Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-10-02
miscellaneous.
A Country Wedding In France.

language, more than Touraino and Berry,
The manners of the people there are cx-
IRE .nvy primitive, and some of their customs
G. Tious and interesting. The following nc
Count is from the pen of modern French
writer of great power of observation and
description
The day before that appointed for the
wedding, at two o'clock in the afternoon, the
band OF music urrived-ihat is to say, the
bdgpiPe, aud the man with the triangle. At
nigiuuli, strange preparations were begun,
the party separating into two bands; and
when darkness closed in, they proceeded to
the ceremony OF the hvrees, or present max
ing.
This took place at the house Of the bride
Mrs Guilleie's cottage. The good wo-
man took with her her dnughier; a dozen
young aud pretty pasioWeiies, Marie's friends
aud relatives; Two or three respectable uInt-
rons, her neglbOrs, loquaciOus, quick OF re-
ply, aud rigid guardians OF ancient usnges !;
then she selected dozen vigorous champ
Ons from her kinsneu aud friends and last
ly, tie old chuuureur or ilaXdresser of the
parish, a man OF elOquence aud address IT
ever there wns one.
The iluxdresser is particularly sceptical.-
lie aud another rustic iunctiOnary, OF whom
we shall speak presently, the grave-diggcr,
nle always the esprits forts of the place.
1huy arc so much in the habit of talking of
ghosts, and are so well acquainted with all
the tricks of which these evil spirits are ca
pablo, that they scarcely fear them at ALL
II IS especially in the night that all these
worthless, grave-diggcrs, flaXdressess, aud
ghosts, exercise their industry. II is in the
night also the fluNdrcsscr relates his lament
able stories. But he is no more than the
sacrisian addicted exclusively to the pleasure
ol inspiring his auditors with fear; he de-
lights in raising laugh; aud is jocose aud
sentimental by turns, when he comes TO
speak OF love and liymen. Tie is the man
10 collect und store up in memory the most
uucicnt songs, aud TO hand them down to
puslerity; aud, as usual, hc was in the pres
eut Instance the person charged with the
presentation of the wedding.glts at the
nuptills Of Marie.
As soon us all were assembled in the
house, the doors and windows were closed
with the greatest care; the very leucomb
thuiicr of the grannry was barricaded;
llnnks, trtIssels, aud tables were put up
across all the points of egress, as If one
WIS preparing to sustain n sege; and with
III This iOrlication reigned solemn silence
al expectation, until from distance were
heard singing, laughter aud the sound of
rustic instruments. These were the bride
groom's band, Germain at its head, acc0m-
panied 10y his stoutcst companions, the
grave digger, kinsiok, friends, aud servants,
who formed Joyous and solid coriege.
As they approached the house, however,
they slackened their pace, consulted togeth-
er, aud were silent. The young girls, shut
up in the house, had conirived To find little
slifs IN the windows, through which they
watched the proccsson MS it arrived aud
formed in order Of battle. A fine chilly
rin fell, which added TO The excitement OF
tho situation, whilst large fire cracked aud |
blazeh on the hearth within doors. Marie |
would gladly have shortened the inevitable |
tlowness of this state of siege; she did not |
like to see her betrotlcd duwdling about in |
the wet aud cold but she had no voice in ,
the OlE,ir-nay, she had even to share osteu-
sibly in the cruelty of her companions.
When the two camps were thus pitched |
IN The face of one another, n discharge of
firearms from the party without doors set |
all tho dogs in the neglborlood in conlnlo-
ton: those belonging to the house flew to
the gate, barking loudly; and the itlle chill |
dreh, whom their mothers vainly endeavorcd ,
10 quiet, fell to crying und trembling with |
fenr. The grave-digger, the bard aud orator
at the bridegroom, now stationed himself
before the door, and in pltn6le voice began
dialogue with the flax-dresser, who wus
at the gnrret window over the same door.
Grave-digger-iIollo! my good folks, my
dear nclshburs, for mercy's sake, open the
door.
FIaxdresser-Pray who may you be and
how come you To take the liberty Of calling
us your dear neighbors? We don't know
SOU.
GIVE are honest folks in trouble
Don't fenr us, my friends, hut bestow your
hospitality on us. The sleet falls fast, our
ieel.are all frozen, aud we have come such
distance that our shoes arc worn out.
The liaxdrcsser inquiries sharply who they
hrc, aud receives various ridiculous answers.
~ length the besicgers suy--
Grave-digger-We then, if You'll not
bsicn to reason, we shall enter by force.
IIaXdresser-Ty, il you like. We are
strong enough not to fear you; aud as you
ARE insoleDr, we shall not answer you any
more.
80 saying the flaxdresser slammed to the
wicket with bang, aud went down ladder
into Tie room helow. lIe then took tho
bride elect by the hand, aud The young folks
joining them, ull fell to dancing, aud shout
Ing gnily, whilst the mutrOns of the party
sang with shrill voices, aud amidst shouts OF
laughter, Ut the people outside, who were ut.
tempting the assault. The besiegers, on
iheir side, pretended rage; they fred their
pistols nt the doors, set tho dogs barking,
ratified the shutters, tliumped HE walls, and
uttered loud cries.
The garrison at Inst seemed to manifest
some desire 10 cupitulaIe; hut required as
condition that The opposite party should sing
n song. AS soon as the song was begun,
however, the besieged replied with the see
ond line; aud so long as they were able TO
do tins, they were safe. Tie Two unlugo-
nsls were the best hands in the country for
song and their stock seemed inextnusIbIc.
Oncs or twice the haxdresser nude wry