The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-01-16
FOOD FOR THE CURIOUS.
THINGS WHICH EVERYBODY
DON'T KNOW.
The Ancient Groom's ssRest Man''-Mad Anthony
Wayne,s Two Burial Places-Hours for
Neals Of Different Nations-None
Better Than Our Own.

think that the custom of a bridegroom
being attended at his marriage by
friend or relative, who is popularity
termed his ..best man. Is of modern
origin. Nevertheless, it is of great
antiquity, having been practiced by
the early Saxons. In those days mar
riages were invariably celebrated at
the house OF the groom. The
day preceding such an important
event was spent in feasting and
preparing for the approaching cere-
mony, all of the brldegroom's
friends and relatives taking part
in the festivities. Next came the
groom's company, mounted on horse
back and armed from head to foot.
They proceeded in great state, in
regular order of family procedure, I'M
der the command of an individual
called the 'forwistaman," or "fore-
most man." to receive and conduct the
bride in safety to the house of her fu-
ture husband. The blushing maiden
was attended by her guardian and
other male relatives, led by a stately
matron, who bore the name of
''brideswoman," and followed by a
goodly array of young damsels, who
were known as bridesmaids. It was
from this ceremony, therefore, that
we OF the present day derived our GUS
tom of having at weddings ''best
man." the Saxon foremost man" of
ten centuries ago being the prototype
of that almost indispensable person
age From the same source also
sprang those important female attend
ants called bridesmaids.
BURIED IN TWO PLACES.
The true burial place of Columbus
has been a mooted point for many
years, and it would seem that the re-
mains OF that illustrious discoverer
rest in two places-San Domingo and
Genoa However, the truth of this
statement has never been satisfactorily
proven, but in the case of the noted
Gen. Wayne, the hero of Stony Point
MAD Anthony" as he was popu-
larly termed-there is not the slightest
doubt that one portion of his body was
inferred at the place where he died and
the other in his native county. His
original burial place was at Fort
Pressure Isle, upon the site of which
the city of Erie, Pa, now stands; the
other locality honored as his last rest
ing place is Radnor Cemetery, in Ches-
ter Co., Pa. This curious circumstance
was brought about in the following
manner: In the year 1915 the family
of this famous man was given permits
sion to remove his dust to Radnor, but
upon opening the grave it was found
that the body was partly petri6ed. and
consequently very heavy. A medical
friend of the family, recognizing the fact
that 1t would be a very difficult and
costly task TO transport the remains in
that condition, determined as far as
possible to remove the petrifed flesh
from the bones, and this was accord
ingly done. The bones were then
carefully packed up and delivered to
the son, who was kept in ignorance of
the operation, aud he conveyed the
box containing the precious portions
OF his fathers body to his native coun-
ty, where it was inferred with appro-
pirate ceremonies. A monument was
erected in 1909 over the grave by the
Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati.
What remained of the noted warrior
was reinforced at Fort Presque Isle,
and some years ago was discovered in
the same state OF preservation as when
first exhumed, in a box bearing his
name. Another memorial stone was
raised at that place. and thus was
commemorated the fact that all that
was mortal of Mad Anthony" Wayne
found a final resting place in two To-
calities far apart from each other.
WHEN THE NATIONS EAT.
The number of meals eaten in day
by the numerous nations of the earth
has varied greatly at different times
and in different countries. Taken
altogether. however, the customs of
the present day differ but slightly from
those in vogue thousands of years ago.
Among the ancient Greeks and
Romans, particularly the latter. it was
the general custom to partake of the
principal meal of the day toward eve
ming. it being preceded by light re-
oast in the morning and luncheon in
he middle of the day.
The Greek usage correspondent very
Early to the breakfast, luncheon, and
inner, now in vogue in England.
In Rome during the reign of the
Emperor Augustus, the two first named
meals were very simple and hastily