Litchfield enquirer., 1836-11-10

AS"sSaGn Morriage Custons-Generallv
 without asking the children. parenfa oy, ho1E
 sioeS arrange the affair between thenosalvee, po;Wnlch arrangement succeeds inc Bridal
 promenade. whereas, ifthe young neonle are
 conducted, as if accidentally, into fhe so,.,e.
 walk and introduced. The father of 'the
 young man then sends a kind of female con ndante, or go-between, Every useful on such
 occaslons,) to the father of the bride; and, if he declares himself willing, the young couD- le, the parents, relation, bridesmaid, Szc. all meet together, when the arrangements are concluded, and so follows the betrotIlal on which occasion the elect pair kneel down. upon afur-skin mat and exchange rings, du- ring which scene the brides father holds over the head of the bridegroom saints im- age, and the mother holds over the head of the bride piece of bread, as a sign of abun- dance. The bridenaids then sing several national songs, appropriate to the ceremony, and the guests are entertained while various humoufed jokes circulate. The remark that the wine is bitter, and must be made sweet is aalWays construed as a challenge for the he- trothed couple to salute each other. The guests then make divers presents to the bridal pair and the bridegroom afterwards take leave; again the companions of the bride sing a song, wherein they invite him soon to return. Now begins;for the loyers--or rath- CT for the future welded pair new life. Ev- cry evening until the nuptials, the betrothed husband must visit his intended partner, bringing her presents of sweet cakes, bon bons, SIc., of which the Russian ladies are extremely fond. The bridesmaids are gener- ally present a. these interviews, and, after a fashion that seems singular enough, accom-
 pany the fond chitchat with different char- acteristic songs. On the nuptial eve the
 bride entertains her female friends, and re- ceiyes from the bridegroom gift of various articles necessary for the toilette-table, with retires to the bath, on her return .the bride- groom re-appears, is received with music, and has handed to him the portion, respecting which, however, arises often serious disputes. On the wedding day, the bridemaids unbraid the lady's hair, and she receives her swain with flowing locks. After the marriage cer- emony, performed according to the rites of the Greek church, a dinner is giyen---at which usually the parents are not present. and at it's conclusion, the young couple arc conducted in triumphal procession, with yo- cal and instrumental music, to their apart ment. The old custom of the bride, on the evening. of the wedding day. taking off her husbands boots in pledge of obedience. is still retained, in some parts of the country, as also that of the husband depositing ino1e boot d sum of money, in the other a small whip ifithe young wife happens to hit first upon that containing the money, she keeps it If not her hnsband gives her two or three light cuts'with the whip. Hence no doubt, has arisen the universal opinion abroad. that the low-born Russian makes known his love for his wife by the application of chastise- ment. However, Ihave never witnessed any such tender demonstratiohs On the day after the wedding, the parents of the husband give us handsome dinner as their clfcutll% Stances will permit {; end now tbanqdeting continues during an entire week. which t0 any but a Russian might be conside red rather too severe a trial, Whit-sundays in Peters. burg summer garden. . grand promenade, both of the elegant and vulgar world, takes , place, usually Called the Bridal pronienade.' In the grand walk, a long line of the daugh- terS of Russian tradesnen are seen marching on parade, followed by their fathers and mothers The young sons of oftradesn1en ap. pear in their long blue holyday kaftans, and take a survey of the matrimonial wares.-. Should they happen to feel within their broad chess any soft emotion, they simidly approach the love-exciting virgin, and commence conversation with her, in which papa and mamma also join, and which is usually con- cluded by an early marriage, that is, as soon
  upon. Many of these pale northern beauties weigh heavy in the scale. and Q portion of 100000 roubles is by no means considered a great rarity. Some few days before this Bridal romenade-namely on Thursday preceding Whitsuntide, called Semik--the
 Russian girls put into effect what IS denomin- ated the prophetic swimming ot the Drldal
 wreath. They plait together many wreatns of flowers. throw them into stream, and fam. cv that, if the wreath swims on the surface Of inc water. they will in the same year ex- change their maiden condition for the nup- tial state. If the wreath sinks, they are of course resigned to wait some little time long CT for spouse .--Tietz's St. PetersbuTgh, 9cs
 Liguidating debts.--" Mir. Dun, have you got any account against mel" Yes, sir' ,en dollars or thereabouts." "Wel, fm gia1 ont. i,ast make it out, and bring me glass oI liuuor with it." {" Yes, sir" Tom LOOK the bill and the liquor, and pocketing the one and swallowing the other, poKed out oI tns shop without showing the color of ms money. !" Hollo, there, mister, you've forgot to pay"
 1. Ves, mister' auoth Tom, !" but you adyer- t;sed that you wanted people to come in and Eou0r-date their debts. Ihave just iquordat- ed mine, what more do you want--now get along with ye.'--ClGresno,u Eagle.
 l" Sap nq kg otE.''--Many humorous illus trations of absence of mind have lately been registered in the newspapers-but the latest and best, is the one we subjoin from the East port (Me.) ] Sentinel :--Dr. G--t. of the " s. Army, being called upon to perform an amputation at the thigh of one of the men, he opened his ainputation case, sat down and deliberateIy sawed his own leg oil The