Arizona republican., 1906-04-18
A KURDISH WEDDING.
A Description of Wedding in West.
 ern Persia.

New York. April 16.-That the Kurds
 are not entirely given over to such bloodthirsty pursuits as participation in the Armenian massacres. and other
 lawless enterprises with which the
 name has been associated, is proven by an account of a Kurdish wedding which has just reached here from E. w. Me Dowell, missionary of the foreign
 mission board of the Presbyterian church in western Persia. MT. Me Dowell tells the incident thus:
 l have been attending a wedding. Tamar Agha, a wealthy Kurd. has ta-
 ken bride for his son Sia Mahomet. and along with the governor, city off cials, Kurdish Aghaso and Begs. I was invited to the festivities. In front of | the house a band of fifty young Kurds in picturesque costume, were dancing to the pounding of a drum Entering the house we were icOnducted to the guest room where we were. received by the old Agha Tamar..
 The guest room was about I6xIS in size, we'll carpeted with Persian rugs.
 There were three modern windows, set with glass capable of being opened. These were, however, sealed up air
 tight, and it was a warm day, and there was a stove in the room not quite red
 hot Besides the stove there were fifty guests in the room, all of them, except
 the missionary, smoking. Perhaps you can imagine the atmosphere. The stove was finally carried out, not because of the heat, but to make room for the dancers.
 These were young Kurds. handsome fellows, in flowing and highly colored garments. They danced, sometimes one alone, sometimes two Or three to- gether. Flirting bright colored hand kerchiefs with the tips of his fingers, the dancer first pastures with the up- per part of his body, and then, as the flute shrills louder, he keeps time to it in a slow measured tread of the feet, moving in a circle about the room. One young man gave a sword dance. He was a handsome fellow with smil- ing lips. sparkling eyes, and dare-de face, marred by scars which suggested sword play of more serious sort. Then there were Kurdish songs, of war and of love.
 These performances were kept up without intermission, for two hours
 Then came dinner. Servants brought in large pewter trays which were set on low stools. The guests seated them selves on the floor around these trays. each one supple l with large Turkish towel and a spoon. There were ten courses, each brought in a handsome metal dish. Without exception the food was toothsome: meats and soups, vegetables, preserves and sweetmeats, cooked after a manner unknown to>us and differently served, but all delicious. There were also sheep curds, cold. tart and delicious to the taste, and bread which is unsur- passed in the world. It is thin as a wafer. thoroughly baked, crisp, and with a flavor all it's own. Some one will introduce it to America some day and make his fortune.
 Tea was served to us when we came and after dinner, the trays having been removed and the guests seated com fortably on the cushions, Turkish cof- fee was served in dainty little cups. An American cannot but be impressed with the complete lack of self-con- sciousness, embarrassment, awkward ness in a gathering of this kind, in an out of the way mountain town of the Kurds. This was true of host and guests, dancers and servants; every thing was simple, hearty and free There were no women present, and the bride was not introduced at all In fact she had not yet been brought from her home. This was reserved for the second day of the feast, the company going in procession to escort her to the home of her husband.