The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-04-23

lhili Tor lne service ne mas rendered
the Jewish church IN the originating Of
n settled form of worship, Before his
TIME the service followed no routine,
but he has reduced all to u system, and
trained cholrs, not only for the old
world, but for America and, old and
silver haired rs he Is, his patrlarchal
form still takes It's place AT the altar,
and his glorious voice thrills the ears Of
the throng who never fall 10 wait his
coming. There was something almost
supernatural In the powerful and yet
exqulsltcly modulated tones Of his
voice reechoed from the organ loft In
the clear, fresh, angelic notes sung by
Il boy about fourteen years ofage. 1t
was the deep, full aud varied expert
enoc ofage contrasted with the bright,
glowing hopes Of youth.
During theceremony, wine was given
to the bridal pair, and was somewhat
curious TO know the meaning of this,
as, of course, it could have no reference
to the blood of Redeemer In whom
they had no fifth. II was afterwards
explained to me ~ being simply II ret
ognition of the abundance of good
gifts from the hand Of the Creator for
the use of man, symbollzed in the
wine.
The priest and the professor, the
chorister and the boys comprising the
choir wore long black robes and black
velvet caps. The other men of the
congregation and wedding party, in
Guiding the bridegroom, kept their hats
on, which, to christian eyes, looked
somewhat out Of taste at least, ifnot IT.
revercnt.
The wedding festivities were much
after the usual style, though the hours
would seem rather odd to fashionable
people at home. The wedding supper,
or dinner which everyou please to call
it, began at 3 Z. NJ; at T.. NJ. the Ia
bles were cleared and dancing began,
which continued till half-past nine,
when the company dispersed. The
party consisted of about forty persons,
each of whom We're in some way rela-
ted to the bridal pair, and have sell
dom seen II finer looking company of
Ia, Nln i.yh al
nomy prevailed, but the sparkling
black eyes and raven tresses of the la
dies, together with their intelligent
and vivacious faces, We're certainly suf-
licent to give them n right to the title
of "beautiful Jewesses."
There was much elegance and good
taste displayed in the toilettes, and
there seemed to be no lack of enjoy
ment, there being much greater free
dom and familiarity of intercourse
than there would have been if they
had not been all related. Altogether
it was very interesting scene, and
made one feel quite romantic and in
clined to talk poetry and sigh over ten
der remembrances of the past.
But there is always prosaic side to
everything in this life, and we saw that
side the next day in u conversation
with the father of the bride.
The facts developed We're as follows:
The actual cost of the wedding cere-
mony, not including the supper, mere
ly the ceremony in the church, was
over one hundred dollars. There are
three classes of weddings, known as
first, second and third class, so called
from their eXpensiveness. This was
wedding of the second class A first
class wedding would cost third more.
There is o certain tax to be paid
according to the class. In second
class wedding the priest receives
ten dollars, the professor twelve dol
lars for singing. Then the chorister
and choir boys must be paid a fixed
amount, the janitors must be feed,
also the person who lighted the gas for
the Illuminating of the temple during
the ceremony. For the gas burned
during that half hour ten dollars is
charged, and for the use of the temple
forty dollars. This latter amount, the
farther explained, is set off in certain
sums to be given to various benevolent
objects. Third class weddings are very
cheap, as the parties are supposed to
belong, pecuniarily, to the class of So
ciety who cannot afford to expend
much on illuminations, etc. So the
temple is Illuminated only by the free
light of heaven, and the silver haired
"sweet singer of Israel" and the silvery
voiced boys of the choir are absent,
and without song or organ the "third
class'' pair plight their VOWS and
save their money.
A quite unpoeticgl but decidedly
practical feature of the wedding pre-
liminaries is settling the dowry of the
bride, or, in other words, in deciding
how much the father can afford to give
in buying husband for his daughter,
and how little the young man will be
willing to take in return fer comforting
his name and the title Of frau upon the
young lady.
A meeting of the gentlemen in both
families is held at the office of u law
yer, and paper is drawn up stating
the dowry, also the rights which the
wife is to have over her own property
in all supposable cases of bankruptcy,