The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-09-21
Rural Wedding in Sweden.

the bride may be fair. The early song
of the lark and of chanticleer are ming
ling in the clear morning air,and the
sun, the heavenly bridegroom with
golden locks, arises in tho east, just as
our thly bridegroom, with yellow
hair, arises in the south. In the yard
there is sound of voices and tramp
Ing of hoofs, and the horses are led
fol til and saddled. The steed that has
to bear the bridegroom has bunch of
flowers upon his forehead and gar
land of corn flowers about his neck.
Friends from the neighborlng farms
come riding in, their blue eloaks
streaming to the wind; and finally the
happy bridegroom, with whip in his
hand and monstrous nosegay in the
breast of his blue jacket, comes forth
from h,s chamber and then to horse
and away towards the village where
the bride already sits and warts.
Foremost rides the spokesman, follow
ed by some half dozen village must
ciar s. Next comes the bridegroom be-
tween his two groomsmen, and then
forty or fifty friends and wedding
guests, half of them with perhaps guns
and pistols in their hands. A kind of
baggage wagon brings up the rear, Ia
den with food and drink for these mcr-
ry pilgrims.
At the entrance of every village
stands triumphal arch, adorned with
flowers and ribbons and evcrgreens !;
and, as they pass beneath it, the we'd
ding guests fire salnte, and the whole
procession stops. And straight from
every pocket flies black jack, filed
with punch or brandy. 1t is passed
from hand to hand among the crowd ;
provisions arc brought from the wagon,
and, after eating and drinking, and
lurrahing, the procession moves for
ward again, and at length draws neal
the house of the bride. Four heralds
q i'll
; and his attendants are in the neighbor.
ing forest, and pray for hospitality
How many are you ?" asks the bride
father. cat least three hundred" il
the answer; and to this the last re
plies Eyes were you seven times a
many, you should all be welcome ant
in token thereof, receive this cup.
q Whercupon each herald receives a cal
g of ale, and soon after the whole .jovia
company comes storming into tie far
mer's yard, and, riding around the May
pole. which stands in the center, align
amid Il grand salute and flourish c
!. music. ..''it-A %
/ In the hall sits the bride, with
g crown upon her head and a tear i'll he
eye, like the Virgin Mary in old churc
I paintings. She is dressed in a re
d boddice and kirtle, with loose line
8 sleeves. There is gilded belt aroun
r her waist, and around her neck string
of golden beads and golden chail
~ On the crown rests a wreath of wild rt
) ses, and below it another of cypress
- Loose over her shoulders falls her fla2
:, en- hair, and her innocent blue eyes al
y fixed upon the ground. Oh, thou goo
a soul! thou has hard hands but o so
J. heart. Thou art poor. The very o
n naments thou wearest are not thlne.-
70 They have been hired for this gre
> lday. Yet thou art rioh--rich i'll healt
Of rich in hope, rich, in thy first, your
j. fervent love. The blessing of heav'
n. be upon thee; so thinks the pafi
be priest, as he joins together the han
ho Of bride and bridegroom, saying,
~ deep, solemn tones, give thee
~ marriage this damsel, to be thy wedd
ey wife in all honor, and to share the III
80 of thy bed, thy lock and key, and ev
es ry third penny which you two m
1 possess, or inherit, and all the rigl
!, which Upland's laws provides. and
bc holy King Erik gave" The dinner
,ro now served, and the bride sits betwe
- the bridegroom and priest. L
nc spokesman delivers an Grafton, al
az the ancient custom of his fathers.
Nv interlards it we'll with quotations fr
,os the Bible, and invites the Savior to
or. tpresent at the marriage feast, as
nit was at the marriage feast of Cana
Gallilee. The table is not sparin
nm set forth. Each makes q long a
icb and the feast goes merrily on. Pu1
ia and brandy pass around between
will courses, and here and there a pip
the smoked while waiting for the Il
- dish. They sit long at table, but,
the all things must have an end, SO mu
,p,a Swedish dinner. Then the dance
/, rm gins. 1t is led off by the bride and
ave priest, who perform q. solemn mir
ure together. Not till after midn
ono comes the last dance. The girls +
,rtb a ring around tho bride, keep her +
the the hands of the married women,
tber endeavor to break through the 1
ess- rage circle and seize their new si
TING After long struggling they succ'
vow ,ag,. and the crown is taken from her
.ho and the Jewels from her neck, and
'he boddice is unlaced and her kirtle Il