The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-25

The GuItom Ol introducing cakes Is, Like
many other obssrvanCes, Of heather orr
gin. Brides, on the day before their mar.
riags, sacrificed cakes to Diana to secure
her favor Later on, notifications Of the
heathen customs became lngratted on the
religious obseFVanees Of the early Chris
tiAns. II wSs usual amongst the latter to
send the surplus wine and bread that had
boon blessed at tue Eucharist 10 the new.
ly married, to be partaken by them alone,
aud possibly to this observance may be
traced the custom Of giving drink OIL
wine and Sopped cake to the bridegroom
In the church. In this mixture II was also
usual to SIOUX flowers. Thus the sOps.in'
wine came to BE- iancilul name for pinks
and carnations, which were generally used
for that purpose.
Cakes, waters, and the like were blessed
and put into sweet wine, which was pre-
senIed to the bride, and probably these
flowers we're thought to resemble them
{ It has been inferred that such pinks were
often put into wine 10 give II ilRvOr
BlOunt, in his "TCnuIes, Alludes to u
"sextury Of July.hOWer wine" 1t was,
however, usual TO have substantial sops
in wine At weddings, u one OF the officials
al PelruchioS marriage found out to Ill,
cost when that cratic tanner Of shrews
"QltTd % the mu,eaiti, and threw the ioIa
Al IN the EXtOa's lace"
This custom (nOt tho throwing the sOps
Is alladed TO by Decker (l6O2l:
"And yh.n We are at church bIInG the wins hn'
cates."
An old song (lGO6) says
"sofH In wInr, spice, raEa sro I-loaiIOg."
Again, in the "CompIeat WINNER" (I79Ol
"what pIl,t can Join two loTsn' bRnt'
but vine Tuttsi seal the HATlIEc bsnds"'
1t would he interesting IL space allowed
To describe at length the old customs d
throwing rice and corn, and bedding the
bride and bridegroom, the struggle for his
points and garters-lrom which originated
the more graceful custom Of distributing
I wedding iavOFs-thFUWing the wedding
slipper, and other incidental observances,
The elder sister was bound to dance bare
foot At the wedding Of younger one, OF
tho inevitable fate will happen which Is
toretold by Katharine:
I "shr Il your trpaSure, she must baVr 4 husband
f must dance hIrroIi On her wedding day,
Aud, loryouT love 10 her, i''h Hl-SiH he'll"
So Queen FRdadinida, who on the death
Of kiug Observation-Disclosures agrees, for
the cake OF peace, to marry both her
cOurtiers, AllehOrOntip hOschOphornio and
/ RiIhon.Funnidos, thus dlspOseS Of her
faithful mAid.Ot.hOnor, Tatlanthe:
"Pity fot you, who'Ve served - long. nvrll,
should die a Singih, Anl ltad apps in he'll;
1 Choose Tor yourself, dear giTl our cmpFu round
/ Your PoGiIOn lei SclNU hundred thousand pounds
Not y bad dot for needy cOuriier.
! The origin OF the prevalent belief as Ia
the final tate Of old maids Is, though more
ancient, as obscure ~ that which prevails
concerning good Americans, who, when
they die, 20 to Paris.
! Old maids, generally speaking, are OK.
posed to undeservCd ridiGule. There are
many who have remained faithful TO the
memory Of lost love, or have elected from
choice life Of single blessedness, whilst
it not unEreQuently happens that youth,
beauty, talents, and opportunity have
been sacrificed in the Sick-roOm, or, still
worse. to the CApriCeS oi parents. Take
Cordelia M an example. In good sooth,
Gods ministering spirits on earth have Of.
ten taken the form OF single women.
Florence Nightingale, with her noble
band OF nurses, most Of whom Voluntarily
resigned all the comforts and luxuries
which wealth could procure, for the
dangers and harlShlps OF the Scutari and
other Crimean hospitals, or the no less
pestilent fever dens OF London. Those
who know the RloriGs Of the mansion Of
Emily, near Romsey, in Hampshire, with
its noble ancestral trees, will appreciate
the Self.saCriiice Of this lady. Angela
Burdctt.C Outls is another noble instance
Of a life devoted to the welfare OF the poor
and needy. Such women, old maids though
they may be, have their place but little be.
low that OF angels, and, thank God, Eng
land has produced many such, whose
memory will survive as sweetsmeIlng
SAVIOR. There are many women in the
ilesh 10 each Of whom Rogers lines will
apply;
.k. -.