in. He
stops and looks ut the girl, comes near
or, evidently attracted, looks again.