Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-02
WOMAN GOSSIP.
Supersttions of Various Countries With
Regard to the Wedding Day-Earl Lyt-
ton ON the Art of kissing.
The Origin and Use of Persian Charms
Discriminating in Favor of Brunettes
at Washington.
SOME MATRIMONIAL sUPERsT1r1oNs.


SOME MATRIMONIAL SUPERSTITIONS.
There is perhaps no period in a wo-
man 5 life that so completely changes
her whole eX s'ence as marriage, and
for that very reason she is apt to be
more superstitious and fanciful at that
time than at any other; and while SUI
perstitions are fast becoming some
thing of the past there are very few
women who will not hesitate before
making Friday their wedding day, or
Will not rejoice at the sunshine, for
''happy is the bride the sun shines on.
June and October have always been
held as the most propitious months in
the twelve, a happy result being rem
dered doubly certain if the ceremony
was timed so as to take place at the
full moon, or when the sun and the
moon were in conjunction.
The Romans were very superstitious
about marrying in May or February;
they avoided all celebration DAYS, and
the Calends, Nones, and Ides of every
month. The day of the week on which
the 4th of May fell was considered very
unlucky IN many parts of merry old
England" and in the Orkney Islands a
bride selects her wedding day so that
its evening may have growing moon
and flowing tide. In Scotland the
last day of the year is thought to be
lucky, and if the moon should happen
to be full at any time when a wedding
takes place the brides cup of happiness
is expected to be always full In Perth
shire the couple who have had their
bans published at the end of one and
are married at the beginningof another
quarter of year can expect nothing
but ends.
The day of the week is also of great
Importance, Sunday being a great IA
Vorite in some parts of England and
Ireland. And although an English lass
would not marry on Friday, the French
girl thinks the first Friday in the
month particularly fortunate
In Yorkshire, when the bride is on
the point of crossing her fathers thres-
hold, after returning from church, a
plate containing few small pieces of
cake, is thrown from an upper window
of the house by male relative. If the
plate is broken she will be happy, if
not she will not expect to escape mis-
cry.
In Sweden bride must carry bread
IN her pockets, and as many pieces as
she can throw away, just somuch trou-
bic does she cast from her, but it is no
luck to gather the pieces. Should the
bride lose her slipper, then she will lose
all troubles. Only in this case the per-
son who picks it up will gain riches.
The ManXmen put salt in their pockets
and the Italians "blessed' charms.
1t is an unhappy omen for the we'd
ding to be put off when the day has
been fixed, and it is believed much
harm will ensue if a bridegroom stands
at the junction of cross roads or beside
closed gate on his wedding morn. In
England it is thought to be bad sign
if the bride fails to shed tears on the
happy day, or if she INDUCES herself BY
taking a last look at the Iooking-glass
after her toilet is completed; but she
may crafty her vanity without danger
if she leaves one hand ungloved. To
look back Or 90 back before gaining the
church door, to marry in green, or
while there is an open grave in the
churchYard, are all unfortunate, and
the bride must be careful to 90 in at
one door and out at another. When
the bridesmaids undress the bride they
must throw away all the pins. Woe to
the bride if a single one be left about
her nothing will goright. Woe to the
bridesmaids if they keep one of them,
for they will not be married before
Whitsuntide, or until the Easter follow
ing at the soonest.
If the bridal party venture off dry
land they must 90 upstream. The
bride must, to be lucky, wear
Something old and something new,
Something gold and something blue.
If che should see a strange cat or hear
a cat sneeZe on her wedding day then
she will be very happy; and if on her
wedding morning she steps from hel
bed onto something higher and again
on something higher still, she will from
that moment rise in the world. For
this purpose a table is placed beside
the bed, and if it can stand near the
dresser or something higher than it,
then she must step from the table tc
that which is higher. But woe betide
her should she fall.
In leaving the house and church she
must be very careful to put her right
foot forward, and on no account to al
low anyone to speak to her husband I'M
til she has called him by name.
To break the wedding ring is an
omen that the wearer will soon be q
| widow, but
As your wedding ring wears,
so Will wear away your cares.
KISSING.