The Grenada gazette., 1886-12-18

| pms uooA ia tuO CAiNO COIlCts VI Oln
evil fortune would follow her, and sh
who kept any of these need not hope t
become bride before the followin
Whitsuntide. This is not so popularl
believed, however, as the power of til
"old shoe," which has been throw
for ''happiness" from time immemorial
In Scotland, as well as in England, tn
old shoe is thrown over the head of tn
happy pair, either when leaving churcl
or the parental roof; and while it is nov
said to bring good fortune, authoritie
differ as to its original significance
whether it was to be suggestive of tn
remuneration of authority over he
by the parents, or whether it wa
hurled at the groom as a sham as
sault upon him for taking off th'
bride, and is relic of the ancient Gus
tom of marriage by capture. The wed
ding of Princess Elizabeth at Whitehall
Chapel was the first in England where
many bridemaids were in attendance.
On this occasion there were sixteen love.
ly Young girls of the highest families in
the realm, their number representing
the years of the bride. This style will
not likely present itself to the maidens
Of to-day, as the age for marrying is
more advanced than in those times In
stead of being led to the hymeneal altar
by a male relative, Anglo-Saxon brides
were escorted by matron, and from
the largely increasing demand for chap
erons on any and every occas on we
may look for their return as an impor-
tant factor at weddings. The fashion of
sending presents to bride is a relic of
the earliest marriages, when the cor-
tracing parties would send out "bid-
dings' to friends and strangers. invit-
ing them to the festivities and soliciting
contribution toward the ex-
penses. At the present day this
taxation, with or without repre-
is becoming more and more
of an institution, for while there is no
mention made on our cards of "bid-
ding" our friends and acquaintances
know by tacit consent what is its double
meaning, and the young married peo-
pie who have large list Of friends are
prepared to go to housekeeping with
many luxuries made possible through
these gifts from the wedding guests.
The dowerpurse which was presented to
the bride by the groom as a part Of the
ceremony was taken in charge by the
first bridemaid, and the money this
was the first instalment of
the wife's allowance.
The origin of the bridal vail is lost in
as this and pure whi,eness of
costume are two of the characteristics
Of marriage garp which have long been
important. 1t has been suggested that
The fashion of wearing the hair flowing
preceded the vail, and gave rise to IT
The style has frequently changed, how
,ver, in regard to the use of it, as in
he reign Of George III. it was never
worn by fashionable bride.
While Innovations have been made in
very particular of the marriage cere-
nony, the ring has never lost its i'm
'ortant place, and so essential was it
hought to be that many Of our an
estors would have considered their
marriage null and void without it. In-
ecd, there are many cases on record,
7here, in the omission Of a conven-
onaL band Of god, the most homely
ubstitutes have been used; the rings off
urtains, for example. or a circle cut in
Gather. Just SO the symbol of unend-
,g love and fidelity was employed. they
ERE content In our own city, in CON-
recent years, couple were
nited with thimble, the groom hav- ,
'g through mistake put the wrong box
his pocket. As early as the bronze
90 rings were exchanged by lovers as
lodges Of unending devotion, and were
n occasions employed not only to seal !
'e contract, but to introduce the tender !
'bject. For example:
"Give me-" said Lubin to his fair,
To whom he would be moro than friend;
''Give me the little ring you wear.
IT'S like my iove-it has no end"
Excuse me, sir; no longer sue,
NV love You have no hope OF winning, y
This ring is like my love for you @
For surely 1t has no beginning" n
In England tho most popular love- u
ng was fora long time the Gimmel :
ng. formed of two narrow gold bands.
hich were broken apart at the bo- q
othal, each Of the contracting parties d
caring ono on the engagement finger 8
the fourth on the left hand-until the Il
n