The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-04-13

i've farms 1he OrldegrOom's party re
turned TO his house, the brides To hers.
1t sounds unsentimental, but as soon as
he had seen her safe at her old home,
and run the gauntlet of his friends rail
lery, he left her to 60 and see after the
bidding.
Before this took place, however, there
was much eating and drinking at both
their bouses.' The parents of each pro-
vided a separate feast-or, if the BRIDE
groom lived in his own house, he pro-
vided it. Sometimes, indeed, his bid
ding was held in the adobe prepared for
himself and bis wife, even though he
had previously resided with his parents
When as much bread and cheese and
ale had been eaten and drunk as the guests
required, the great business of the day
began. This was the bidding.
Instead of lavishing money on costly
jewelry and ornaments, as friends do
now-a days, the sensible old Cymry gave
their wedding gifts in sterling gold or
silver. The bride stood at her table,
the bridegroom at his, and received as
much money as the guests might choose
TO give or lend. The sums were duly
registered. 1t only lent, they were to be
repaid ON a similar occasion. Al an in
fuential horse wedding more than hun
dred pounds might thus be collected, which
enabled the young people to begin life after
their own fashion
The bridesmaid or bridesmen presented
to EACH donor a cup or glass of Methe
glyn (anglicised mead), and piece of
oatmeal bread, or-what many liked bet
ter-beer sweetened with sugar, and fa~
vored by sprig of rosemary. This was,
probably, the hale ancestor of eur degen-
crate clsret cup. Each wedding gift
was also acknowledged by a sprig of
rosemary.
Drinking, jollity, lovemaking, gossip
prevailed. No tears were shed, fer the
young couple were pretty sure to settle
within reach of their respective parents.
Friends accompanied them to their new
home, and left good wishes and jokes at
their threshold
Such was Horse Wedding of the old
en- time. This has been modified, like
everything else, By the course of events
Printed invitations, formerly in verse,
replaced tie picturesque old man with
the ribboned staff These are called Bid
ding Letters and are now written in
prose. 1t is truly prosaic age The
shrek of the steam whistle has fighten-
ed away the spirits of the old bards who
have taken with them the gift of impro-
visation and the Once exhaustless stan>
zas. or oennilion, poured ou: at the door
of the bride, have ceased.
Practical jokes nave occasionally trou-
bled the mad gallop of the riders, and enc
or two serious accidents have put stop
to the Tourney for the Bride. These may
be worthy of record.
DR.. johnson says tha: children are by
nature cruel, and that it is education
which teaches them kindness be this as
it may, most of them love fun-which
frequently means mischief 1t happened
that young wag, hearing of Horse
Wedding, resolved TO have his joke. He
knew Of wasps nest in the hollow of
an old tree by the wayside, and, as the
wedding party were about to gallop past,
| he disturbed it. The wasps stung the
horses, and great many pretty girls
were scattered about the road, while he
stood behind laughing at the fun. 1t is
satisfactory TO add that he was hinas, Lf'
t-s-iIly -tnne. and did not dare TO cry
out lest he should be discovered, or TO
complain afterwards. lest he should be
punished. His practical joke ended with
lis sting, but no further ill ensued. This
is more than can be said of most practical
jokes.
The accidents that caused the bridal
tragic. On one occasion the bridegroom
reached the bridge in dangerous and
circuitous part of The road while he was
in the act of tearing her from her father,
her horse wheeled, stumbled, kicked and
threw her. Snatched from the very arms
of her lever, she fell among some of the
rocky stones of this mountainous way
| He was off his horse in moment-eve
~ one else dismounted. He raised the
inssnsible form or the poor girl, and ut
tered a bitter cry. The mock combat
had ended in sad reality. She was dead
AT another Horse Wedding the en-
counter happened on hill near the
church. The slope was dangerous, but
excitement and love are equally blind
The horses get excited also, and, neigh
ing and curveliDg, while the bridegroom
and father struggled for the bride, she
was thrown of When they picked her
up they did moi know how much she was
injured, as she was neither dead nor in>
sensible. She insisted on being married,
and, in spite of the remonstrances of her
friends, her entreaties prevailed. Her
lover carried her in bis arms to the church,
where the clergyman was awaiting them,
and the marriage ceremony was performed
amid the suppressed sigs ard tears of ter
rified relatives. As soon as she was made
one with him she loved, the spirit which
h d sustained the body gave way, and it
was evident that she was dying. The sad
scene may be imagined the little moun>