The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1888-02-24

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made mental memoranda of the girls,
and during the following week nego-
tiations followed. Althou n this Gus
tom has been almost abolished. it is
yet observed to some extent. and the
summer garden on Whit Monday is
an interesting place to visit The girls
are modest and ofttimes pretty.
Russian marriages invariably take
place at night, and il they are among
the peasants. TO which class the ''ne-
, gotiation' custom is now mostly con-
fined. the ambassador who made the
match is the principal guest First,
the wedding garments receive the
priests blessing, the parents solcmnly
bless the daughter and son at their re-
| spective homes, and the sacred pictures
are three times waved over the heads
Of the contracting parties. II the par
ties are of sufficient Importance as to
have attendants. the lady in honor
leads the bride-elcct to the carriage,
and then they proceed to the church
The bridegroom in prospect is mean
while at his own home, aud couricrs
| from his ailianced brides abode run to
tell him it is time to meet his bride mt
the sanctuary. So the bridegroom
elect puts out for the church When
the pair proceed to the altar they carry
wax tapers, and the belief is that the
taper which first burns out marks the
one first to die. In the upper circles
there is the wedding-rng and the cerc-
mony plcdging faith and tealty, much
the same rs in America. While the
latter part of the ceremony is taking
place mixed wine and water is passed
to the assembly. After the ceremony
the priest and bridal couple walk three
times around the maloy. where rest the
cross and gospels. When the cxhorta-
ton is said the pair must kiss three
times. Then there is benediction,
and the bride and bridegroom go to-
gether and kiss all the holy pictures on
the iconastos. The whole proceeding
occupies half an hour.
If the marriage is in society circles
feast follows at the house of the
brides parents, and the guests get
drunk. Ii the marriage is in the
families of tho peasantry the bride
groom leads the bride TO his home.
There, on the steps to the home. his
parents stand to greet them, and they
are blessed with bread and salt. While
this is going on some of the neighbors
present give them milk to drink and
pour over them barley and down. The
first is in hope that the children of the
couple may be white, instead of black,
and the second that the newly-mated
may live tremendously, for many
Russian hus bands and wives fight like
dogs and cats. The couple enter the
house and review the customary
courtesies and retinue. They sit down
on bench. and the mothcr-in-law or
some other female relative removes
the handkerchief which covers the
blushing brides face, braid her long
tresses and places upon her head
married woman's head-dreSs.
1t is now late at night. may be. but
wedding breakfast is served
with great spirit. Originally. it was
the custom, among the peasants. for
the bride and bridegroom to retire
during the breakfast. Then, as now. |
all men on all occasions wore boots, |
and, although then, as now, every
bed-chamber had boot-jack. the
bride must pull off her lords boots.
Before the marriage ceremony he fixed |
u scheme to determine her lot in life.
In one boot he secreted the surplus |
gold and silver coin he possessed If |
the bride pulled the boot possessing
the valuables first, she not only got |
the money but immunity against ever
drawing her husbands boots in the |
future. If, however she first got |
hold of the boot not containing the |
money. she was subject Ia her hus-
bands whims. If he choose to Use
her hands for boot-jack at any time
he was licensed to do so and she had |
no recourse.
OF course, in the higher grades of
Russian circles the customs partake
more of the America and English
But in the country and among the or
binary folks the olden-time usages are
observed even now. The wife is en-
pectcd 10 stay Mt home and look after
her many children and know nothing
The fasts and festivals of the church
afford about the only relief from mo-
notony n Russian wife ever finds. Liv-
ing away from the world, it is no won
der the Russian women 20 often de-