Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-01-06
Curious Marriage Customs.

curious marriage CuStOmSs
SINCE time immemorial, the customs an
tecedent to and attendant upon marriage
have been widely different, in different
dis and among different people, and
Q excited universal interest. Not al
. the sacred and holy thing it Is re.
garded now, by all the right-minded and
upright, marriage has been in all ages an
important and significant consummation,
and as such has been generally observed
with significant ceremonials. A volume
. recently published, entitled "The Wedding
Day in all Ages and Countries" tells of
these ceremonials, and we collate from it
some of the most uncommon and curious
A law of Solon, at an early day in
Greece, required that the newly-wedded
pair, on first entering the bridal chamber,
should eat ounce together, to indicate
that their mutual relationship should be
sweet and agreeable. If the indication
was always true one, and had any lasting
after influence, would it not be wise to re-
vive this ancient law?
In Chaldea, on the wedding day, the
priest entered the bridegroom's house and
kindled fire, which it was thought ought
never to be put out until the death of one
of the pair If, during the life of both,
the fire did die out, it was deemed sign
that their marriage was annulled. Hence,
as writer said in 1851, the expression
provoke me not too much lest l throw
water on the fire"
In Assyria all marriageable young girls
were assembled in public place, and the
crier put them up at auction. The sum
received for those who were handsome,
and therefore sold well, became the we'd
ding portion Of those who were lacking in
good looks; and as money, then, as now,
had an attraction even in a matrimonial
way, all young women found husbands.
This custom was doubtless an effectual
guard against the prevalence of old maids.
In medern Egypt n woman can never
be seen by her future husband until after
the marriage, being always closely veiled.
On the day before the wedding, she goes
in state to BATH walking under a canopy
of silk carried by four men. Following
the BATH the bride, bridegroom and their
friends had a supper; after which guam
tity of henna paste is spread on the
brides hands, and the guests make her
contributions by sticking coins on the
paste. When her hands are covered, the
money is scraped off. On the day of the
wedding, the bride goes in procession to
the bridegroom's house; and at night,
when the bridegroom returns from
prayers at the mosque, he is first introduc-
ed to, and left alone with the bride. Then,
having paid for the privilege by giving her
money, he first lifts the veil from her
face.
A Circassian bride was conducted to the
bridegroom's house by her relatives, mes
sengers being sent on before to announce
her coming. These messengers were
presented with food and wine, which they
poured round the house as an offering for
the about-to- -be-wedded couples prosperity.
The bridal party was shown into an apart
ment on arrival, in the middle of which
were a pitcher of wine and a vessel of
bread dough- As soon as she entered this
room, the bride kicked over the. wine, and
scattered the paste about with her hands.
The marriage ceremony was then performed
in private room, with priest, who sewed
the garments of the two together crowned
them both with flowers, changing the
crowns several times, and, after present
ing wine and bread to each, cut the thread
by which their garments were united, and
the ceremony was at an end.
A Hindu marriage is attended with many
ceremonies, which are not especially in
teresting, in the main. Chief among these
are the tying together of the hands of the
bride and bridegroom with sacred grass !;
the taking of seven steps by the bride, a
particular text being repeated for each /;
and the tying into knot of the skirts of
the mantles of the pair. The seven steps
are the essential feature; and when these
are taken, the marriage is indissoluble,
though there are wearisome details which
come after.
1t was customary in Russia, at one time,
for brides to present their lords with
whip, upon their wedding day, ,'in token of
h No1, IL
riage is performed on horseback. The girl
is first put upon horse, when she rides
off at full speed, her lover pursuing. If he
overtakes her, the marriage ensues, and
she returns to his tent If she dislikes
him she is pretty sure to distance him in
the race, riding as if for life.
Vaughan, writing in 1908, said, "The
ancient Frenchman had ceremonie, that
when they would marie, the bridegrome
should pare his nayles and send them unto
his new wife; which done. they lived to-
gether afterwards as man and WIFE"
There have been some singular statuary
provisions in regard to marriage. An Act
of the Scottish Assembly in 1900 was to
the effect that men CD should not marry
under the age of fourteen years, or women
(?) under the age of twelve years. Mar
riages have been recorded in Scotland
since, however, where the parties were
aged respectively only eleven and thirteen
years. An old Welsh law provided for
wifely discipline, on the part of the hus-
band, bydecreeing that he might administer
three blows with a stick upon any portion
of her body but her head but it was mod
flied by another law, which prescribed
that the stick should not be longer than
the husbands arm, or thicker than his
middle finger.