Arkansas weekly mansion., 1884-03-29

maiden tries on her bridal dress, lights
incense before the shrine of her ances-
tors md prostratcs herself in farewell
worship before her assem- Dled parents,
uncles and aunts. At last the dread
ful d"y arrives. The fair one rises early,
bathes perhaps for the first time for two
or three months, arranges her hair in
matronly style, puts on her br dial gar
ments of gorgeous red silk o. stuff,
sometimes richly embroidered, and a
heavy coronet-like hcad-dreys brilliant
with real or imitation pearls and
precious stones, velvet tassels and firing
eS, and gold or git trappirgS. which
jingle at every step she takes. Her
toilet Is completed by the large red
veil of silk or cotton. which completely
! covers her face from view. 1t is con-
sidercd gold form to resist the services
of her attendants with loud screams
and cXpo>tulation>, any such thing as
submission on her pat Icing sure TO
| be construed by her chatling brides
maids into an imnodest JOY AT the near
approach of wedlOck.
THE BRIDEGROOM wAITETH.
The bridegroom remains at home
| with his friends. He is arravcd in silks
and satins, embroidered accord NC to
I
and a brilliant wedding CAB is worn on
his head. He seats himself in glorious
state ava ting the coming OF the bride
He has already di>pat he'd an elegant
! bridal sedan, richly gildcd and en-
ameled. decorated with k;nyiisher, 5
feathers and ornamcnted with gorgeous
carvings, which he has hired for the
occasion. 1t is carried hl half Il dozen
men IN red tun cs and follows in the
rcar of the procession. II is preceded
by gilded pavil:onS and canopie5, red
board, with gilt characters represent
ing tie a"adcmical degrees and impe-
rial h"nors conferred upon the BRIDE
groom or his ancestors; grand lanterns,
splendiily carved AMI painted, ban
ncrS, huge fans and stat umbrellas ac
cord NJ to the rank of the bridegroom ;
father. The bearers, equcrr eS and mu-
si.-ians that swell the train are all drapcd
IN red robes and the whole process
sim marches along amids' the heating
of drums. the elias of cymbaiS and the
screams of clariOnctS. 1 he procession
arrives at the brides house and Is
greeted by the dismal howls of females
within. \ letter written by her huS-
band is now handed TO tine bride. in
forming her that the iiowcry sedan l.
waiting at her door and inviting her to
set out TOR her new home. Then come
sundrv cXiIortaiionS fr m her parents,
exchange of good wishes, protractcd
parriny~. choosing sDis and vehement
prpt,.-fatinnS from the bride against
bcinr taken from her Ii mo. This hol-
low farce is b'okcn up 10y a bride>m,:d
casting the veil over the face of the
lUgubrinuS bride, while an old hag
takes her upon h 7 la k in ign min Gus
fashion, carr, ing her out ofthc door and
s,tt ng her down in the ~cdan-chair.
l he door of the COnycyan e is then
10 .kcd and the key handed II the
bridegroom friend. The lands then
strike up an | the procession returns
am d;t farewell salvoS of bombs AID
firc-cra"kcrS, the wonder being that
any bride can survive such an infer.
nal din
COMPLETION OF TIE CEREMONY.
Arriving ut tn door of her new
home, she is saluted with more fire
crackers The bridegroom now comes
forth with all that dignii.ct bearing and
easy careleSsnesS SO natu n to we'll
bred thir aman, and taps tie door of the
char with his fan; Ine 81 aoc iS.thea
vrilcd from pro:ane gaze. Is aEain ar
ri ID on the back of a female attendant
into her husbands house. She is now
:, wife. the simple ride in the tiowery
chair having the mystic power OF trans
forminc her into a married woman.
The bride room now seats himself on
a high hair ani receives the homage of
his iutiful Sro use. He then dies ends,
raises her heavy veil. and for the first
time gazcs upon the fac of the girl 20
who t. he has hcpn engaged for the last
ten or fifteen Yeas. There follows no
rapturors embrace, no word of tender
no look that speaks of
love. He simply inspects her for
few moments as he would some piece
OF furniture. for she is nothing more to
him. Sometimes this ceremony of I'M
yelling takes place in the bridal cham
Der, where they seat themselves side by
side, he contririug to sit upon part of
her dress, sgnifying $ control and her
submiss on. We take one glimpse of
the nuptial couch. hung with slips of
paper with such ins ripsionS as. MAY
you have ltO sons and 1.tO) grand
sons" and adorned with orange trees
and strin Is OF cash. the SYMBOLS of
fruitfulncss. Heaven and earth. house
hold gods, family ancestors and the
parents of the bridegroom are then
worship ed by the welded pair
TIE WEDDING FEAST.
noon and extends over two or three
davs. Invitation, have been sent out
weeks be ore. the guests responding by
forwarding a s':m of money varying
from 100 cash to twenty ounces of silver.
This is sent tn day LcfoIe the wedding
and goes to fray the expenses of the
feast The ban .ueting halls are lighted
up with scores of prism fringcd chan
delicrs. tables are spread with all kinds
OF deicacirS. hundreds of invited guests.
wraudly dressed, throng the room, gar
rulot,s groups surround the bridegroom.
O !cIing their congratulations. Il band
of music strikes up and the bride in her
wedding robe and tassclcd head dress
enters the room, supported by two mat
ronS, while she bends with speechless
reverence to her husband guests. offer
ing them swcctncatS, VINE and tea
Men and women never feast together.
and the most trying ordeal of her
wedding duties comes when her huS-
band leaves her N the gentlemen
room. She waits upon them in silence,
ami they in turn chatf her with coa:sa
tests, criticise her appearance aloud ami
play pra teal iOke> upon her person.
often of so cruel Il character that ii she
en-, .rgeS from the room un>calded or
unSca, ,red She may consider herself
lucky. She must submit to all this
ribaldry and persecution with a calm.
plac d, unmurmuring demeanor, and
any show of either resentment or mirth
would be remembered to her dis 'redlt
for wears to come. When the CUES :
have departed she may retire e--San
+ ran -tSc0 Chronicle
Mr. William Rec e. seventy years
l.,-, 4 oh hn-
lieveS in exc cising his authority a> pa
rapt His on Andrew. thirty five wears