The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1885-02-26
Old Notions Concerning Brides
maids.

Cassells Family Magazine for November.
Importance was formerly attached to
the colors which the bride wore on her
wedding day. Thus, IN an old book en-
titled Fifteen Comforts of Marriage,
a bride and her bridesmaids are repre-
sented conversing together respecting
the colors to be used for the decoration
of the bridal dress. It was finally de-
cided, after various colors had been re-
iected, Ito mingle gold tissue with
grass green" this being considered sym
bolical of youthful jolity.
Again, that the office of bridesmaid
was in times past not altogether a sine
qua non may be gathered from the fact
that during the period of the wedding
festivities, which often extended over a
week, the bridesmaids were expected to
be in attendance, and to do whatever
they could to promote their success.
Then there was the custom of fling
ing the stocking" at which the brid e.
maids took prominent lead; cere-
mony to which no small Importance was
attached. It has been made the sub
ject of frequent allusion by our old
writer's, and one rhyme, describing a
wedding, tells us:
"But still the stockings are to throw;
Some throw too high, and some too low,
There's none could hit the mark"
Nilsson further informs us that if the
bridegroom's stocking, thrown by one
of the bridemaids, fell upon his head,
it was regarded as an omen that she
herself would soon be married, and a
similar prognostic was taken from the
falling of the brides stocking, thrown
by one of the groomsmen. It was the
trademarks, duty, too, to present the
bride with the "benediction posset," so
called from the words uttered over it;
practice thus noticed by Herrick, i'll
his 'Hesperides:"
'What short sweet prayers shall be said,
And how the posset shall be made
With cream of lilies, not of kline,
And maiden's blush for spiced wine"
Sucking thus alludes to this custom ::
Gin came the bridesmaids with the posset
The bridegroom eat in spight"
Once more, the trademarks were sup
posed to look after tho brides pecuni-
airy interests. Thus, at the church
porch, when the bridegroom produced
the ring and other articles relating to
his marriage, the chief bridemaid took
charge of the "dow- PURGE" which was
publicly given to the bride as an in
stalment of her pin-money. Horace
Walpole. writing to Miss Berry in the
year 1871, speaks of the dow-purse as
thing of the past, and writes as fol-
lows:
"Our wedding is over very properly,
though with little ceremony, and moth
ing of ancient fashion but two bride
maids. The endowing purse, I believe,
has been left off since broad pieces
were called in and melted down."
1t has been pointed out, however,
that a survival of this usage is preserved
in Cumberland. The bridegroom pro-
vides himself with gold and crown
pieces, and when the service reaches the
point, with all my worldly goods /
thee endow," he takes the money,
hands the clergyman his fee, and pours
the rest into a handkerchief which the
bridemaid holds for the bride.
In Scotland, the bridemaid is pop
ularly known as the "best maid, and
one of her principal duties was to con.
vey the brides presents Of the wedding
to her future home. The first article
generally taken into the house was
vessel Of salt, portion Of which was
sprinkled over the floor, as a protec-
ton against the "evil eve." She also at-
tended the bride when she called on her
friends, and gave personal invitation to
her wedding.