The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1913-03-12
IheYoung Man
Of the Bridge
By DoRoTIiEA HALE

In Constantinop.e there has always
been, since its conquest by the Turks. |
4 miscellaneous population. Persians.
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
~ 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 as 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 the4e people beats the same
as among other. xaces- 1t may be we'll
for a bride il she has not met some
mdn to whom she has given her heart.
fer, 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 graEd passion
The marriage ceremony among these
people Is also peculiar. as will appear
In the case Of young Moorish girl
called Ayxa. who was betrothed to
young man named Muley Abdul by
her parents. but who had fallen In
love wfth-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 captivates their fancy.
and southern races are more liable 70
this than colder blooded peoples Of the
north. Ayxa in crossing that much
frequented bridge uniting two parts Of
Constantinople. stopped to look down
over the side into the water. While
doing 50 she uncovered her face. since
there sswas no man below to see It
Presently turning her eyes aside she
saw young man also leaning over the
side, but instead Of looking into the
water he was gazing at her. She saw
the lovelight In his eyes and uncon-
sciously returned it
way. But from that moment she was
changed. Her young and excitable be-
ing saw in all about her that face
alone. At least it was all that excited
a response in her. Indeed. it became
a part, the greater partfa{ her being
1t was at this time appropriations
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
were not repulsive 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 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 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 beer
/ celebrated in Tangier or Tripoli
/ Ayxa. as was the custom, was to be
/ carried to her husband at night The
street in the Moorish quarter through
I 81, bit
with persons to see her pass. She wa:
at home with her father and mother
/ and the woman who had nursed hel
| from babyhood- Languidly she badt
her parents goodby and left them. go
ing with her nurse. who in accordanc,
with the ceremony was to conduct hel
to her husband.
And now comes the Strangest par
of this strange custom. The nurs,
left the house. carrying box which
contained the bride, placed it on
mule standing before the door. theI
led the animal down the street Nov
ing slowly to the sounds Of wierd mu
sic. the old woman, the mule and tn,
bride within the box proceeded oil
their way to the home of the groom
| AS they passed house after houS
friends emerged to salute the bride.
None knew the feelings of Ayxa, TO
she had not confided them even to he
mother. What desperate resolve wa
In her fierce Moorish bosom she KEEP
hidden there A bride who had love
another, on her way to an unknown
husband, had been found at the doc
of his house dead in the box that en-
closed her, by her own hand Indee
there were those along the route who
remembering this, shuddered lest tn
casing concealed a corpse. But nearl
all were as loud In their congratula
lions as If Ayxa was going to the hus
band of her choice.
At last the home of the groom wa
| reached He was not at the door t
receive her. but waited for her within
When a living bride stepped from th
box there were those in the throng VIII
breathed sigh of relief.