Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-09
WEDDINGS.
SOME OLD CUSTOMS ovERHAuLED AsD
EXAMINED.
Fomp and Display-welah Marriages
7he Ring at the Wedding
Promoting Marriage.

tIaR5geDL expenditure now SO faSnionaDle
at weddings" said prominent clergyman
who was discussing recent sacrifice az the
hymeneal altar. s. certainly think that
every solemnity is due TO SO sacred a
rite as marriage, and that the occasion
should be ore of seernly rejoicing amidst
the families who thus become united. It
is the lavish display of attire on the part
of the bride and guests, the large sums
wasted on floral decorations and collations,
the European honeymoon tours which are
undertaken by couples whose marital means
must necsssltste the closest economy
these are the matters which l consider SO
reprehensible. In all such things the
fashion has been set by people in society,
whose wealth precluded pecupiary con-
siderations but the slavish imitation which
has eusued frequently entails severe priva-
tions to parents, and often a load of debt
on the shoulders Of the newly-wedded
pair.
While many sensible people win approve
OF the above remarks made by the reverend
gentleman, there is some excuse for the
practice when it is remembered that ponp.
display, expenditure ard public rejoicing
have been customary at all ages and in
every CLINE. Marriage, whether among
the early Egyptians or ancient Romans or
our own European forefathers, and even
among the aboriginal inhabitants Of the
countries now impregnsted with ciyiliza.
tIon, have always been occasions of much
festivity, and some of the quaint procsed.
ings observed by different nationalities at
various periods of their history are of
very interesting description.
sPoILs OF wAR-BRIDESmAIDs.
Among the barbaric nations women were
always regarded as the spoils OF war, and
the general mode Of marriage was TO cap
ture wife /; the rape Of the Sabines may
be gwen &c an Illustration Of this. Strange
to say, an imitation OF this savage usage
still exists in very modified form In por-
tlons OF Wales. 1t is customary with the
peassntry Ter bridegroom to assemble his
friends and make sham attack on another
party or young men who surround the
bride and pretend 20 be carrying her TO the
mountains. After much show of resistance
the defenders If the lady give up the strug-
gle and she IS taken away IN triumph by
her lover. While on the subject of Welsh
marriages it should be added that the ap.
preaching event is always advertised il the
local papers, and strangers alike are In.
vited to be present and contribute their
quota toward the neW household. Early
English marriages were occasions of gem
eral rejoicing. Some of the customs then
observed We're of nature which would
greatly shock the refinement of the present
day, Du5 relics OF such proceedings are still
to Dc found in modern weddings. Satin
favors worn by guests, for instance, repre-
sent the small pieces of the brides garters
which were distributed among the grooms-
men and pinned on the right breast.
bridesmaids are the descendants of the
Saxon maidens, whose duties were to dis
robe the bride. The throwing of old shoes
was an intiulation TO the bride that hence
forth she had no further claim on the home
she had left. Flowers and Iics showered
on the pair are "reminiscences OF an un-
pleasant habit which was prevalent ia
Eastern countries. The bridegroom, was
pelted with stones by the girl friends of the
bride as remonstrance against her leaving
their ranks, and sometimes husband and
wife were severely hurt.
THE RING.
The ring necessary in Christian mar
risges is the most ancient OF all obgeIvancss,
and one that is clearly traced TO heather
sources. Romans, Greeks, Egyptians and
many other snqie2s nations used wedding
rings. They were made Of iron; gold,
brass and copper, and generally had some
inscription inscribed upon them, such as
:" May you live long" II bring good
fortune to the wearer." Other rings which
have been discovered In ancient sepulohres
have keys engraved upon them, evidently
as an indication of the wife's domestic au-
thority. Among the Jews the marriage
ring of Joseph and Mary, which was sold
ty Jerusalem jeweler to the Marquis of
Etruria in 996, was composed of onyx or
amethyst p matter which can now be no
longer satisfactorily settled, az some fifty
Catholic churches possess ring which is
vouched to be the only and original ring
worn by the Divine Mother The Christian
Church made the placing of the ring on
the woman's hand an imperative portion
of the nuptiai union, but, strange to say,
while adopting the pagan custom, it did
not define the material of which the ring
should be made, so that some ludicroua
substitutes have done service in instances
where the nervous bridegroom has forgot
ten to bring the necessary circlet in his
waistcoat pocket. The church key and
curtain rings have more than once been
brought into Tequisition, and a few years
ago wedding was solemnized in Boston at
which the ring was circle OF kid cut from
the bridegroom's glove.
IT IS AN ERROR
To suppose that a ring containing precious
stones cannot be used they were very
fashionable in the Middle Ages and even
later. Mary, Queen of Scots, had three
wedding rings, two in gold and the center
one an entire circle of diamonds. Rings
used to be placed on the brides right hand,
as is still the custom in Germany. In Eng
land, century ago, marriage rings, al
though put on the second finger of the left
hand at the church ceremony, were after.
wards worn on the thumb. The Society of
Friends are among the few Christian sects
who dispense with this symbol of marital
union, its heathenish origin being the al.
legged reason. Many Quaker ladies wear
them, nevertheless. The old Puritans had
the same prejudices as the Friends, and in
Hudibras passage refers to it as fol.
lows
Others were for zbolishng
That tool Of matrimouy, ring,
With which the unsanctfy'd bridegroom
Is marry'd only to thumb;
IS wise as ringing Of pig
That used TO break up ground and digl.
The bride to nothing but her win
That nulis the after-marriage still
Buffers verse gives the impression that
wedding rings were worn on the thumb at
much earlier period than the reign of the
Georges.
ADVERTISING AN HEIREsS,
With our grandparents it used to be Gus.
tomary whenever man married an heIress