Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-03-23
Marriage snperstitlons.

J, Marriage SuperstitIOns.
Since marriage became an institl
I tiOn there have been certain sign
! and superstitions that have clung I
its celebration through all ages an
E in all countries. Even to-day in tn
, most civilized nations we have not Ell
tirely rid onr minds of these super
stitions, and l warrant there is neve
, bride but INDUCES herself in look
ing for some happy omen. Few peo
pie are dauntless enough to he mar
ried on Friday. and we all have tn,
most unlimited confidence in that ole
shoe thrown after the newly weddet
pair. Nearly every bride of to day
wears about her when she is married
some trifling thing borrowed from :
lady friend, and all know that "BlesI
is the bride on whom the sun doth
shine" aud are equally certain tha,
"TO change the name and not the letter
Is change for the worse, and not for
the better"
So on, quite indefinitely, it is won
derful how these ancient signs are
handed down from generation to gen.
eratiou, and how impotent reason
is to do away with their hold upon
the human mind. Say what you will,
we are naturally given to supersti-
tious fears, and there are the fewest
people who are not more or less af-
fected by them. But let us recall a
few of the Oltlen beliefs concerning
marriage superstitiOns:
In the earliest weddings we read of
among the Jews we find that the
fourth day of the week was consid
cred the unlucky day for virgins to
wed, and the fifth for widows. The
Romans also believed that certain
days were unEavOrable for the per
formance of marriage rites, aud these
were the Calcnds, Nones and Ides of
every month, the whole months of
February and May, and many of their
festivals. June was considered the
most propitious month of the year
for matrimony, especially if the day
chosen were that of the full moon or
the conjunction of the sun and the
moon. The month of May was es-
pecially to be avoided, as it was un-
der the influence of spirits adverse
to happy households, and for cen
turieS this superstition seemed to
prevail in Italy against May mar
riages, and even to this day prevails
in some parts of England and our
own country. In China marriages
are positively prohibited at certain
times and seasons on account of their
being unlucky.
There was at one time supersti-
tiou current In Engiana a9ains5 mar.
rying on Innocents' Day, the 2Sth of
December, day of i'll ll-omen, because
it was the one which commemorated
HerOd's massacre of the children.
And it is still thought unlucky to
marry IN Lent. "Marry in Lent and
you'll live to repent" An old line
also says, "May never was ye month |
Of love-" and another, "Who marries
between We sickle and We scythe will
never strive" The old rhyme that
we have all heard tells US to mar
ry on
"Monday for wealth,
Tuesday for health,
Wednesday the best day of all,
Thursday for crosses,
Friday for losses,
Saturday no luck at ALL"
At one time it was thought that all
hose who married on Tuesdays and
would he happy. Among
,he Romans no marriage was cele
)rated without an augury being first
consulted.
In the middle ages it was cOnsid-
,red an ill-Omen if the bridal party,
II going to the church, met monk,
priest, hare, dog, cat, lizard or SER
)ent; while all would go well if
wolf. spider or toad were encoun-
cred.
1t is lucky if the initials of we'd
led couple spell word.
In the South of England it is said
o be unlucky for bride to look in
he glass after she is completely
lressed before she goes to church, so
glove or some other article is put
N after the last look has been taken
It the mirror. Gray horses at we'd
ling are lucky. 1t is supposed to be ,
Inlucky if bride does not weep on
Ter wedding day. In Scotland it is {
onsidered an unlucky omen if a ,
ouple are disappointed in getting
larried on the day first fixed for that .
!
In the Isle of Man it is believed :
hat it insures good luck to carry salt ,
Il the pocket when gong to be mar
led. At Hull it is considered un- :
lcky to go in at one door and go out !
t another when person gets mar !
led. !
Whoever goes to sleep first on the !
-edding night will die first.
If there is an odd number of guests !
wedding, one is sure to die with I
4 the succeeding twelve months.
THERE is a story afioat, says the {
lew York Commercial, to the effect 1
nat Marsh was tampered with by b
- l.. = IL l.