The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-02-20

tree, bifurcated, and beneath il are an old
man and an old woman. Long life,
green old age, changeless constancy Of
love, and the union of two hearts are
symbolized by this evergreen. Ia the
tohsonoma Tor large raised recess) Of the
room are the preparations for the feast,
the wine-scrvice consisting Of kettle, de-
cauters, and cups On two other tables
are q pair Of white storks aud fringed
tortoise. All through the rooms gorge
ously painted wax candles burn. The air
of the apartment is heavy with perfume
from the censer, representation in bronze
of an ancient hero riding upon bullock
All the guests are seated a Ia Japanaise-
upon the floor. Two or three young ladies,
the bridemaids, go out to meet the bride
and lead her to her dressing room. Here
she finds her own property, which has
bcen brought to her future home during
the day Toiletstands and cabinets and
the ceremonial towel.rack are prominently
displayed. On tall clothes-horse Of gilt
lacquer are hung her silk robes and the
other articles Of her wardrobe, which are
bridal gifts. Over the doorway, in gilt
rack, glitters the long spear or halberd, to
the dextrous use of which all japanese
ladies' of good family are trained. In a
box of finest wood, shining with lacquer
and adorned with her family crest, are the
silk sleeping-dresses and coyerlets, which
are to be spread, as all Japanese beds are,
on the floor. The articles above mentioned
constitute the troussedu of Japanese
bride.
Here Kiku rearranges her dress, rc-
touches her lower lip with golden paint
and puts on her hood of floss silk. This
is Of half-moOn shape, completely cover
ing her face. She does not lift it until
she has drunk the sacramental marriage
cup. Many Japanese maiden has seen
he: lord for the first time as she lifted her
silken hood. Kiku is all ready, and she
and the groom are led into the room where
the ceremony is to be performed, and
assigned their positions.
With japanese marriage neither reli-
gion nor the church has anything to do.
At the wedding no robed priest appears
officially among the guests. The marriage
is simply civil and social contract. In
the place Of our bans is the acceptance Of
the suitors presents by the family Of the
sought, the announced betrothal and inti-
nation of the marriage to the police of
the ward. In place of our answer, "Yes,"
is The sacramental drinking of wine. We
may say, swine" because we are talking
Of high-life, and must use high words.
Sake, the universal spirituous beverage
of Japan, is made from fermented rice,
aud hence is properly rice-beer. 1t looks
like pale sherry, and has a taste which is
peculiarly its own. Sweet sake is very
delicious, and it may be bought in all the
degrees of strength and of all aayors and
prices. As the Japanese always drink
their wine hot, a copper kettle for heating
sake is necessity in every household.
On ceremonial occasions, such as mar
riages, the sake-kettles are of the costliest
and handsomest kind, being beautifully
lacquered. Bride and groom being ready,
the winc-kettles, cups, and two bottles are
handed down. Two pretty servant-maids
now bring in hot kettle Of wine and fill
the bottles. To one bottle is fastened, by
silken cord, male butterfly, and to the
other female. The two girls also are
called "male' and "femalep butterflies.
The girl having the female butterfly pours
out some sake in the kettle, into which the
girl with the male butterfly also pours the
contents Of her bottle, so that the wine
in both bottles thus flows together. Then
the sake is poured again into another
gilt-and-lacquered bottle Of different shape.
Now the real ceremony begins. On a
little stand three cups, each slightly con.
cave and having an under-rest or foot
about half an inch high, are set one upon
another, like pagoda. Tho stand with
this three-storied arrangement is handed
to the bride. Holding it in both hands
whilc the sake is poured into it by the
butterfly, the bride lifts the cup, sips from
it three times, and the tower of cups is
then passed to the bridegroom and reflled.
He likewise drinks three times, and puts
the empty cup under the third. The
bride again sips thrice from the upper cup.
The groom does the same, and places the
empty cup beneath the second. Again
the bride sips three times, and the BRIDE
groom does the same, and they are ma n
and wife they are married, This cere-
mony is called son-san-ku-do, or, "three
times three are nine"
Z Like wedding at once auspicious and
distingue, the nuptials of Kiku and Taro
passed off without one misstep or incident
of i'll omen. In the dressing-room and in
the hall of ceremony Kiku's self-possessed
demeanor was admired by all. After
drinking the sacramental wine she lifted
her silken hood, not too swiftly or nerv
ously, and smiled blushingly on her lord.
The marriage ceremony over, both bride
and groom retired to their respective
dressing-rooms. Kiku exchanged her
white dress for one of more elaborate
design and of lavender color. The
groom, removing his stiffiy-starched cere-
monial robes, appeared in ordinary dress.
Meanwhile Refreshments had been served
20 all tba hr,lo,,.s1s .nI ,s...l ......