The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-10-11

were dOO0I W OOSAAAs ONN 0AAC "
cepted the challenge of Ker-Kejai.
The unusual contest lasted long
time. When midnight came, Khe-
lai-Bakhshi turned to her husband, |
asking him what he preferred, a !
child or victory. Victory" said
the husband unhesitatingly. Then |
Khelai-Bakh excused herself for !
a little while. She gave birth to
her child, handed it over to her
relatives, and came back to pro-
coed with he contest. She beat
the old and famous Ker-Kejali, and
he rode away with lowered head.
Survivals
1t was toward evening, after our
customary visits to the schools, CO.
operative, the orphanage, the pri-
mitive silk works, and the oher
interesting places in the village,
that our group, while lounging on
the huge wooden rug and pile of
blankets spread on the side of a
pool and sippin interminably the
inevitable tea from capacious pia-
las. induced our hostess, he or
anizer of the local Woman's De-
partment, to tell us a little of her
life. Prompted and guided by our
: questions, occasionally interrupted
and put back on the right track,
Khoziat Markulanova told US her
story.
She was born in Fergana. Hel
father was a waever, and a devOut
, and honest Moslem. Her mother
: was Of peasant stock. From hel
+; earliest childhood, Khoziat, hel
two sisters and her mother were
working at embroidering skull
caps. Her two brothers were bak
ers. Hers was an industrious
Woodworking family.
: When Khoziat was eight year.
d old, her mother made her a ittl
u paranja. Khoziat cried and refuse
= to put it on. But her mother sal
e that she was too pretty and tina
q if she didn't go covered the Beg
K procurers would grab her. Khoz
u lat did not know what that meant
q but she had heard so many storie
lie of how little girls died in the Beg
W palace that she was glad to PIT
ID on the paranja.
y When Khoziat reached the ag
of four cen, her mother began
~ be worried. Most of her daugl
~ ter's former friends were alread
married. Marriage now began |
u be discussed in Khoziat's presenc
Once, her father, looking vel
lg pleased, marched into the ichka
n and whispered something to h,
of mother. Khoziat did not kno
b. what he said, but she had a fee
as ing thai it was about marriag
'ss Her heart sank, as she was tie
ne ribly afraid of being given to ;
he old man. Pretending to be bu,
as with the dishes, she strained
in make out what was being sal
Up She heard her mother ask :"Ha
'p- they anything?" and her faith
fl answer: "Not much, but som
'as thing" Her mother nodded q
4 d sent.
To- What happened was this: T
village imaum and Ali Nazar
had come to feel out the old M;
ng kulanov as to what his attitu
in might be with regard to a mat
nat between his daughter and MAJ;
os- ov's nephew. Upon receiving
on tentatively favorably reply,
of suitor's older sister, together W
en-. woman neighbor, came to int
ish view Khozati's mother. TIL,
'oic brought the traditional bread g
for a couple of kerchiefs as preser
fe- On the third day, the ina
t a and Ali Nazarov paid Markular
ok another visit. Now the kalyn
iful the price-had to be discuss
nan After arduous haggling on b
had sides, it was finally agreed t
ais, her father was to receive
ian rams, 100 pounds of rice, one {
her