The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-22
THE DECEMBER MAGAZINES.
ssuARpER,s


sents the following list of artcles;-
''The Brooklyn Navy Yard" w. f. G..
Shanks, with fourteen illustrations "Pio
Mono and His Councillors" Lyman Abbott,
with ten illustrations; 'Life in Brittany"
George M. Towle, with four illustrations "a
Vigil" S. S. Conant Frederick the Great"
with eight illustrations; ''The Rock of the
Legion Of Honor" (concuded), by the author
of ION the Heights" 'The Statue" Henry
Abbey; bombay and the Parsees," A. G..
Constable, with nine illustrations; ''Song of
Fire" Thomas Dunn English, with two illus
trations; ''Inveigling Nature into q Disclo-
sure of Her Secrets" Jacob Abbott, with four
illustrations; "Anteros," by the author of
''Guy Livingstone, ETC.; ''The Sacred Flora"
(concluded), M. D; Conway; ''Under the
Rose" L. P. Lippincott; Collected by
Valetudinarian," Mrs. r. H. Stoddard;
"Blockade Running" W. r. Hooper; "what
Did Miss Darlington See?" Emma B. Cobb;
''Matches," Laura M. Doolittle; "Orange
Blossoms and Nightshade," Justin Mccarthy;
Editors Easy Chair, Editors Literary
Record, Editors Scientific Record
editors Historical Record" editors
Drawer"
From 'Life in Brittany" by George NJ
Towle, we take this description of marriage
customs among the Bretons:-
Marriages dc c0ngenGnce are customary
classes, but extend as well to the lowest pea
santry. Property is, among all, the great
thing desired; the peasant has at least some
trifing pittance laid by, with parts of which
he intends to endow his children when they
marry. There is the same diplomatic negoti-
alton among them, when a marriage is to be
arranged, as takes place in the upper circles
Marriages Of the Commercial" sort are, how
ever, not SO general among the peasants as
among their social betters. The parties i'm
mediately concerned are more frequently
consulted as to their inclinatons. The first
move is made after preference has been
manifested among the young pea
SAINTS themselves: young man
sees lass who pleases him. He makes
certain advances rather bashfuly: she re-
spends by tokens equally shy. 1t comes to
be generally understood in the village that
Jacques and Nannine will "make a match
if they can. Then occurs remarkable event.
There is in Brittany curious superstition
or rather a superstitious tradition-about
tdSlOrS. 1t is derived from some ancient
legend which has endowed the village tailor
with peculiar sacredness and reverence
The tailor Gin default of a notary is called
upon to settle disputes to teach the children
with the priest, and to advise the good folk
in all domestic or social difficulties His
peculiar prerogative is to negotiate mar
riages. The young man who is taken with
him trusty adviser, engages him to arrange
marriage with the damsels parents, and to
vicariously "pop the question" There is a
Breton saying that the tailor could, and he
would, ''marry Turk to Jewess." Another
diplomat in marriages., the tailors rival, is he
who is called the marrying beggar," who has
similar prerogatives in this meter. The tailor,
when he enters upon marriage negotiation,
carries with him, as symbol of his Office and
hint of his errand, broomstick Gin low Bre-
ton called '6dZ- -gdlGn') j making the object of
his visit clearly known to all concerned.
For his services he receives an invitation to
the wedding feast, and presents of clothes
and money. The bride is always fain to give
him pair of stockings with yellow rims,
sometimes yellow stocking for one foot,
red one for the other. The tailor, according
to the tradition, not so favorable to him,
must remain bachelor-it is disgrace to
parents to marry their daughter to him. He
is the confdant both of the parents and of
the lovers, and is consequently profound in
all the domestic and interesting secrets of the
nelghborhood. He is the universal Judge of
the scandals; he makes it point to keep his
mouth tight while his ears are open-and so
is mentor to all. When the tailor has broughe
the parents of the two lovers together, thert
epsues an animated bargaining about the
dowries. 1t is shrewd, mercantile negotia-
ton, usually, with the mediation of the
tallOr, euuluB III d JIodjy ulutuully SdIlSIac-
tory. Once in accord, the parties proceed to
seal the contract by drinking as much of the
best wine to be had as each can master; after
wards seating themselves about the table, and
smoking the pipe of peace, alliance, and con-
cord. The lass who is the subject of dis
course is perhaps listening, ears all agape
fiutters with the momentary doubtfulness
goes wild with Joy over the happy conclusion.
Afterwards both families meet at the cabaret
and formally sign the contract, which the
tailor has drawn up in true legal shape; ad-
iourning to the farms of each family to
inspect the property, and to exhibit the sub
stantial evidences that the dowry promised
will be forthcoming.
We quote the following from "The Sacred
Flora" by NJ. d. Conway
The Catholic rosary" which the Germans
call RosenkranZ, or rosewreath, suggests that
originally the worshippers may have counted
their prayers with roses at any rate, it
seemed certain that for long time the larger
beads were called roses. But this vas the
case in Germany before the introduction of
Christianity. The rose was held to be the
favorite flower of the maternal goddess Holda,
who, as We have before seen, was often called
''Frau Rose" or ''Mutter Rose" 1t was
partly transferred, with all other symbols of
Holda, to the Madonna, who is frequently
called 'Marienroschen. Mary, it is said,
dries her veil on a rose-bush, which thence
forth bears no more roses. But there
has been a tendency to associate the
white rose particularly with the Virgin
Mary, that beiRg chiefly chosen for her fete
days, while the warmer and more earthly
faslinoe assnciatad with EsFrau Rosan ore