Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-10-07

gers, it is a bad aug gury, and the Baz-
valan has nothingto do but to retire
as he came. He would be cautious
also never to continue his journey il
at setting out he meets crow or a
magpie; but should he hear the COO
ing of a turtle-dove, and as soon as
he reaches the house is invited to en-
ter, the match is in a fair way of sue
cess. He addresses the mother in a
low tone, who communicates with her
daughter; and consent being gained,
/ the wedding Is fixed to take place in
month. oh the following Sunday
evening, the betrothment is held at
the priests house; next morning at
high mass Il he bans are published,
after which poetical invitations are
sent for the bridal. On the appoint
ed day, at sunrise, the suitor and a
Joyous group assemble to conduct the
bride to chut tch. The Bazvalan goes
frst&to the door, and sings verses, to
which anoth& &r minstrel, employed by
the bride, should reply. All the
saints in thd calendar are invoked
for blessings the brides right hand
| is placed in that of her husband-ah ah
exchange of rings is made as the Bag
valan mutters prayers, and eternal
constancy is sworn.
Among the Canadian Indians Il fe
ceremony is less elaborate. The
wooer, atten ded often by several con 4
rades, repai rs at midnight to his fair
ones apartment, and three times
twitches his lady's nose. If she is
inclined to listen to his suit, she rises;
otherwise, he must depart. Though
this visit be so very unreasonable, it
is said to,be rarely accompanied with
any improperly. This is but the
preliminary step: the decision still
rests with the father, to whom the
tsuitor thus appeals-.Father, l love
your daughter. VIII you give hel
to me, that the small roots of her
heart may 1entangle with mine, so that
the strongest wind that blows may
never separate them?' He offers at
the same time handsome present,
the acceptance of which is considered
as sealing the union. When the
husbands suspicious are aroused by
the conduct Of his partner, and he
becomes jealous, he beats her, bites
off her nose, and sends her home in
disgrace. The marriage dance rep
resents d omestic life in its details.
With the Chickasaws, the form Of
marriage IS short. The man, before
witnesses, gives the bride a deer's
foot, and she in return presents him
with an ear of. corn, as emblems o.
their several duties.
Sailing across the vast sout hern
ocean, we find the most serious com
pact into which the human race en-
ters regarded as most important
affair. In Ceylon, a whole family
goes in body to ask woman in
marriage-the more numerous the
family the greater title it has to her
! In Ceylon, marriages are contract I'D
by the right thumbs of the man md
woman being; put together, the priest
throwing little water over them, a4d
pronouncing the words used for tht
occasion. AS soon as the consent b
the parties is obtained, magician i
consulted to fix the day and hoq II
and at this time the two famill lei
meet at the house of the young VI .
man, where a feast is prepared. ThC
!, magician consults his book, and holps
a clepsydra, or water-clock, in Rii'
hand; the instant the lucky momen
arrives, the married couple are cdv
cred with piece of cloth, their rigIh
!. hands are Joined, filtered water ii
thrown over them, cup containing
cocoa-milk is passed several tinie'
over their heads, and thus the cefe
mony ends.
The ceremonies among the Hbt
tentots are very peculiar. Whei
matters are adjusted among the 9lt
people, the young couple are shut hl
lin a room by themselves, where the.
pass the night in a struggle for suPe
riority. Ii the parties agree, dh,
marriage is completed by eeremoh.
mot less singular. Men and womel
squat on the ground in different dir
cles the bridegroom in one, fh'
. bride in the other. The sa4, or mhs
ter Of the religious ceremonies, tliel
streams through tube perfumed oi
on to the husband, who rubs it ea