Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-02

nOlu ner NltH something ike envy: the
former at least began to weep, but Swedish
tears flow readily. AS soon as the cere-
mony was over, the bride had to bestow
about one hundred and fifty kisses, which
was the number Of persons present And
then-just when, as children say, she
might seem to have given all her kisses
away, she suddenly turned round, and
with look of recollection, murmured
Ack, my Alfedn and threw herself
into the bridegroom,s arms. The en-
brace was momentary; and as | had Just
been presented to her, she looked at me,
saying, by way, [ suppose, of apology:
| have not seen him for three months
never since we were betrothed.'
The company adjourned to the inner
room, where general feeling of solemn
ty seemed to prevail. At last, the usual
libation of bad white German wine ap-
peared, to drink the health of the young
couple, and at the same time entered the
clergyman, whose office was not yet over:
he carried glass Of wine in one hand.
and the insignia of office, the white hand
kerchief. hanging from his finger. He
made long speech, extolling the state of
matrimony in general, and its peculiar
blessedness in this particular instance,
ending with advice and religious exhor-
tation, which drew forth renewal Of
tears from the married ladies When
this was ended, | began to think Swed
ish wedding was about rs dull thing as
an English one, and, little disconnected
strollcd back again to the salong. A
lady was at the piano, and asked her if
there would be any dancing saying |
| had understood it was to be such wed
ding as | wanted to sea real old
fashioned Swedish one, "Ah" she re-
piled, s.there is no one disposed for dan
cling: they think too seriously for that
Yes it is serious thing to be married
and the priests talk was so good No,
they will not dance to night" All the
time her fingers were moving the keys.
The bride and her husband appeared at
the open folding door his arm was
round her Waist-her hand rested on his
shoulder Under the circumstances, such
an attitude did not strike me as remark
able but they flew from their post in a
waltz; and in moment almost every one
but myself was whirlimg round the room.
To understand the real labor of dancing
one should dance as the Swodes do. The
English, beside them, would seem to
dance in their sleep. AS for the polka
and gallopade, the men almost lifted their
partners from the ground; and | should
have thought it impossible that such slight
weak-looking creatures could sustain
movements so violent, especially in air
less rooms, and throughout long winter
when dancing is almost all the anuse
ment and life Of all classes. One poor
young man was singular evidence Of the
excitement of the dancing mania. He
came from the borders of Dalecarlia: his
long light hair was worn as the men there
wear it, hanging straight down the sides
of his face, not two features of which
seemed to have the least connection with
each other: his legs were little akin,
one being some inches shorter than the
other. The bridegroom good naturcdly
tried to get him to dance, but for some
time Intellectually. Finally, he yielded
and when once set in motion, there seem
ed no probability that he would ever stop
of himself: the long hair flew wildly up
and down, the heterogeneous features
brcathed the strongest excitement, the
short leg pounced on the floor: one would
have thought he had got Terpsichore her
self for his partner.
As soon as an enormous supper was
hastily despatched, the salong was again
cleared grave Judge sat down to the
piano, and struck up the widest, most
random sounding music: all the unmar-
ried people caught hand all the married
ones hastened to the furthest Of the three
rooms, which, in Swedish, are almost
always en- sHite. Before | knew what
was to be done, [ found myself drawn
along in line, singing and moving to
this wild music, through the open doors .
while another band formed at the further
extremity, passed us, singing also, and
capering in the same fashion. The bride
acd bridegroom were still in the band of
the blessed single, and to keep them
50 there was to be a struggle For
my part, would have let them go,
/ if had not wished to see the dancing
fight. The poor little bride was now
placed in the middle of the room, lust
under the chandelier it was well she was
so little handkerchief was tied over
her eyes, and the woman danced in a
circle round her, while she in turns caught