The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-03-21

richly made. Those which RENAME.
\ were built into huge pile, and set upor
1 the table; another innovation was to ic,
: these into solid mass, and from this tn,
transition was easy to the wedding-cske
with which we are familiar; but Q small
one was reserved to be broken over the
brides head, custom which still hnger;
In primitive districts. so1L eF8o'
In feudal times, and long after the
Reformation, Sunday was the .favorite
day for bridals, and continued to be, even
when courtly ceremonies, pomps, and
games had been abolished; throughout
the works of Shakespeare indeed, and diff
ferent authors, we find constant illusions
to the custom. The ballad, "Tm to be mar
ried O. Sunday" was very popular in its
time-and in the flaming of the Shrew,"
the following occurs: "We will have
rings, and things, and fine array; And
kiss me, Kate, we will be married O. Sun
day." ea. -a
Music was an invarisbie sccompani-
ment to bridal, and then, as now, the
wealthy hired the best which could be
had, while the poor were fam to put up
with what was termed "roush music. )"
The chosen instruments with which this
was produced were hollow bones, cleav-
ers, tongs, shovels, saucepan lids and tin
kettles, and of this, the following lines
are certainly graphic description;
"And as they were homewards advancing,
Advancing and singing of songs,
The rough music met them all prancing,
With frt pans, shoVels, and tongs.
Tin canisters, salt-bOXeS plenty. L.
With trotter- bones beat by the boys,
And they being hollow and empty,
They made a most ricketing noise.
Bowls. gridirons, platt rs, and ladies,
And pokers tin kettles did buise,
The noise, none TO bear IL was able
The warming-pan beat with old shoes;
Such rafting, racketing uproar,
Had you bui heard it, no doubt,
All hell was broke loose YOU have swore,
And the devils were running about"
The duties OF the first bridesmaid were
onerous. A small part of these were the
selection of the colors which were to dec
crate the bridal couch. She chose the
fayors and undressed the bride, carefully
throwing away the pins; for evil beiell
the bride who kept any pins; and the
bridesmaid who retained one would not
be married before Whitsuntide.
Last of all ceremonies came those of
flying the stocking and drinking the pos
set, which took place in the bridal. cham
Der, and here it may be we'll to remark
that century or two ago. a bed chamber
was often considered fitting place Tor
receptions, where ladies OF nobility and
distinction did not hesitate to entertain
their friends OF either sex.
On the occasion just mentioned, the
groom and bride, clothed in rich dressing
gowns, were led in, the former by his
greomsmen, the latter by her bridesmaids,
and sat up in bed, while the priest, III
sacerdotal robes and attended by acolytes,
stood at the foot of the bed, prepared to
bless the posset Ia cup filled with richly
speed and sweetened drink and bless the
couch The benediction given, before
the newly married couple tasted OF the
drink, which had been prepared especial
Iy for them, the ceremony of "throwing
the stocking" was gone through with.
For this purpose, the "best man. and
the next groomsman seated themselves
on The grooms side of the nuptial bed
with their backs toward the middle of
the couch; and the two chief bridesmaids
in like manner sat down on the brides
side OF the bed Each groomsmsn held
one of the groom's stockings, and each
bridesmaid one of the brides. Then, at
given ssgnal, the first groomsmau flung
the stocking that he held, backwa is
over his shoulder, in order to hit, ii pos.
sible, the crown Of the brides head; the
first bridesmaid next flung the stocking
which she held, and the same proceeding
was repeated by the remaining grooms-
man and bridesmaid. If chit was
made, it was an omen that the individU-
al who accomplished the feat would soon
be married, while the failure provoked
great laughter on the part of all tie COM
pany, who gathered in the room to wit
ness the performance.
Charles the First, greatly to the vexa.
ton of his courtiers, shut the door of the
state bedroom on the occasion of his mar
rage, bat both customs were, notwlth-
standing. continued for long time alter.
Charles the Second, himself, drew the
curtains around the bed when the poSset-
bowl had been emptied and the stocking
flung, on the night OF Mary'S marriage
with the Prince of Orange: nor were
these ceremonies omitted until the reign
OF George the Third, who dispensed with
both on the Occa ion of his marriage with
Queen Charlotte.