Omaha daily bee., 1883-09-27
MARRIAGE MIGMA.
Queer Customs and supcrstitions In
the Past.

Evening Call.
Among the ancient Assyrians all the
manageable young girls were assembled
at one place, and the public orier put
them up one after the other. The money
which was received for those which were
handsome, and consequently sold well,
was bestowed as n wedding portion upon
those who were plain. When the most
beautiful had been disposed of the more
ordinary looking were offered for a GER
tain sum to those who were willing to
t,ke them. In this way all the women
were provided with husbands.
Among the Greeks the marriage ritual
is very elaborate, and lasts almost an
hour. 1t consists of prayers chanted by
the priest; the signing of bride and bride
groom on the forehead three times with
q ring; the blessing of two wreaths, which
are afterwards placed on their heads; the
dri liking of wine three times from the
same cup; the kissing of the office book
and the priests hands; the parade made
three times aronnd the center table by
the entire party.
Throughout the Empire of Morocco
there are villages where the eldest men,
bsry of the adult population follow
professionally the pursuit of fattcning
young girls for the matrimonial market
of Barbary. The Moors, like the Turks,
give a decided preference to ''moon-
faced" wives over lean ones, and are
more solicitous as to thenumber of pounds
which their brides weigh than about the
stock Of accomplishments which they
possess. This fattening process begins
when the girl is about IL years old.
Stiff maize porridge, kneaded up with
grease, is daily fed to her in the form
of boluses. If she declines to take
them they arc crammed down her
throat.
On the Malabar const of India the
priest sprinkles the bride and bridegroom
with rice. Among the Brahmins the
bridegroom throws three handfuls of rice
ON the brides head. Possibly, as inPer.
STA, the rice is regarded rs an emblem OF
fruitfulness.
At u marriage ceremony in Japan
neither bride nor bridegroom will wear
|, clothing of q purple color, because they
regard it as the color most liable to fade.
The custom of throwing an old shoe
after the bride is an ancient II and COM
mon to many countries. In Scotland a
perfect volley of old shoes and slippers ia
| fired after tho happy couple.
Superstitious fancies have chung to the
+, marriage ceremony through all ages and
{ in all countries, and even the brides Of
t to-day pretend to be influence by them
Certain days were considered lucky ant
certain other days unlucky. These day
r and seasons were designated by rhymes
Q which went very far to perpetuate the
j. superstitions. Even at the present day
@ we hear quoted such couplets az tho fol
n lowing:
q Wednesday the best of all,
= Saturday no luck at all.
Whomarries betweensickleand scyth
Will never thrive.
u From the marriages in May
All the BARNS die and decay.
4 Marry in Lent
And you'll live to repent.
In the earliest weddings among tn
Jews the fourth day of the week was col
N sidered an unlucky day for virgins to wee
and the fifth for widows.
a The Romans regarded June rs the moi
m propitious month of the year Tor matr
y mony. In many countries May marriage
I'd were considered unlucky. InChina ma
es riages arc positively prohibited at certai
id times and seasons OF account of their b.
b. ing unlucky.
There was at one tune a superstitio
I'd current in England against marrying {
Of Innocents' Day, the 2Sth of December,
day of ill-omen because it was the OF
which commemorated Herds massac'
M. of the children.
of 1t Used to be considered lucky If ii
he initials of Q welded couple spelt a wor
an 1t was considered unlucky if the brid'
nd family name began with the same lett
. n ~ that OF her husband:
~. To change the name, and not the letter,
nd Is q change for the worse, and not for