Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 January 1891 — ALGERIAN WEDDINGS. [ARTICLE]

ALGERIAN WEDDINGS.

Ceremonies of Striking Interest to the Foreigner. A marriage ceremony in Algeria is an interesting relic of ancient customs. The bridegroom goes to the bride, and the guests assembled outside the house will wait for his coming. Soon the sound of pipes is heard coming from the summit of some neighboring hill, and the marriage procession approaches the bridegroom’s house. The pipers always come first in the procession, then the bride, muffled up in a veil, riding a mule led by her lover. Then come 3 a bevy of gorgeously dressed damsels, sparkling with silver ornaments, after which the friends of the bride follow. The procession stops in front of the bridegroom’s house, and the girl’s friends line both sides of the pathway. The pipers march off on one Bide, while the bridegroom lifts the girl from the mule and holds her in his arms. The girl’s friends thereupon throw earth at the whoa he hurries forward and carries her over the threshhold of bis house. Those nbout the door beat him witb olive branches amid much laughter. In the evenings on suoh occasion's thei pipers and drummers are called in,and the women dance, two at a time,facing each other; nor does a couple desist until panting and exhausted they steg aside to make room for another. Th< dance has great energy of movement, though the stops are small and changes Blight, the dancers only circling around occasionally. But they swing theli bodies with an astonishing energy und suppleness. As leaves flutter before the gale, so do they vibrate before ths music; they shake, they shiver and tremble; they extend quivering anss, wavs veils aud their minds seem lost in Ihg abandon and frenzy of the dance, while the other women look on, eueouvage by their high; piercing, trilliug cries, which add to the noise of the pipes and drums.—Home Journal.