The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-07-22
Our 0liu.
Brides and Grooms.

Nobody ever met, or expects to meet,
the woman who can hear of wedding
quite unmoved. It is rite that interests
the whole sex, young and old, pretty and
plain, rich and poor, gentle and simple
No matter how many weddings they may
have seen, they never tire of them, but will
90 to one after the other with unfagging
interest and attention, as absorbed during
the ceremony as it were an utter novelty.
The bride is, of course, the centre OF at
traction Even those who know her quite
intimately stare at her as though they had
never seen her before, devouring each de-
tail of her dress with eager chances. As
rule the bride who feels least looks best.
Emotion of the intense kind has not often
a becoming effect, and in this geof ''nerves
agitation is apt to produce pallor, tenden-
CIV to tears. or an unbecoming flush. Tears
seldom beautify. Poets and painters glor-
ify beauty in tears, but that is theory. In
practice, their first effect is to redden the
eyes; their second to encardanine the nose;
their third to develop tendency towards
shifts. Some years ago all brides wept.
1t was the correct thing. We had not
quite emerged from the sentimental era
Mrs. Hemans' poetry was much read, and
we all know how her brides behaved, weep
ing on their fathers shoulder and their
mothers bosom, and receiving regrettul
parting verses, so that one wondered that
the bridegroom was not offended by so
much grief, and did not jump into the char
lot and leave her there. We are more
practical nowadays The bride always
smiles when she leaves the vestry, and oe-
casionaIly is seen to do so coming up the
church. This last may be coming in,
but is rather venturesome thing to do
Just yet She ought, strictly speaking, to
hang her head down little bit, not so
much as brides did twenty years ago, but
still quite perceptibly. There is no earth
IN reason why brides, as rule, should hang
their heads. but fashion DEGREES that they
shall. They are going to marry the man
of their choice. They are probably lean
ing ON the arm of father of whom they
are proud. Why should they hang their
heads Perhaps fashion provides the Gus
tom in order to meet the case Of the brides
who really ought to hang their heads; those
who are selling themselves for q title, for
an establishment. for landed estates-eyen
for home. However this may be, ten
years hence the dropping head viii have
quite gone ont :.
The bridegroom tries to comfort himself,
] if he be nervous. BY thinking that nobody
viii notice him much. Everybody siares
At the bridesmaids. he thinks Little be
wots Of the clear eyes that takes IN every
point Of his appearance. every gesture, every
look. Critically is he watched through
the performance most trying one, no
doubt. Feminine ears listen intensely i0l
/ his Il will. for a womaH never quite
makes up her mind about man until she
has heard his voice. If he says It firmly
+ 10 an even, fun deep voice, be is approved
IL. But how nf.cn, oh how often. does
he growl it. or emit the Important words II
frightened squeak, or with the Interval d
nearly an octave between the tone Of ths
Eirst and that If the second syllablc2 Ag
itation makes his voice play him fake, ans
s no one Is more astonishcd than he j. him
self at the extraordinary sounds he has u
tered.
The bridesmaids are generally Drumming
over with pleasant excitement, especially
II they think their dresses becomiBg
From the deIaeanor of the chief sFisler
maid. one would imagine that the wholl
responsibility # the proceeding rests upon
her. from the license 70 the ring. and From
breakfast 70 breaghan Arrived 81 th'
church, she orders every ane about, sepd
maids and valet fassing ahous fasors, ans
too often hnghs and clsatters a. though
church were no more eonsecraied build
ing than her own boadoir. She looks o
the occasion a. q dres rehearsal 10 Rhicl
she not only plays her present nele .
I bridesmaid, but UNDERSTANDS che chief part