arance, as
she reclines on the couch, with her long hair partly covering the
beautiful outline of her figure, and the bridesmaids strew flowers
around her.

When all is ready, the young maidens send to bid the bridegroom enter,
who, clad in a silken garment, is conducted by two friends to the
threshold of the bridal apartment. The seven maidens then chant a short
prayer, wishing the married couple all joy, and, each having kissed the
bride, depart.

The day of the civil marriage is one of unalloyed joy. In the selection
of the day even the elements are studied by men specially devoted to
meteorology, who, with perfect infallibility, can predict the weather
for a fortnight.

Three months after the birth of each child the marriage ceremony is
repeated, the same assembling of friends, the feasting, and the same
purification and adornment of the bride taking place as when the parties
were married.

No religious ceremony, with the exception of a short prayer, takes place
on the day of the civil marriage. The bride and bridegroom are supposed
to be too much engrossed with the thoughts of their coming joys to give
proper attention to prayers pronounced by others. The bride and
bridegroom, however, are each expected to pray in private as their own
hearts may prompt, and some days prior to the marriage a paper is given
to each, in which some of the leading responsibilities and
considerations are noted, to the end that, if necessary, their pious
thoughts may be directed into the right channel.

The religious ceremony takes place at a convenient period, when a year
has expired after the civil marriage, and we are justified in hoping
that the newly married pair, by their conduct to each other, have given
evidence that they are worthy of the blessings now to be solemnly
invoked. When the day arrives the bride is dressed in white without a
single jewel. Both she and the bridegroom prostrate themselves when
receiving the blessing. As the ceremony is supposed to be exclusively
religious, there is no feasting.

If the couple have had any serious dissension during the year the
religious ceremony is postponed, but great efforts are made to reconcile
the difference, and if these are successful the solemnity takes place.

When, on the other hand, a reconciliation cannot be effected, the law
insists on a separation of the parties, who, however, may be reconciled
at any time. As neither is allowed to marry again, polygamy is
forbidd