The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-02
SYRIAN WEDDING.
Great Social Event Among the
Asiatic Residents of COwley.
Swell Affair in a Prosperous
Farming Community.
AMERICANS INVITED.
AMERICANS INVITED.
Festivities Are Slated to Last
for Several Days.
Priest Will Come All the Way
From Kearney, Nebraska.

Winfield, July 2.-Cowley county,
at the little town of Torrance twenty
miles east of here, is to have the big
gest social event of the year among
the Syrians of the great middle west:
the wedding of Miss Sadie Cohlmia.
of Wichita, and Albert Razook. of
Torrance. on Sunday, July 5. Both
belong to prominent and well-to-do
families of the Syrian colony which
has in this part of the country, Its
largest group at Wichita. But there
are many others scattered around IN
the southwest, some in towns where
they engage successfully in trade, and
others on farms. growing wheat, corn,
cotton and livestock as well as the
best of the western people.
From far and near will come the
kinfolk and friends of the young cou-
pie, and preparations are making for
the entertainment of five or six hum
dred guests. Acceptances of the in
vitations have been received from IL
linois. Iowa Missouri, Oklahoma,
Texas, Nebraska. and places even
farther away The American neigh
bors of the family have also been in
vited and these will see for the first
time in their lives the way wedding
is conducted among the warm blood
ed people of Asia Minor. The we'd
ding will occur at O'Clock Sunday
afternoon, but the festivities will be-
gin Friday evening and continue for
several days the signal for departure
being the complete exhaustion of the
participants. The hosts of the occa-
sion expect the fun to last until
Wednesday at least.
Miss Cohlmia, the bride-to-be, was
here Monday accompanied by her fl
ance his sister. Miss Mary Razook,
and uncle. A. +. Razook. Both the
young women are handsome in any
company. and the groom a f1ne specl-
men of physical manhood. They were
here shopping for the wedding and
to procure the marriage license.
There is no attempt at secrecy In
Syrian wedding. Months before the
marriage ceremony the formal pe-
trothal takes place, contract record
ed with the probate judge and with
the priest as carefully as the marriage
license itself. The nearest priest or
their faith-they are Christians of the
syrian Catholic church is at Kearney,
Nebraska, and he Will come all the
way here to perform the ceremony.
The record of the betrothal of this
young couple was on December "a,
1906. which was done by taking out
a marriage license, the only form pro-
vided by our law. Young Razook ex-
plained that this was for the purpose
of soaring the other young men away.
1t was then intended that the we'd
ding be in six months, but his ao-
sence for business reasons prevented
the contamination at that time. But
a year flies quickly enough when All
other young men are all search
away"
Mr.. Razook is a prosperous farmer
and merchant at Torrance. He ana
his family have been in this country
a number of years and speak English
well. Most of those who Will attend
also speak English, but many are re
Gently from Syria and have not learn
ed If vet. wherever they settle, they
make good, industrious citizens, and
rapidly become good Americans.
Their prosperity is attested by their
ability to travel long distances to take
part in a big wedding.