Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 December 1868 — Curious Jewish Customs—Marrying and Dying in the East. [ARTICLE]

Curious Jewish Customs— Marrying and Dying in the East.

A Boston boy who was with Farragut wrote to the Commonwealth, of Bostoß, from Smyrna as follows; When a Jew is married it is customary for him to “keop his wedding,” as it is called, for eight days. During the time he keeps an open house, and all the friends, and strangers as well, call to pay their respects to the couple. Dancing and different games are carried on all the time.— When we were there they were expecting some friends in to dance. (It was about half-past three in the afternoon.) They said that there had been friends there and dancing going on the previous night, and till eight o’clock iu the morning. The same performances are gone through from day to day for a week. Anybody and every body calls in. Let me describe the place we went into, not saying anything abont tho people. There werljlwo rooms thrown open to the public—the principal ones in the house; the first one contained a divan about four anil a half or five feet wide, and one or two chairs; and upon this divan wore some men eugnged in a game of backgammon. In the other room was a divan about half us wide, running around two sides of it, and upon this were seated the bride and several visitors. Tiie rooms were all very plainly furnished, and had one or two pictures on the walls. The hnsband was a tall nnd heavy man, with monsiache and beard, and without any of the Jew look about him. He wus dressed in common citizen clotheß and received us in his

shirtsleeves and flawing vast He requested ns, if wo felt auyways warm or uncomfortable, to take off our uuiform coals. Tho bride received us very composedly, without a nod or a wink. She was the best looking lady by far in the room—good looking, but not handsome; her-features were regular and fresh, out She had high cheekbones. The Jewish females cannot wear a head-dress till after they are married, so that it is always very easily told who the married females ore. The top of her head was covered with a piece of blue silk which went around tho back of her head and came up over her forehead, almost,’cQYer"lng'up her ears. It did not ccme down on the forehead, but passed just over the top of it Then there was a small white band around her head, and this was Burrounded by a small bead coronet Her hair was as black as jet, and very little of it could be seen. She wore a bombazine chess, cut so as to fit close nrouud the shoulders, but low in the neck, according to the custom of their soct here. Then she wore a zouave jacket, with bloomer pantaloons and a long skirt. This is the same costume as that in which they all dress. It is the custom of the Jewish ladies to paint the ends of their fingers brown during their wedding. This fives a very bad appearance to the hands. 'hey gave us all a glass of cool lemonade, and all the smokers indulged in cigarettes. The host, who was able to speak English, talked freely to us of the Jewish customs. It is one of the customs of the Jews, when they get old, to bo to Jerusalem to die,' for they believe they will then go to heaven. So when people get old they get some of their relations to carry them there. These Jews live to a ripe old age, and. from what I have heard, I should think it was not anoomiuon for them to attain the age of 100 years. One man, who is now 54 years old, told me that his father died at 114 years of age; and that lately he had carried his mother to Jerusalem to die, who is now 90 years old. Last week an okl lady 110 years of age' returned to Jerusalem to die.

Leaders of the Cuban Insurrection.— The Evening Post gives an account of the leaders of the Cuban insurreetiqD. The Commander-in-Chief, Don Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, is a lawyer, a sugar planter, and a large landowner. He is worth $700,000 in Baynmo. He is a man of middle height, broad forehead, bright eyes, and abont 48 years of age. The calibre of Cespedes will be seen in this little anecdote. In discussing the plan of the campaign one of the commanding Generals said: “Gentlemen; we must state how we shall retire in case of defeat.” Whereupon Cespedes Arose and said ; “A people conscious of its rights, and resolving to conquer its independence, docs not retire from thA field, We mast conquer or die. Cortes burned his vessels: we Cubans will cut off all our ways of retreat” Hu Puerto Princije every able-bodied man is under anus. It is also stated that npt tbe Cubans only, 'but the Porto Rican* are ready for revolt and freedom. In Porto Rico the leader is Dr. R. E. Betances, a man about 48 years old. Among the 2,000 prisoners now in the Spanish jails are some of the first men in •the island, physicians, lawyers, priests, prqfessors, ;wealthy planters, and merA clerk in a New York mercantile esthbhshment relates a colloquy from which a sprightly youth in the Mine store came out second best. A poor boy came along With his machine. inquiring: “Any knives to grind?” “Don't think we have,” replied the voting gentleman, facetiously; “but, can you sharp-' on wits?” “Yes, if yon'vc got anv,” was the prompt response, leaving the interrogator at a lorn to produce the article.