The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-11
AT A WEDDING In SlIkA.
DESCRIPTION FROM ALASKA OF AN
EVENT OF THE GREEK CHURCH.


Immediately north Of and adjoining
Sitka is one Of the largest and most at
tractive Indian villages in Alaska. IN
summer. when employment at the sal
mon canneries is abundant, nearly aI
the able bodied men and their families
arc off some one hundred and fifty miles
ENGAGED in fishing, leaving, perhaps, not
moro than four hundred Of all ages and
sexes behind at the village. About the
I'D Of October they begin to flock back
for the winter.
Fullv onc-haif OF the adults have been
brought under the influence Of the
Greco-Russian church, which p nam
famed in Alaska by money paid from
the imperial treasury at st. Petersburg
and which church and its properly are
protected by the terms Of the treaty oil
cession.
JUST LIKE ROYALTY.
Last night thepeople OF oitka witnessed
a Ute ceremony in the Cathedral OF st.
llicbaels fully as interesting as the mar
riape of the Duke of Sparta and the
Princess of Germany. The bride ana
Groom were pure blooded Alaskan indi
ans of the adjoining village. 1t IS inter
esting 90 know that while the influence
of civilization has wiped out the practice
If buying and selling young girls as
wives among these people, in common
with the practice among the Noi'H
American Indians, whom these people TO-
semble I'm only few respects, stu. o
valuable consideration enters into the
transaction I'm all cases now. which
shows the origin of the latter The Alas
kan Indian has mo- ponies for giitsto the
parents OF the bride, bat as blankets here
arc badges of wealth, as ponies are
among the plains Indians, he bears gifts
OF blankets as the consideration for Che
bride.
The Cathedral Of St. 1lichacls, though
wooden structure erected over iiiy
wears ago, is imam excellent state of pres
ervation. and its interior is arranged and
embellishcd with all the gorgeous appur-
tenances which belong To- the churches
of that communion. The wedding took
place at 6 o'clock, nearly three hours
after dark. The church was brilliantly
lighted by nearly a thousand candles,
the windows and the lantern of the cu-
rola being studded with them.
According TO universal custom the
bride must be given away By some rcia-
tive. The groom, rather good looking
Young Indian. plainly and decontly
dressed, entered the west door of The
church and took % position in the center
Of the floor about ten feet from the door
In about half an hour aiterward a knock
was heard at tie same door. when /, was
opened by an usher and cine bride cn-
tered, dressed in pure white, with
wreath of artificial flowers as % sort of
chaplot. The c0mplexions of both are as
brown as % chestnut. The person who
gave tine bride away placed her ON the
left of the groom.
In the meantime The gorgeous altar
screens were thrown Openaud the priest,
IN heavy robes, incrusled with gold and
silver lace, wa observed celebrating that
part of The mass pertaining TO that part
Of the ceremony. Large lighted candles
were then placed in tine hands of the
bride and groom, and the priest, bearing
a lighted taper and the missal, came
from behind the altar. and from the
brilliantly lighted sanctuary, which 100
woman is ever allowed 10 enter, ape
preached a small desk ia front of the
altar screen and read a portion Of the
ritual in Russian. and again repeating il
in English and Thiuklet This portion
concluded, in which the choir overhead
Joined I'm singing ho proceeded 70 the
spot where tine cXpeciant couple stood.
and crossing bis hands with theirs, and
elch holding their tapers SD as t0 form q
cross. Dee continued DIS recital of the
ritual, the choir making responses
At this point The bride and groom
placed their rings in DIS hands, and keep
ing the hands of an three in the form of
a cross, Doe lel them forward o. "a small
dau in front of the desk. The bridewas
attended by two women dressed in white
and the groom by like number ol
young men of IBIS own race. While lhe
procession thus advanced tO the daii The
ritual was chan,ei by tho priest, tine
responses being made in tho choir. The
priest took lis place behind tAo desk.
and for bali ana hour intoned the words
of che ritual, first In Russian and then
from am English translation made by
Bishop Nladimar of San Francisco.
UNDER TIE GOLD CROWNS.
Two heavy gold crowns were then
placed upon the heads Of Che bride and
groom, and the rings which had received
the blessings of the priest before the
bride and groom were conducted To the
dais were restored 90 The latter. the ring
worn by the bride when she entered tine
church being placed on oneof the fingers
of the groom, and the one worn By the
groom placed on the appropriate finger
of the BRIDE The inlonation of the
ritual proceeded for another half hour
the massivea and beautiful golden crowns
being held above the heads Of the bride
and groom by the attendants, each tax
ing turns.
AT last the bride and groom passed
around Che outer altar three times and
halted again in front of the reading dcsk
Now the groom saiutel the bride, and
the ceremony was 40 an end, and the
parties were so inseparably united for
life that no divorce recognized by the
church can sever them The church was
filled with people. There are no seats
or pews in the cathedral, and all stood
during the entire ceremony. About
dozen white gentlemen and ladies were
spectators. and the rest, about 200, were
native men, women and children.-Sitka
Letter in Washington Post.
They Used Slang to Him.
McCrackle-Do You know what the
BOYS say 90 Santa Claus,