Year: 1873

shaped gold jars, and every kind os cos
metic and sweet incense being rubbed
upon her. Being unable to stand the
intense heat and overpOwering smell
any longer, we escaped for time into
the open air, and returned after about
an hour to find another bride going
through the same ceremonies. Some of
the bridesmaids were very beautiful
one especially, though a Jewiss. had
regular golden hair and blue ewes
And the whole scene was like a ballet
at the opera, or rather a set of = ater-
nymths or naiads in a picture, not like
any thing in real life Their glorious
hair floating over their shoulders, with
their beautifully modelled arms rounded
in graceful curves as they disported
themselves around the bride, would
have driven q painter or a sculptor wild
with delight. But I could not get over
the indelicacy of the whole thing; it was
a scene III the nude with vengeance.


At half past three o'clock, the follow
ing morning, we got up and went to the
,
ceremony. A great crown of men and
musicians were grouped in the lower
court. Above, the bride was sitting in
state, in the deep recess of a handsome
Moresque room, yelled in white gauze,
while a red and gold figured scarf hung
in graceful folds behind her head On
either side of her were two venerable
looking old men, with long white boards,
and in front of her another, holding a
candelabrUm with three candles. They
nateIy with songs of praise about sc the
dove with the beautiful eyes" ETC., in
fact, a sorter cantick All this time the
minstrels in the quadrangular below
were making a noise, while over the
carved gallery above, looking down
upon them, leaned a variety of Jewish
women, all beautifully dressed in brown
satin and velvet, with stomachers and
girdles richly brocaded in gold, and
gold embroidered Iappets hanging from
the black silk head dress, which is the
invariable costume of the race This
went on four hours, till the poor little
bride looked quite worn out. From
time to time spoonfuls of soup were put
into her mouth, which she strove to re-
sist; and then she was conducted into
the court below, where the same cere-
monies were gone through, except that
a species of buffoOned dance before her,
and was rewarded by ten franc bits put
into his mouth. Everything was done,
both up stairs and down, to make the
bride laugh, even to chucking and pull
ing her under the chin. But she re-
manned impassive, it being part of her
business to look grave, and to prove
that she was old enough to be married.
All of a sudden the same unearthly yell
of Iii Lii! Ii p was heard IN the out
side court, caught up instantly by every
one in and out of the house. I thought
of the words, ''Behold, the bridegroom
cOmeth p so exactly were the traditions
preserved. A very ordinary looking
youth, in a frock coat and red fez, ac-
cordingly made his appearance, and
then the women covered their faces
with gauze handkerchiefs, and the men,
who had never ceased eating and drink
ing at intervals during the whole night,
formed themselves into a procession,
while the brides father, a venerable
looking old Jew, with a long, white
beard, white turban and crimson sash
led her to the carriage which was to
take her to the brideoroom's home, we
all following, and the women's cry of
'ELil Ii! LiI' resounding through the
narrow streets