Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1913-01-14
The Evening Story
TheYoungMa
Of the Bridge
By DORoTHEA HALE

ihioeci'uhcous poPuidlioh. CiSAuH's
Greeks, races of western and southern
Europe are mingled together. besides
Moors from northern Africa Some OF
these peoples form colonies among
themselves and continue the customs
of their native countries. Consequent
ly there are great many queer Gus
toms in Constantinople.
Among these customs perhaps the
strangest Is betrothal and marriage
among the Moors. There is no such
thing ms courtship among them. Mar
riages are arranged by contract be-
tween the parents Of the groom and
the bride, who do not see each other
until they are married. Yet the human
heart In these people bents tho same
MS among other races. 1t may be well
for a bride il she has not met some
man 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. But woe to the young girl
who has seen the man who has inspir-
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 Ayxn, who was betrothed to n
young man named Muley Abdul by
her parents, but who had fallen In
love with a young man she had seen
but once. The young, especially girls
on the threshold Of womanhood. are
prone to succumb before single glance
Of man who captlvates their fancy.
and southern races are more liable to
this than colder blooded peoples Of the
north. Ayxa In crossing that much
frequented bridge uniting two parts OF
Constantlnople, 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 young man also leaning over tho
side. but instead of looking into tie
water he was gazing at her. She saw
the lovelight 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 excitable be-
ing saw I'm all about her that face
alone. At least it was all that excited
a response in her. Indeed. 1t became
part, the greater part, of her being
1t was at this time that negotiations
were entered upon for her marriage
with Mulcy 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
were not rcpulsive TO her. After the
meeting they became 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, and even IL she had seen
him often and they had become lovers
it would not have made any difference.
She would have married the man pro-
yided for her 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 be celebrated as it would have been
eRANDialCA III VI TlIGii-
Ayxa, as was the custom. was to be
carried to her husband at night. Tho
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 babyhood. 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 comes 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 dosr, then
led the animal down the street. Nov
Ing slowly to the sounds of wferd mu-
sic. the old woman, the mule and 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 confided them even to her
mother. What desperate resolve was
In her nerce Moorish bosom she kept
hidden there. A bride who had loved
another. on her way to an unknown
husband, had been found at the door
Of his house dend In the box that en-
closed her. by her own hand. Indeed
there were those along the route who.
remembering this, shuddered lest the
casing concealed corpse. But nearly
all were as loud in their congratula-
tons as If Ayxa was going to the hus-
band OF her choice.
At last the home Of the groom was
He was not at the door to
receive her, but waited for her within.
When living bride stepped from the
box there We're those In the thronR who
sigh OF relief.
Ayxa was conducted by her mothe..
n-law to the room where her husband