The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-06-26
Village Life in Holy Land Differs Little
From That of Two Thousand Years Ago

the man often rides the family donkey
while his wife walks.
On the whole, however, it cannot
be said that the women are treated
unkindly. One point about their dress
is that it differs sufficiently in each
district to enable one to distinguish
where the wearer comes from, though
naturally the costumes have much IN
common. In the same way one is OF
ten able to detect whether a woman
is married or single from her head
gear In he Hebron district, for in
stance, the unmarried girls wear
large silver coin on their toreheads.
On the other hand, the married Wo-
men of Bethlehem wear coins on their
caps, which in shape resembles a tez.
The owner never parts with them
and to admit that she has lost one is
considered a great shame, for an evil
meaning is put upon it.
AS soon as a girl reaches the age OF
II she begins to think OF marriage,
and longs for the day when some
suitable young man will come along
and purchase her, as among the Mo-
hammedans, who constitute more than
three-fourths of the population OF the
country and who follow the ancient
customs more closely than any of the
other races. a man buys his wife, the
price depending upon her age, beau
ty, usefulness and the fa~iily to which
she belongs. When youth reaches
manageable age, that is 20, and can
afford the expenses of a wedding he
begins in business-l1Ke way to look
out for bride. When his choice
seems to rest upon a certain girl from
simply seeing her in the village-for
no courtship is allowed-or if a girl
is heard OF in another hamlet that
strikes his fancy, then the mother OF
the bridegroom, with retinue Of her
daughter and women friends, goes to
see the prospective bride, learning
whether she bakes we'll and is handy
at all kinds of work, seeing if she is
good looking and, above all, that her
eyes are perfect,
If the report is favorable the young
man, with his father uncles and other
male relatives and friends, next makes
a visit, and everything being satisfac
tory formally asks for the girls hand;
and if the father is willing the bar
gaining commences. This may occupy
some time; but at last price is
agreed upon, which may vary from
$500 to as much as $500. In addition
to this sum, however the bridegroom
has to bear the expenses OF the we'd
ding. and is also expected to give a
present to the guest chamber OF the
brides village, and certain gifts to va
rious parties Then Tor a week there
is feasting in the village So lar as the
al
ed this merely consists OF a marriage
contract drawn up and signed by the
bridegroom and the brides father in
the presence Of the elder or religious
teacher OF the village. This over the
which the bridegroom is conducted
with much pomp and the firing OF
guns TO his new home. where he en-
tiers and is left alone with his bride.
Although boys are preferred TO
girls, the peasant child, provided i'll
survives the strange treatment melted
out to all children at birth, has a fair
Iv happy time on the whole. When
but a Jew hours old its tender skin,
without being washed, is rubbed with
olive oil and salt. On the seventh day
it is given a bath. 1t is then re-oiled
ana TINS performance Is repeated tN-
cry week until the child is 10 days
old. In some localities they cOnsid-
er it unsafe TO wash the baby before
it is 40 days old Into the little eyes
they put drons of liquid tar, and
when two days old begin the periodi-
cal application OF kohl This is a dye
used to blacken the eyeiids and is con
sidered both beautify;ng and benefi-
cial to the eyesight They believe the
tar to be a preventive OF weak eyes,
and that a child who has not been
salted will develop into a weakling.
Farming, OF course, is the principal
occupation OF the country people OF
the Holy Land. In addition to grow
ing grain they also raise olives, grapes
and other fruits We plow first and
sow afterwards, whereas the Palestine
farmer sows first and Dlows after
wards. He scatters the seed over the
ground by hand and then works it
into the ground by blowing The
plows are primitive, and are pulled,
as a rule, by oxen.