The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-05-29
THEN AND NOW.
How Fashionable Weddings Wer
Conducted in 1S27-Modern
Changes.

In a little book entitled Good
For1n,n the etiquette Of some few
years ago is anusingly contrasted
with that of today, when everything
is more succinct and expeditions than
it used to be.
When the ladies of John Leech's
time went to dinner parties they were
shown into bedrooms and allowed
some minutes to adjust their ringlets.
Now they hand their cloak to a SER
want. and walk straight from their
carriage or cab to the presence OF
their hostess. AT weddings in 1.-THE
Fortiesn each bridesmaid had a
croomsman to look after her and see
that she had what she liked at the
elaborate breakfasts of the matri-
monial function of that day. Now
there is only q ''best man." though
how he comes by the superlative ad-
iective when he Is sole groomsman it
is difficult to say.
Among other changes Of custom is
that concerned with the bridesmaids
dresses, which used to be given by the
bride. And u authoress might have
added that it is no longer fashionable,
as it then was, for the bride to cry.
All weddings nowadays are dry eyed.
| CRYING has gone out" 1t was the
very height of the fashion In the year
1927. When Sir Edward Bulwer Lyt-
ton married Miss Rosina Wheeler, an
eve witness of the ceremony describes
both bride and bridegroom as being
''overcome with sensibility," pale, tot
tering and fearful. No one totters to
the altar now. 1t would not be good
form" But the bride must not, on
the other hand, romp up the aisle in
the exultation of her heart. The cor
rect pace is, perhaps, best described
as resembling that of a policeman on
his beat. 1t is slow and stately.
Another marked change in social
customs is mentioned in connection
with the etiquette of small and early"
parties. No longer does a hostess ask
her guests to sing or play. This or
deal, so dreaded by the girl of acouple
of decades ago, is no longer to be
feared. Il hope you have brought
some music, Miss Smith, was fire.
quently the prelude to a distracting
performance that gave pleasure to no
one least of all to the player. And,
strange to say, now that music is
always professional, and generally
worth listening to, it is difficult topper
suade people to remain silent while 1t
is going on; whereas when amateurs
were singing it would have been con-
sidered a shocking piece of rudeness
for anybody to have talked until the
lady had finished describing how she
wore q wreath of roses, DR. the gentle
man had finished dilating upon his
homeless, ragged and tanned condi-
ton.
At the dinner table it was consider
ed the duty OF the host and hostess TO
urge their guests to eat. This custom
in our own day is entirely abandoned,
partly owing to the now universal
style of having the dishes handed
around. The board no longer groans
as C it did, the weight of the
viands being transferred to that chap
ell of ease, the sideboard, where, in Sc
clusion, a hireling carves the joint
and skillfully dissects the bird whose
anatomy used to prove such an intri-
cate problem to the bothered amateur
at the end of the table. Skill in
carving is not now n of the polite
accomplishments wherewith it is nee
essary to equip a youth for his social
career. Until now etiquette books have
been only Internationally amusing,
but the present writer threats her
subject with a sense of humor that
makes it easy reading.-LOndon Daily
NelCS.