Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1907-09-20
Some time during the day he has been
to the mosque, but 1t is not necessary
for the bride to go.

for the bride to go.
The next day, Friday, was invited
to the wedding festivities. The fam.
lilies we're of far higher class than
those of the harems l had previously
seen. The pleasant courtyard was
lined with fine green tiles in good de-
signs, the rooms opening directly upon
1t and also from gallery above. In
the center fiat on the floor sat dozen
black women with coarse tambourines
and small drums, keeping up an in
cessant though intermittent noise of
chanting, but ranged about the sides
on platform slightly raised sat the
chief female relatives and friends of
the high contracting parties, and their
effect was SO theatrically dazzling that
1t was some time before l discovered
which might be the bride. The love
of ani,ine dyes rather than the lovely
old soft oriental colors had infected
all ranks, and as each Arab lady in
Tripoli when indoors appeared in all
the seven colors of the spectrum and
a good many more not recognized by
the rainbow, the effect OF 40 or so to-
gether 'was overpowering. Jackets,
blouses, short skirts, Turkish trousers,
silk stockings, gold slippers and Grim
son, pink, cobalt blue, scarlet, yellow,
silver gauze and gold brocade distrib-
uted literally on each woman-words
convey little of the effect. Each face
was painted dead white, with startling
crimson triangles accurately set upon
the Cheeks; eyebrows were heavily
outlined in black and connected over
the nose and yards of gold sequins and
beads were looped around neck and
arms and forehead.
In the center Of all this gorgeous
ness sat the little bride, rigidly erect
and immovable, with two especially
resplendent friends on each side to
fan and otherwise attend her. For
hours she must neither move nor
smile, nor even wink. Her hands
were spread stif1y upon her knees.
the fingers black with henna and gold
leaf thickly laid on up to her wrists;
while as to costume, she was a con-
centrated nightmare of color. Her
hair vas braided down with blue silk
and silver, her vest was gold brocade,
her trousers were of blue velvet; scar
let and crimson disported bewildering-
ly among yards of gold coins and
chains of some white-petaled flower.
Half i dozen holes in each ear sup
ported an immense weight of orna-
Oh al
der. in every detail her decorations
were bigger and brighter and more
amazing than those of the others.
Friday, from just before sunset, the
bride sits thus like a statue for an
hour OF two, while the bridal chamber
is examined, the viands discussed and
much hilarity prevails among the as.
sembled women. The father of this
particular bride had had but four
wives, and there had been but so chill
dren altogether. OF these 25 or 30
had died young, so the poor man had
not married into a very extensive con-
nection. But he was grateful for even
so many relatives-in-law.
The most really interesting figures
in all this wedding party were group
of Bedouins, who had come up from
the desert, strange, bright-eyed wom-
en-, with the great Sahara spaces
breathing from their weird personal
ity. They were draped in silver
chains and bangles, their dark robes
being held together by splendid old
silver clasps and buckles. Their ear
rings were so heavy that they had to
be attached to the head covering as
well. These were the real essence of
the east, the breezy embodiment of
free air, but showing, too, shy dis
trust CT ways other than their own.
Saturday, too, the little bride sits
for hours in state, but afterward the
ceremonies proper are over, though
she is dressed and waited upon and
made the guest of honor in her hush
bands house for a month. After that 4
practical life begins.
Grotesque as are some customs, con-
fused as are nationallties and races,
there is yet strange and inexpllcable
charm about Tripoli. 1t took a perma-
nant hold uDon NV heart and magma