The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1869-07-14
Village Wedding in Sweden.

bride may be fair. The carly songs Of
the lark and OF chanticlccr arc mingled
i II the clear morning air, and tho sun,
tho heavenly bridegroom with yellow
hair, arises in the South. In The yard
thore iy sound of voices and trampling
ot hoofs horses are being led forth and
saddIet. 'as 49,
The stcca that il to bear the bride ?
G'oom has bunch Of flowers on his
t"Ich"ad and garland OF corn flowers
about his. neck. Friends from the
neighhofiag farms come riding in, their
blue cloaks streaming in the wind and
finally the happy bridegroom, with
whip III his hand aud a monslrous nose.
gay III The breast Of his bho Jacket,
comes from his chamber and then to
ho,sc, and away toward tho village
wlirro the bride always sits and waits.
Foremost rides the spokesman, follow
eddy some half dozen village musicians.
Next comes the bridegroom between his
Two groomsmer, md then forty or fifty
friends and wedding guests, half Of
them, perhaps, with pistols and guns IN
their hands. A kind Of baggage wagon
brings npJlhe rear, laden with food aud
drink for hcsc merry pilgrims. AZ the
entrance Of every village stands II
triumphant arch, laden with flowers and
ribbons and evergreens, and as they
pass beneath it, tho wedding guests fire
IA salute, aud the whole procession stops,
aud straight from every pocket flies
black jack filled with punch or brandy.
1T Is passed from hand to hand among
the crowd provisions arc brought from
he wagon. and after eating and drink
ing and l'urrahng, the procession moves
forward again, and at length draws near
III" house Of the bride.
-Four hcralAs ride forward to an
nonnco that a knight and his attendants
are IN the ncrehboring forest, and ask
Ion hospitality.
How many are you2" asks the
brides father. ry.i
"AL least three hundred" is the an
swcr, land TO this the latter replies,
lcs, were you seven times rs many
YOU should all DO welcome, and in token
thereof receive this cup
w htronpon each borald receives a
can OF alo;. and soon alter the whole
lovIal company como streaming into The
farmers yard, aud riding round the
MaypoIc which stands in the centre,
ai,gh, amid Il grand salute and flourish
OF nusic.p
In the hall stands tho bride with
crown upon her head and tear in her
X y = She is drcssoa in
AIRED bodice and kirtlc, with loose linen
sleeves. There is girdrd belt around
her wa's, and around her mock strings
OF golden bends and q golden clain.--
Ontho crown rests q wreath Of wild
roses, and below it another OF cypress
loose over her shoulders falls her ilaxon
hhIr, and her buo innocent eyes arc
fixed on the ground.
"Oh, thou good soul thou hast har,,,
hands. but q soIt hearth thou art poor;
theyery ornaments thou 4 wearestT arc
not thine; Tho blessings Of heaven upon
thee I"' 'N'f. ''''" - - "'' WY
; 80 !hnks The parish priest, rs he joins
together tue lands ol the bride and
bridegroom, saying inia deep and sol
emn voice: "T give lheo in marriage
,hss damscl to be Thy welded wiG, in
nll honor, to share tl," half OF thy bod,
ny lock and key, and every third penny
which thou maycst possess or may
inherit, all the rights which Uhland's
laws provide, and holy king gives"
Aud the dinner is now served, and
The bride sits between Tho bridegroom
and lhc priest The spokesman dcliv
ers an Grafton after The ancient customs
ot The lalhcra. Ito interlards it well
with quotations from tho Bible, aud
invites the Saviour to be present, as at
me marriage tcast Of Cana Of Galhlcc.
This table is no! sparingly set forth.
Each makes long arm, and The fcas:
goes cheer'ly on. Punch and brandy
pass around between tho courses, and
here and there q pipe is smokcd, while
wai;ing for the next dish.
They sit long at tho table but as all
things must have I'M end, so must a
Swedish dinner. Then tho danco be-
gins. 1T is led off by tho brido and
priest, who perform solemn mnuct
together: Not until midnight comes
the las, dance. The girls form circle
round the bride, TO keep her from The
hands of the married women, who Gu
dcavor to break through the magic OH :
rlc and seize their now sister. AGcr n
long struggle they succeed, and the
crown is staken from her head, and the
jewels from her neck, and her bodlicc IS
"mi'ceu and kirllc taken of; and like
vfstal virgin clad all in whito sho
goes, but it is to her bridal chamber not
to hor grave and tho wedding guests
follow lher with lighted candles III their
bands.
t'hnT ad ----------. %
rsA co operative housekeeping estab-
llshmcnt, containing bakery, kitchen
and laundry, win soon DO started in
Cambridge, Mass. Ss"'