The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-10
A Moorish
Marriage
1t Took Place In Con-
stantinOple
By 2. A. mitchell

II Constantinople is not the most in
teresting city in the world its situation
is certainly the most beautiful The
Roman emperor Constantine built it
some fourteen centuries ago and made
1t the capital of what was called the
Eastern Roman Empire. A thousand
years later it was conquered by the
Turks, who have remained In posses
sion ever since. 1t remains to be seen
whether during the next ten or twenty
years the banner OF the cross viii not
displace the crescent, floating again
after five centuries on the cathedral
OF St Sophia.
In woman's struggle for a proper
place IN the world there is vast diff
ference between what she has accom-
piished in the western and eastern
nations. Turkish women, while they
have gained much, are still far behind
their western sisters. Among certain
Mohammedan sects they are still load
ed with the customs Of antiquity. This
is noticeable In the union of the sexes
by marriage. The Turk is not sup
posed to see his brides face till he lifts
her veil Immediately after the wedding
ceremony. But the most curious brid-
al among any Mohammedan people Is
that Of the MoOrs.
A marriage between a Moorish girl
and man having been arranged by the
parents the bride is carried to her hus-
band at night. The street through
which she will pass is lined with peo-
pie waiting to see the wedding process
sion. The bride is at home with her
parents and the nurse who has had
the care of her from the time Of her
birth. She steps into a box and it is
carried out of the house to mule
standing at the door. Then to the
sounds of weird music the animal with
its burden is led down the street by
the nurse between the lines of those
looking on. On arriving at her hus-
bands home she leaves the box and
enters the house. When In the room
where her husband, alone, Is waiting
for her she throws herself at his feet.
He raises her and lifts her veil. There
is no formal ceremony, no mutual
pledges. The fact Of their being
brought together and the door shut
behind them constitutes a marriage.
In Constantinople there are Moham
medans from many quarters Of the
globe. There is a Moorish quarter
where the denizens practice such cere
monies as are practiced on the north
ern coast of Africa.
There is little stream flowing int
the Bosporus called the sweet waters
of Asia. Turkish ladies' In summer
time make excursions to its banks Ii
rowboats. Leaving the boats, they
scatter themselves on the land. and 1
, is a pretty sight to see them, clad Al
they are in their brightly colored man
, ties. They carry rugs and cushions
with them, which they place on tn
ground, often at the base Of trees
which furnish a convenient support
There they chatter and eat candy
= Turkish men are near, but do not min
: gle with the women.
! One afternoon party of Moors wer
: thus enjoying the cool breezes fror
! the Bosporus. There were women an
/. children, but no men. One of the chi
dren, little boy of four years, took
/. into his head to toddle away. He wa
!, followed by a young girl and foun
being petted by young man sittin
: on the ground against tree with
= book. The girl drew back, but tn
young man, seeing that she had com
for the child, arose. dotted his fez an
! led the boy to her.
Why the souls of this man and TIL
!. girl should have rushed together upo
!, this meeting which lasted but a fe'
minutes is one of the many mysterie
that pertain to the universe. Tt
= young man read his book no more this
day He arose from his seat and WEI
Is where he could peer upon the gi
y through an opening in the foliage. p
ie was not noticeable. and any one tol
u that he was near would have had diff
Guilty in finding him. Not so the gin
p His face was as plain to her as Il
/ sun III HedNeH Ou HInb sCciAlk III
~ she dropped her eyes, but in few mi
u utes she raised them. dropped the
70 again. raising and dropping them t
ie at last responsive look Of love dartt
from them.
When the party to which the girl b
longed returned to their home in Il
or Moorish quarter the young man T,
'u lowed them to see where they lived.
1t was not long after this that Il
gu mother Of this girl-Ahesha was
name-received a proposition for h
81 daughters hand. The family to viii,
~ the young man belonged was an e
u cellent one. and he would have dout
ne the amount of property that would
az settled upon the girl A contract W
signed. and the young persons we
OF betrothed
TO Had this betrothal taken place befo
ie- the meeting by the sweet waters
ne Asia Ahesha would likely have i
Inn ceived it with indifference. All Mohal
ad medan maidens expect to be marie
nd and they are aware of the fact tn
life they have nothing to say in the choi
Of a husband. But the announceme
BILE made her by her mother. since 10
in had stolen unbidden into her hea
US had a crushing effect She received
zen without comment. but its blighting
at feet showed itself in the pallor Il
oversDread her countpnanca Har mo