The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-12
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TO meet there. TO the bath tho Eict
comes with her mother, and she there
has her first interview with her pros
pectivc mother-in-law The two talk
and gossip together, and very likely GO
into the hotroon. and plunges. clad In
the light attire OF two Turkish towels
the fashionable garb for the occasion.
After the batn is over they have some
There is more talking and the CIR,
is sized up mentally and physicaiiyi
Upon the return home the mother OF
tho groom tells her husband the reSult
Of her Investigations, and If he Is
pleased negotilti lions arc begun WITH
the parents OF the bride. II agreeable
the dowry is fixed and The bctrothal.
is made Neither the marriage nor the
betrothal can be consummated without
the consent Of the girl. This consent
is gotten in connection with the man,
or NJ ohammedan priest, who appears
at the door OF the harem Of the brides
mother. The girl Is behind the door.
and she is asked II she Will consent
to th, match She has TO ansW er -
Will" three separate times, after which
the amount of the dowry may be paid
/, over, in the presen &c Of witnesses.
Queer Wedding Ceremonies.
Ir All Orinetal countries the wedding
ceremonies are very important The
marriage is always an occasion of pro-
| tracted festivities. and not to be In
/ vited is a grave offcnse. Cno OF the
! proverbs here IS: "He who does not in :
/ wife me to his marriage will not have
| me at his funeral Among the Mo-
| hammedans the wedding ceremonies
often last d week. during which there
is feastirg on the part OF both fami.
lies The dinners are given before
! the wedding, and al the time OF the
ceremony large amounts Of money arc
thrown tc the besgars. The wedding
X feasts usually begin Monday. Tuesday
! the bride is taken to the bath. and
| there is feast there, the bridegroom
! paying the expenses of the bathing and
! eating
/ Mohnmmednns OF rniestine.
| Among the AIohnmmedans of Pales-
/ tine. so says M guoe. Shammas the
wedding usually takes place AZ the
mosque. and the bridegroom mec,ss his
bride when she Is on the way thither.
! although she IS so yelled that he cannot
see her She is dressed all in white
/ and Is carried under Il canopy on the
( shoulders Of four men, At the mosque
tho wedding sermon is given, and al
the end Of this the bride goes to tho
| house OF her husband. As she steps
| over the threshold she bends down
and passes under two crossed swords
| upheld by lis friends. This means
! that II She is not true to her husband
lie will kill her She is taken first to
the women's apartment. or harem, over
tbs door of which has been placed a
piece of lcavened dough, with green
leaf living upon it. She presses the
palm OF her hand on the loaf and into
no II 41,,xc clio
home in which she has come Will -four
ish. IN some cnses the bride breaks a
Niece or lcavcned bread and gives 1t
to the vourg people to eat.
wcmer'. Rights in Syria.
IT Is the general idea among Chris
u2rs th.t Mohammedan wives have 10
riThts which their husbands are bound
to resncct. ] am told this is not so,
and that The women here not !nfre-
uue-tly rule their husbands. The cost
E OF living has increased greatly withif,
rccen: Years. and tits only rich No
hamrnedan Who can own several wives
Public sentiment as to the rights OF
women has risen. and the ,n1n who
abuses his wives Is not considered re-
spectacle No man dares address q
strange woman on tho streets OF any
Turkish city. and N the best regulated
houses the husband does not enter the
woman's apart ments when he knows no
Is not wanted, although he has the
legal right to SO there at airy time.
Tho Mohammedan wife has the en-
tire right and control Of her own prop
/, crty. and IL she brings the money into
/, the family she docsinot hesitate to say
/ so. She has abouti5ns much power III
the courts as our women have. She
can sue and be sued. and can even en-
| Yer . quit against her husband In ra-