Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1869-02-13
TALES AND SKETCHES.
GOING TO The MARRIAGE.

| THE PRELIMINARY WOES OF MATRIMoNY.
! The prospect of marriage, like religion,
| exercises as q rule very soothing Influence
upon the mind. or course we all know that
! religion soothes human nature down into
kind of spiritual sickness which is always
enviable, and not always attainaDle even
| by the devout; but why the prospect OF
marriage should always produce calming
effect is not easily cOnjectured, at all events
| by those who want the knack of knowing
! how TO reconcile experience with imagination
! The truth, we suppose, must he that man
becomes resigned when once his marriage.
day has been fixed lie is conscious that the
event is inevitable. The pleasing perturba
| tion Of the period Of courtship is at an end.
! In a little while he feels that you shall see his
name under the births and before the deaths.
The sense of the duty of looking happy and
feeling pleased is upon him. lie does not
think the condition of preneditated matri-
mony.
He is very anxious to look happy and
when congratulated at every turn by his
friends, Processes himself very much pleased.
But he is not pleased and he is not happy.
A good deal of anxiety is generated 10y the
constant contemplation of the day that is
Inevitable. Many dubious reflections upon
the minute concomitRnts Of marriage annoy
him. He will have first of all to get mar
ried that is to say, lie will have to stand
buttoned up in frock-cout some twenty
minutes or more--l Heaven send that the
bride doesn't want choral service before II
clergyman, subjected to the prying gianccs
Of his dear relatives and friends assembled
to witness, and by their presence, to solemn
ize, if you will, the service. Then he will
have to receive the congratulations of every.
q, 'tf.
Then he will have to walk down the ChulCi
amid the whispering, and wondering and
gaze of rows of strangers who have strolled
into the church to witness the proceedings
Then he will have to push his way through
II crowd of gaping children, nurses and in
tants in perumLuators, unto the carriage
All this kind of thing is delightful to wo
men, but to men-and to nervous men il
partiCular-it is one of the greatest deterents
to marriage. But the bridegroom's misery
does not end with his getting into the car.
riage. The silly Coachman and footmar
have encountered themselves with enormous
t and conspicuous tayors and he is dragged
through the streets creating almost as mucl
speculation and provoking almost as mucl
,, wondcrment as new LoId Mayor in gil
coach.
But all this is trilipg compared to wha'
is to follow. If the bride lives in a square
f he has the satisfaction of seeing the neigh
boring balconies crowded TO catch glimps,
OF them entering the house. II she lives IL
, u street, the windows are filed with heads
while servants grin through the area railing
and crack many horrible jokes if there are {
few men about. Ii she lives in the country
a band of kinds and yokels jostle each .othe
about .he doorway and raise hoarse cry o
W IN
would think that matrimony was new i'll
vention that this marriage was tue frs
: experiment. After the bridegroom has gon
4 gracefully through the ordeal of being cur
4 tesieG to by the servants of the house, who's
faces are inflated with various cOngratula
tory expressions, he has again to endure tn
shaking of hands and the spasmodic assur
i. ances of good wishes that follow the arriva
u of the rest of the party. Then comes tn
breakfast. A wretched old lady, who ha
- been an intimate friend of his family TO
twenty years, strives for long time unsuc
ccssiully to catch his eyes when caught
she eXclaims in loud voice that she expect
q great things from him when he return
thanks. Hang her He sits in great mise
ry, trying to look unconcerned and cheerful
waiting for the moment when the father o
tie bride shall propose thelr healths' W.
are not these QtteStaOIe Weuuin6 oiSaN'"'
speeches banished! The rising OF the fathe
is always preceded by some minutes silence
Every body sympathizes with everybody else
The thin man at the head OF the table
1t sallow, and his eyes are bleared. Nervous
ness has wrought this unpleasant effect. ii
&. knows he will have to return thanks for tn
l. bridesmaids and more than once he ir
ouires earnestly of himself what he ha
done to merit his present suffering. Ih
to father of the bridegroom is thoughtful an
pale. He is meditating his reply to tn
- toast proposed to the health of his wife an
himself. There is infinite expectation anon
Is the women; much dread among the mel
RS But the bridegroom is the most misera6l
=, lust now. He knows that when he arise
~ he will not only have to address those whoT
he can see-he will have to address thOs
a also whom he can't see. Servants lingt
behind the door to criticise the declamatio
of the husband of their young lady. Waiter
= stand behind him, petrihed by his abruI
no and nervous rising into immovable statue
holding glasses and bottles of champaign
- They know their business, do these attel
to tive myrmidons, and will listen with IL
4, most embarrassing silence. But even whe
the bridegroom has made his speech b
- misery is not over. When the bride retir
~ 20 change her dress, ell the gentlemen elu
te! aboa. him and renew thsiI oengratu!