Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-26
MAY MARRIAGES.
Why They Are Considered w.
satisfactory.
Some Queer Superstitioas Connected WITH
the Month-Stfange Manners and
Customs is Spring
Growing later2

NustVus Sts"S
Growing Later2
Until Thursday morning, Q popular I'm.
nression existed that il was March and not
Nav Tint was bring Us such beastly weather.
New it is bright, winning May herself
again and nature has welcomed her return
with bright smile. May weather seems
TO be chan ging every place, and gradually
growing later. In those countries Wnere
May day is celebrated, the last OF the month
is being chosen in place OF the hrst, when
is usually too cold for outdoor sports and
too early for flowers. Modern advance.
ment is throwing off the superstition which
has trammeled this month and It is oecon
ing, in spite of the hard things said
about IL, a month in which TO marry.
Plutarch gave three reasons for
MAY MARRIAGE
not being satisfactory. The first and most
important was that May being between
April which is consec-ated TO Venus, and
June, which is sacred to Juno. and both
these deities being held propitious to mar
risge, they were not to be slighted. In
Scotland it is believed that all the children
born of a May marriage will die young,
but that an engagement made IN May IS
sure to be happy and lasting one. May:
day is as much lovers day as the lith OF
February, and May puddings, May
dreams, May boughs, and May wishes un'
der the young MAY moon are as firmly be-
lieved in and as much sought after as 81.
Valentines or Halloween signs. In the
Highlands an oat cake is baked, and the
high priest of the ceremony breaks OH GER
tain pieces Some Of them he throws into
the fire which has been kindled in the
ward or on the green, with these words:
This Igi7e. O Boal; preserve my horses;
this give, o Boal; preserve my kiue,'
and so on. Then he throws some into the
air, saving: This give thee, U Fox;
spare my lambs; this to the, Hooded
Crow this to thee, o Eagle"
SOME QUEER srPEIsTIrIoNs.
In County Cork and in some Of the coun.
ties of Connaught and Ulster, Ireland, May
bonfires are still lit, and all over Ireland
small fire is lit in the milking yard, and
men, women, children, and cattle are made
to pass through it as a preventive against
sickness or the evileye, and 1T IS not un.
frequent to see a fire kindled at the front
doc of each little cabin at sunset, May day,
to keep off evil. The custom prevails to
some extent among the shanty-dweilers on
Manhattan Island. On no account will aa
Irishman or Scotch Highlander allew
bit of fire or water 10 be taken from his
home on New Year or May day, but he
will do his best to borrow from any one
that he wishes 10 get the better of during
the year.
Among the girls the greatest rivalry pre-
walls as to who shall draw the first pail OF
water on May morning, and in any New
York home where Irish help is employed
il NAV be noticed that the girls are always
up bright and early on this day, for the
first up
WILL lie FIRST MARRIED.
The first person entering house is always
asked to take DASH" or to help to do
some trle, to show good will and friend
ship. Any anxiety on the part OF the
housewife to discover il there will be an
increase or decrease in the family can be
satisfied if she will on May eve sweep the
hearthstCne clean, and then sprinkle II
with line ashes. II in the morning there
should be footprint pointing toward the
door, then some one will leave home; II
the other way, there will be an addition to
the family circle; il it is just as she left 1t,
then all will remain so.
In the north, if young girl wishes TO
dream of her future husband, she must go
late on May.eve to black sally tree and
pluck therefrom nine sprigS, the last OF
which she throws over her right shoulder;
the remaining eight must be put into the
foot OF her right stocking, then she must
place it under her pillow, and her faith
being strong, she will in dream see her
future husband.
STILL ANOTHER MODE
of obtaining the same knowledge consists
of going after sunset on May.eve to bank
on which yarrow is growing plentifully.
aud gathering therefrom nine spriggs OF
the plant: while gathering il she repeats
the following:
Good morrow, gooimorrow, fair yarrow,
And thrice goOd-mCrrow To thee,
Come, tell me before tomorrow
Who my true-iove shall DC.
The yarrow is brought home, put into
the right stocking, placed under the pillow,
AID the mystic dream is sure to Gene; but
should the girl speak after she has pulled
the yarrOw, the charm is broken.
Among the Yorkshire girls custom pre-.
walls OF going to neighboring well and
dropping noggin or small tin bucket
while repeating the name Of their lover. 1t
must be left there all night. If in the
morning it is still floating it is a lucky
sign but il it has sunk, then she need look
nor wait no longer for him. In the South.
ern States
THE SNAIL CHARM
is resorted TO. The little animal that is
here pressed into service is not the
box snail, but the common sing, and
should be discovered accidentally. When
found 1t must be placed between two
plates, on one of which is sprinkled -four
the other is used TO cover it-and left all
night; next morning the maid seeks to
discove the initial OF her secret lovers
name in the Shiny track left by the snail.
But Scotch lassies think the surest way to
discover the coming lover is to search the
pudding. A rice or bread pudding pre-
pared, into which is droppen ring, but
ton and thimble and also piece OF money.
The ring, you will be married, the button,
you will marry an old bachelor, thu thin.
BILE, you will remain as you are; and il
you get the money, why, great good luck
will come to you.
The May dew, ss every one knows, pos
sesses peculir virtues, but not alone for its
cosmetic powers, for the Irish girls EN-.
ploy it-as Lever has touchingly described
in his song of the May Dew as bond OF
peculiar power among lovers.