The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1909-09-24
MARRIAGE IN MOROCCO.
Negotiations BY the Parsnts-Fort, Ne
Telling Made Easy.

Negotiations for the marriage of,
say, Ali Mahmoud are now in prog
ress. The parents are arranging
the whole affair. Probably Ali will
not see his future bride until after
the ceremony. The wild, passionate
stories Of the east do not occur in
Morocco. A Moor says that "a wo-
man is like unto your shadow-run
away from it and it will always fol-
low you; run after it and you never
catch it."
Ali Mahmoud's indifference to the
personal appearance of his intended
spouse is not shared by the young
lady. Zaida is just fourteen years
of age and, following the usual Gus
tom, has recourse to magic to gain
an idea of the appearance of her flu
ture lord and master. The mara
bout, whose services at this juncture
are indispensable, is now requisi-
toned. This sanity person finds
it an easy matter to practice on the
ignorant and superstitious females.
Without any difficulty he asccr-
tains the identity Of the bridegroom
and carefully studies his personal
appearance. He then repairs to the
residence of the bride on the day
appointed. A Thursday is set apart
for these seances. The prospective
bride smears the left side of her
face with khol and rouge and pre-
pares huge plate of CONSCIOUS with
her left hand. Then she pays sue
cessive visits throughout the city to
seven baths, seven mills, seven bak-
cries and to the banks of seven
streams to invite the genii to sup
per.
At midnight the females of the
house assemble at the gate of the
house and in total darkness go
through the prescribed formula of
welcome to the ghostly visitants.
The CONSCIOUS is already set out for
the delectation of the supernatural
guest. When reasonable time has
elapsed for the supposed genii to
finish their meal all present ascend
to the housetop.
Fires are lighted, and the mara
bout, with great solemnity, throws
small pellets of various drugs upon
them on behalf of the girl for whom
the oracle is to be Intercepted. By
the various forms assumed by the
flames and smoke the marabout
then processes to describe the fu-
ture husband Of the girl. The cere-
mony concluded, he takes his de-
parture with substantial reward
and a further enhancement of his
reputation as magician and holy
man.
A few days later Zaida receives a
present from her future father-in.
law, and the contract of marriage is
definitely arranged.
A deputation of the bridegroom's
relations now come to fetch her,
and the procession is formed to lead
her to her new house.
Ali Mahmoud and Zaida eyed each
other curiously, for it is the first
time they have met. The long and
tedious ceremonies and the six days
of feasting over, they take up their
quarters in his fathers house until
such time as he can afford to set up
an establishment of his own. Zaida
is relegated to the monotonous in
door life of the Mohammedan wo-
h men. She is never allowed to leave
the house. Like most of her class,
she has very little culture. She can
neither read nor write, while she is
denied the solace Of prayer from
sheer ignorance of the prescribed.
Her prime is passed in trivial house
hold duties until such time as her
husband can afford to buy negress
slave. Her amusements consist of
futile embroidery and long hours at
eventide spent on the terraces re-
served for the women.-London
Graphic.