Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-09-16

/ the fire at the end Of her fingers it is bad
augurv, and the Baz fan has nothing to do
but TO retire As he csisg He would be eau
tious also never to continue his Journey it at
setting out he meets 4 crow 3r magpie bur
should be hear the cooling Of turtle dove
and as soon as he rael.es the house is iayi-
ted to enter, the ma.ch is Ia a fair way az
+ success. He addresses the mother ii low
tone, who communicates With her daughter;
and consent being gained the wedding i fix
ed to take place ia mouth On tho follow.
ing Sunday evening, tie betroshment is held
at the priest house rext morning at high
mass the bans are published after which
poetical invitations are sent fcf the bridal -
On the appointed day, at sunrise, the suitor
and joyous group assemble to conduct The
bride to church. The Bazyalan goes first to
the door and sings verses. to which another
minstrel, employed BIZ the bride should
reply. All the saints 10 the calendar are
invoked for blessings the BRIDES right
hand is placed in TINT Of her husband an
exchange of rings il made as the Bazgalan
muttegs prayers, aid eternal eonstaucy is
sworn.
Among the Canadian Indians the ceremo-
ny is less claborats The veoer, attended
often BY several comrades, repairs at midnight
to his fair one i apartment, and three times
WITCHES his lady S nose. If she is inclined
to listen to his suit, ahe rises; otherwise he
must depart Ihoisb this visit be SO very
unreasonable, it is said to- be rarely accom-
panied with =ny iuprepriety This is but
the preliminary step: the decision still rests
with the Father, to whom the sutton thus APP
pcals Father leee yopr daughter viii
you give her to me, that the small roots Of
her heart may entanglc with nine, SO thai the
strongest wind thai blows may never separate
them y lie offers at the same tine hand
some present, the acceptance (Which is con
sdered as sealing the union, When bis
suspicious are aroused by the conduct Of bis
partner, and be bceor,es jealous, he heats her.
bites off her nose, aud sends her home in dis
grace. The marlisge dance represents do
nestle life in its detpils With the Chicka-
saws the form Of malrige is short The man
before witnesses, gives the bride deer foot,
and She in return presents him with an ear
of corn as emblens Of their several duties
Sailing across the vast Southern ocean we
find the most serious compact into which the
human race cutters regarded as a most imper,
tant affair In Ce3 sion, a whplo family goes
in body to ask woman il marriage the
more numerous tllefun,ily tho gseatef title it
has to her If sneh custom prevailed il
this country the .itAs woald bc the most
arbitrary and speseasSul w1sers ii tie sAsa.
But happily such Is nti she ease and d man
when he marries. does not. as Ccylnn. mar
nv whole family, save and except in those
melancholy eases where The husband foolshly
allows his mother III law to usurp the au-
thority Of his Ni;e In Ce}lon. marriages
are contracted by the right thumbs Of the
man aud woman aeing PUT together, the priest
throwing a little water over then, and pro.
noGncing the words used for the occasion.--
As soon as the consent of the parties is OBJ
tained, magician is consulted to fix the day
and hour; and at this time the two families
meet at the house Of the young woman. whore
feast is prepared Tire magielan consults
his book. and holds clepsYdra or water
clock, 10 his hand tie instant tie lucky mo-
ment arrives. the married couple are covered
with niece Of cloth. their right hands are
joined, filtered water is thrown over them, a
cup containing cocoa milk is passed several
times over their heads, and thus the ceremo-
ny ends.
The ceremonies among the Hottcnsots are
very peculiar When matters arc adjusted
among the Old people, the young couple are
shut up in room by themselves. where they
pass the night in struggle for superiority.
II the parties agree the marriage is compile
ted by ceremony not less sing0lar Men
aad women squat on the ground in different
circles-the bridegroom in one, the bride in
the other The SHri or master Of religious
ceremouies then streams through tube per-
fumed oil on TO the husband who rubs it ca
cerly into the burrows Of the fat with which he
is covered. The bride undergoes the same
treatment
In Khamscatka, young man, after ma
king proposals, enters into the service Of his
proposed tathcr-in-a law; and irhe prove agree
able, he is admitted to tae trial Of the touch.
The Young woman is sadded up IN leather
thongs, and put under the guard Of some old
women. Tho sutton watches every opportu
nifty Of a siaekencd vigilance TO salute her
The girl must resist, il appearance at least
and Therefore cries out to summon her guards
who fall with fury upon the lover tear his
hair, scratch his face, aud act in violent OPP
position The attempts o6 the lover are
sometimes unsuccessful for months, but the
moment the touch is achieved, the bride tes-
titles her satisfactorily pronouncing Nj, nj
in soft and loving voice This ceremony
was also usual il Luthania and Muscovy.
In Lvonia the young man engages the SER
vices of an old woman, who usually oficiates
for whole parish in sucet ssion, to propose to
the girl Of whose qualifications he has heard
favorable account The old lady sets about
her business cleverly--dwells on the good
looks or fine disposition Of her client, and es-
pecially on his vehement attachment--for
even a savage knows the kind Of liattery most
acceptable to a womaus heart If she sue
cceds in obtaining a favorable answer, the
parties meet AZ the pastors fcr the ceremony
of betrothal; ifnot. the old lady is sent to a
succession ef girls, on similar errand. until
\ she does for when Liypnian lad has made
Up his mind to be married, he thinks the soou-
err he gets over it the better On the we'd
ding day, it is customary to make every yc-
( hicln t,trn nT tho road for fhe nroeeesinn