OCR Text |
Show Old Marriage Customs Retained in Albania Albania, the Balkan state, Is a quaint mixture of the new and the old. In place of railways they have up-to-date air services, but the inhabitants in-habitants still cling to their picturesque pictur-esque marriage customs. Young girls are not allowed out of their mothers' sight until they are betrothed, be-trothed, but when 'hey are officially engaged they may queen it for a day or two over all their circle. Seated on a sort of throne they receive re-ceive the homage and gifts of relations rela-tions and friends. On the day of the wedding the bridegroom and the best man and friends form a procession and call for the bride. They take her, heavily veiled, to church, while her parents remain at home. The girl usually rides on a horse led by the best man, and to keep up the pretense of capture the men discharge dis-charge guns as they march along singing. |