The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-07-26
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DAVID PRICE,
ELISABETH JONI

Your most obcdient servants,
DAVID PRICE,
ELISABETH JONES.
"1hc young mAn, with his brother and sis.
tor, Richard and Mary Price, desire that all
gifts of the above nature due 20 them. bc re-
turned 10 the young woman on that day. aud
will bc thankful together with his uncle, and
his brother-in-aw and sisters, aud their wives
for all additional hvors.
"The young woman, with her sister, Anna
Jones, desires that all gifts Of the above ua-
turc, due to them be- returned 10 the young
woman on the above LAY, and will br thank
iul together with her brother aud sistcr-in-law
and her uncles and aunt, for all iayors grant
cd"
As soon as the heroine Of the day yiakcs her
appearance in bridal array, arndhg The assem-
blcd guests at her fathers house, her friends
proceed to hide her in the most inattAinabc
| place possible. Should the dwelling not at
! ford such accommodation, the COW house and
stablgS are invaded, OF uvru n uciglt,ors dom
iril When hidden, notice is given to the
bridcgroom's chosen representatives, who are
four or five in nmnbor. 'thpy advance to thr
door and demand the fair prizr OF her father.
] The brides chosen spok vsincn re-
ply 10 those outside. All thr stock of wit
possessed by either party is exchanged, n
midst general hilarity, until the claimants are
admitted 10, seek the lost one Sometimes
she is so hspalrssly concealed that time crcops
most Alarmingly near 2. When matters as-
sumo this alarming aspect, some kind friend
Is T6uhti 70 i't NJ f,ufJiT, 6TiJi 5iTJ found
mid universal acclamations
The brides perils are by no means over,
for instead Of going quietly to church, where
the bridegroom hay been waiting his delegates
make an attack upon her appointed body
guard. The poor girl sometimes gets rough
handling between the combatants, and should
the opposing one be victorious, she is carried
oil TO some place of eoncealment until she is
again rescued, When at last the lady reach
es the church gate, her betrothcd comes for
ward, attended by two girls apparently to
make the most Of his last uniettercd moments.
lie then, having shaken hands with bis Ia
thcr-in-laW, receives aud conducts his bride
To the altar.
The instant the ceremony is over and the
names registered, a furious scene of racing
commences, very dangerous at "horse we'd
ding" The ncctcst courier wins the pint of
alo awarded TO the bearer of the 6rst intclli-
gence from the church 10 those AZ home.
On the arrival ofthe new couple, they are
seated at table, holding plate for the re-
eeption Of the "bidding money" and besides
them a friend with little book, in which are
entered the names of the lenders and the a.
mount; for the promise to return tho same is
taken. The. debt is strictly one of honor and
if not paid on the marriage Of the creditor, is
sure to be demanded. This ceremony over,
the bride rotircs TO change her dress, or to
make some alterations in it, and on her return
attends upon her guests,
A table is laid out with very simple cold
collation-bread, cheese and butter-of which
all partake who please. This may seem but
poor hospitality, especially when we add that
tho beer aud ale are sold TO the guests; but
any reader who knows the poverty of the
Welch peasantry, and their simple habits,
will find excuse sufficient The beer is sup
piled by the young woman's father, and the
profits form part of her dover.
] DtAAhbih 10 hNph VIZ bH iN'o HOuit ahu
singing and music. Welch vocal melodies
are rather dismal. Few get beyond psalms
that are pretty enough, set to Ar-hyd-y-nos,
&c, but national psalmody partalcGS very
much Of the cow-killing tune of general noto-
riety. Dancing is often indnlged in. When
the bride retires to rest If wary woman she
ttinrcatigntes the arrtsaseaaeats OF her bed
conclude the arrangements with a practical
| joke.
A melancholy catastrophe is said TO have
been tho result of one of those practical jokes
On the afternoon of.a wedding-day, what was
supposed TO have been dead viper was put
into the brides bed. Her husband, on join
ing her soon afterwards, found her corpse I
The viper lay an her bosom with its head el
evatsd TO her paooth She bad not been