Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-05

| WRITTEN FOE THE DIsPArcH.1
Belief in luck is almost universal This
Is not strange when we consider the prorts
and rewards men have reaped merely BY
taking advantage Of favorable opportuni-
ties 1t may be that luck is myth aud
that good fortune comes to him who has
good sense and is shrewd enough to mako
the most of what comes his way. But cir
cumstanees so often help, appa-
rently, to make or mar . mans
wUdly career that it is no WON
der that Fortune is constantly alluded to a.
'the tickle goddess" 1t is interesting to note
some of the curious superstitions that have
grown from the doctrine of the potentiality Of
luck. Who has not heard them? Take, for
example, that old belief regarding the num-
Der ID. Everybody has heard it, and not .
Jew believe In it fully. According to popu-
lar belief this superstition originated with
the last supper of Christ, when Judas was
the thirteenth at the table. But an old
writer claims that it is founded on the cal
culations of life insurance societies, which
estimate that out of 13 persons 1 will die
every year.
day almost the whole world over, singularly
enough is considered in Scotland very
auspicious day for marriages. Taking Q
life partner is such an important step for
both man and woman that it is but natural
that young people should be particular to
have their wedding celebrated under the
most favorable auspices. It is remarkable,
however, that May, the season of love, cele-
brated as such by poets without mum.
Der, is looked upon by the English
and English-speaking people generally, az
AN UNLUCKY TIME FOB MARRYNG.
'rMarry in May, and you'll rue the day."
has passed into proverb in Great Britain.
The superstition is said to have come down
from the Romans, but the origin and mean
ing Of it are lost to history. June, on the
other hand, is regarded as che best month in
married on Sundays wedding on that day
is said to be thing unheard Of in that land
Of rigid Sabbatarian observance. The
Scotch also have great fondness for getting
married on the last day of the year, and the
number of marriage certificates bear
ing the date December 81, is from
B to 20 times as great as any
other date that could be selected.
With the French Canadian peasantry Mon
day is the faVorite wedding day. In this
country Thursday has the preference, snd,it
is safe to say twice as many marriages taks
place on that day as occur on any other day
of the week. Christmas weddings are de-
cidedly popular, and many young Amer
leans, whether from patriotic or supersti-
tious motives, seem to regard the Fourth Of
July as good day on which to marry.
Dismissing the subject of days and sea-
sons prOpitious for weddings, we observs
that there is great number of superstitions
regarding that'always interesting being, the
bride. The declaration, Happy is the
bride that the sun shines on!'' is one to
which the brides themselves attach great
importance. A young woman must be pos !
sessed Of more than average good sense and
courage If she does not feel disappointed on
arising on the morning of her wedding day
to find the sky obscured with clouds and 81
storm threatening.
ORIGIN OF A SUPERSTITION. -l-~,T
Whence came this common belief, making
unpleasant weather presage an unhappy
married life? Like many Of the beliefs to
which we Americans cling fondly, it dates
back TO feudal times in ''Merrie England"
1t was then the custom to have the marriage
ceremony performed on the church porch.
Under such circumstances wet weather made
1t decidedly unpleasant for all parties, and
it is no wonder that belief that rain on q
wedding day was an omen Of evil became
general.
1t is considered lucky for a bride to shed
tears on her wedding day; if she does not
she surely will be unhappy. Should she
meet a funeral procession while going to
church or returning, if woman's, the
bride will die early. If the funeral be that
Of man the days of the bridegroom on
earth are numbered. A pretty practice is
that of decorating the hives OF the bees on
4 wedding day, which is still kept up in
,ome parts Of rural England. It is hard to
imagine what disaster could follow failure
% observe this custom; yet it is deemed
Imperative that the intelligent insects be
treated and duly informed that
! matrimonial event is to take place.
A curious custom, the memory of which
till survives both in Old and New En-
yland, was that of the elder sister or brother
iancing in hogs trough if the younger
member of the family was the first to marry.
You'll be dancing in the hogs trough if
you don't look out" is an expression still
lsed to warn maids and bachelors that it is
ime for them to mate, though it is doubtful
+ the actual practice is kept up anywhere.
oMENs OF EARLY MARRIAGE.
In some parts of England it is customary
or the bridemaids and other single females
present to rob the bride of every pin to be
ound in her dress after the ceremony is
ver, the tradition being that whoever gets
possession of one of these pins will be sure
o marry within year. Frequently there
8 vsry eager competition to gain these val
liable charms, so much so that the bride is
landled very roughly. 1t is also said that
f the bride while at the table cuts and
ands a piece ct cheese to a lady friend,
he recipient will be the next one of the
ompany to get husband. In Scotland IL
vas long customary for the husband to lift
lis bride over the threshold of her future
ome that no wltchcraft or other evil infu-
nee might come upon her.
In the North Of England it is considered
ighly unlucky for the prospective bride to
e in church when the banns are published,
$ any children she may have are likely to
e born deaf and dumb. The superstitions
TEACHING to the wedding cake and the we'd
ing ring are almost inpumerable Per-
APPS one Of the most curious is that of
reaking the wedding cake over the brides
cad, that the maIdens present might
,ramble tor possession of the pieces. Those
} fortunate as to secure q morsel, on eating
!; would be sure tn dream of their future
usband on the same night. This, also,
Ias an old English belief. BARNEY.