Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-07-12

Mars, as II disguised WilD MS fI!Siu nus
sian mission, cut across all March and A.
prl, caught the May maiden in her car
and came driving down to France with the
zephyrs and turtle doves of spring. But
spring came before her couch of lilies was
laid. She listened on her grassy borders
the 'Marguerites' slept; the Pussy Willows
purrtd the snow-drops whispered in their
waking, but not flower was up TO meet
her. With voice sweet and plantve as
Psyche's sighs, she called out to the birds
and buds and blossoms, Rise up and come
away with me- A smile rippled over the
face of the land, and 1t mufmured, ( sleep
but my heart wal1eth.' Then, in waiting,
I. she flew to the embrace of the trees the
long white arms of the blrches caught her
veil, but her tresses fell over the shoulders
of the stalwart elm. Natures heartbeat
woke to hers. Life went thrilling up the
trees-came blushing out in buds-and now
is laughing out in leaves.
1t was the day before the Carnival-be-
fore the sJours Gras'-before the forty days
of lent and penitence. 1t was the last
clause of the brevet Of affianced love; youth
and fidelity focked to Hymen's. atars to
avert the malediction: sMarrv in lent, live
to repent.
All Europe felt thrill of matrimony.-
In London a bridal train approached the al
ter of St Pancras Church, and when the
minister asked Who giveth this woman to
be married to this manP the ambassador
of our glorious Union answered: Il do, Sir.
But more of this anon. We have yet half
honeymoon to spend with them in Paris.
Our hearts lent their proxy presence to
this wedding by attending one at the same
hour in the Chapel of the Blind Asylum on
the Boulevard des Invalids. At 101 A.
NJ, we encountered the bridal party at the
portals of the Chapel. The bridegroom en-
tered frst--relatives and guests followed
and fell, each on his prize Dieu. The affi-
anced pair had elegant arm chairs and
kneeling cushions side by side before the
altar, and the maiden remained much lon
ger IN alteration before the sacred sacra-
ment than did her lover. But perhaps he
rose only to see how pretty she looked in
PRAYER. Her face was hid. A bunch OF
white lilacs, not orange blossoms, fastened
her long veil, which hung like mist over
her slender waist, and lost itself in the
white willows of her robe.
The bridegroom was young officer, who
had served in Africa, and sold his commits
sion for wife. He was in irreproachable
evening dress, with cravat and curls of in
effable precision and waistcoat and gloves
fresh as the morning.
The organ played, the blind choir took
their places, guests arrived, crossed them
selves and chatted. A church is always
free to all who may choose to enter, but
complimentary invitations call together in
innate friends to wedding. Ladies come
in new light bonnets, with their best prayer
books, gloves and handkerchefs, and with
all little money in the purse, for the pret-
tiest young girl--often the sister of the
bride-ls handed round by cavalier to ask
money for the poor. No one can refuse
an Offering, for it is so many pence worth
of felicity bought of the Holy Virgin for the
newly married pair.
We are little in advance of the priest /;
meantime let US rehearse the preliminaries
of this marriage ceremony. Primo The
parties are cousitfs-therefore special per-
nit from the Pope is necessary to sanction
their union. Secundo: The lady belongs
to the Parish of the Madeleine, where only
she can be legally married. The Arch
bishop of Paris grants her permission to
be married here. All this has cost three
months time and profusion of money
Here comes the priest-a stout man-but
banched Etna. There Is fire in his eve,
but his cheek is pale. He is man of in
telIect and feeling-the bridegroom is his
brother. The ceremony advances-the
nuptal ring is paced-the priest grows
paer--his voice trembles and becomes in
audible. BY an effort. as if of giant will,
he RECEIVERS, and commences an address on
the Christian duties Of married life Words
pass from his lips as from printing press,
clear and neat, but without the spirit of the
letter. But when he makes the application
end looks upon his brother, and tells him
how to guard the sacred joys Of home, he
falters. The priest wept-we all wept-
and forgot the married pair and recalled
the awful scene OF a priests installation,
when, PROSTATE upon his face, he dies to
the world, and rises espoused to his spirit
ual bride-the church.
The priest has married his brother to an
earthly bride,-he turns his back upon him,
kisses the altar, elevates the sacred Host
tastes the body of Christ, drinks his blood,
and bears the sacred vessels to the Sacristy
Meantime the choir of blind singers have
chanted 'Kyrie Eleison-Christe Eleison
-Kyrie Eleison,' repeating, lingering on
the torres as if 10 catch their echoes from
the heavenly arches In spite of the pitt.
full deformity of some of the singers, and
the lack in all of what is habitually consid-
cred indispensable to living, physical beau.
: ty, found in their expressions and att.
tudes. an Interpretation to the mysteries Of
the Greek and Roman classic models which
had never found before, SO tangible in
living, human groups. These men and
women. boys and girls, wrapt in their sa
cred music, stood statues of inspired hu
manty, without vanity without afeCtation
without consciousness of being looked at
True, art is nature, and nature is the art O
God, an art lent to early man, like thu
moral law, cut in blocks of stone, excellen
in perfection, but recoi!ing in confusion ant
despair before the diyinized rtodel oferet
in the reign of Augustus Cesar.
We all remained a moment on our knee
then husband and wife led the p. ocessiol
from the chapel, through corridors, saloons
Libraries of the institution, to private a
partment of the curate. Here commence
salutatlons and congratulations. The bride
by her right of marriage, kissed old am
young, male and female and the bridegroom
followed suite. The pale priest re-appear
ed in his official robes, and sat down by tn
table WITH the marriage records; not oni