The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-01-17
The YoungM Man
Of the Bridge
BY DoRoTHEA HALE

AWCbl, thAS s"@ $oN>AO~Ss ~
q miscellaneous population. Persians.
Greeks, races of western and southern
Europe are mingled together. besides
NoOrs from northern Africa. Some OF
these peoples form colonies among
themselves and continue the customs
Of their native countries. Consequent
" there are a great many queer u 8
toms IN. Constantinople.
Among these customs perhaps the
strangest is betrothal and marriage
the Moors. There is no such
thing as a eourtship among them. Mar
riages are arranged by contract be-
tween the parents of the groom and
the bride. who do not see ench other
until they are married. Yet the human
heart in these people beats the same
us ~ other races. 1t may be well
for Il bride If she has n o met some
mar to whom she has given her. heart,
for. fancy free. she may fall In love
with her husband or at least become
attached to him as is natural between
those who live and bring up children
together. Rut woe to the young girl
who has seen the man who ha insptr-
ed her with :, grand passion.
The marriage ceremony among these
people is also peculiar, as will appear
In the case of a young Moorish girl
called Ayxa. who was betrothed to a
young man named Muley Abdul by
her parents. but who had fallen In
love with a young nan she had seen
but once The young. especially girls
on the threshold Of womanhood, are
prone to s,lccumb before a single glance
of a man who captivates their fancy.
and southern races are more liable to
this than colder blooded peoples of the
north. Ayxa in crossing that much
f%requented bridge uniting two parts OF
Constantinople. stopped to look down
over the side into the water. While
doing so she uncovered her face. since
there was no man below to see 1t.
Presently turning her eyes aside she
saw Il young man also leaning over b
side, but instead Of looking into the
water he was gazing at her. She saw
the |ovelight in his eyes and uncon-
sciously returned it.
Covering her face. she pursued her
way. But from that moment she was
changed. Her young and excftable be-
ing saw I'll all about her that face
alone. At least 1t was all that excited
a response in her. Indeed, it became
a part, the greater part, of her being.
1t was mt this time that negotiations
were entered upon for her marriage
with Muley Abdul. When she heard
of them she had not met the young
man on the bridge. and they did not
especially interest her-that Is. they
we're not repulsive to her. After the
meeting they became a horror to her.
But she could do nothing to prevent
the union that awaited her. She had
met the young man Of the bridge
but once. aud ven if she had seen
him often and they had become lovers
1t would not have made any difference.
She would have married the man pro-
vided for hei. and that without having
seen him.
The arrangements for the marriage
having been completed. the parents OF
the bride and the groom, who were
both Moors, prepared for the wedding,
to he celebrated as it would have been
celebrated in I'angier or Tripoli.
Ayxa, as was the custom, was to be
carried to her husband at night. The
street in the Moorish quarter through
which the bride would pass was lined
with persons to see her pass. She was
at home with her father and mother
and the woman who had nursed her
from b%abyhood. Languidly she babe
her parents goodby and left them. go
Ing with her nurse, who in accordance
with the ceremony was to conduct her
to her husband.
And now ONE the strangest part
Of this strange custom. The nurse
left the house, carrying a box which
contained the bride. placed it on a
mule standing before the door. then
led the animal down the street. Nov
Ing slowly to the sounds Of wierd mu-
sic. the old woman, the mule aud the
bride within the box proceeded on
their way to the home Of the groom.
AS they passed house after house
friends emerged. to salute the bride.
None knew the feelings of Ayxa, for
she had not contided them yer to her
mother. What desperate, resolve. was
In her fierce Moorish bosom sha Kept
hidden there. A bride who hadAlved
another. on her way to an unknown
husband. had been found at the door
Vt his house dead in the box that ell
closed her. by her own hand. Indeed
shere were those along the route who,
remembering this. sbuddered lest the
easing concealed a corpse. But nearly
oil were as loud in their congratula-
slons AS il Ayxa was going to the hus-
band Of her choice.
At last the home Of the groom was
reached. He was not at the door to
receive her, but waited for her within.
When a living bride stepped from the
box there were those in the throng who
breathed a sigh Of relief.
Ayxa was conducted by her mother
h-law to the room where her husband
awaited her. There she was left to en-
lar alone. She was expected to ad-