The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-08-18
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS.
Description of Their Quaint Significance
and Origin.


AS there are many rumors o
coming marriages in Astoria, 1t ma!
= be well for those Interested to read o
the many customs and superstition
) connected with the very importon
5 event of marriage, handed down from
| olden times, while still observed, are
little understood as regards origin, etc
The word wedding" comes from the
the Angle-Saxon wed" which repre-
scented the securities placed by the
grooms In the hands of trustees as O
dover for the future protection Of the
young girl leaving the tender care OF
parents for new and untried life. The
amount was in accordance with the f.
nancial circumstances Of the gro0m's
family, and in addition, a gift was be-
slowed either OF Jewels or ornaments
Of silver or gold.
A wedding ring in early days was
considered so necessary to make mar
riage vows binding that parties too
oor TO buy 1t, rented 1t for the occa-
sion. Great antiquity surrounds the
: little circlet, as Henry Swinburn, in the
seventeenth century, claimed that it
was designed by Prometheus, fashioned
from iron and stone by Tubal-Cain,
and given to Adam that with it he
might bind unto himself a wife" Rings
made from rushes find later mention,
but, alas! must have been too often
typical Of the love-vows they sealed
quickly broken. Silver rings succeeded
them, and some, stlll preserved, are odd
and pretty, with devices of clasped
hands, arrow pierced hearts, and in
scribed within little sentiments then
quantity termed "posies" Gold soon
became the accepted metal, and the
plain band the universal form Of the
marriage ring then as now.
OF Danish origin is the "bridal-fa-
vcr." and the "true-lover's knot" which
has been such a craze in ornaments
and decorations recently. How sweet
and musical the word "trufola," from
which It comes, meaning, II plight thee
my troth."
The throwing OF the slipper for good
luck undoubtedly came from more
serious and less pleasing ceremony In
past ages the shoe was an emblem OF
authority and marriage, to woman, TO
sort of slavery hence the father in
his rights to the
husband, gave. the shoe. Modern
fathers would hesitate to corntenanee
an alliance that held possibilities of
rule or severity for their indulged idol
lied daughters. d
In the fair hands of Roman brides In
the long ago, were held three heads OF ]
wheat, and centuries later. chapletd of {
grain encircled the brows of English ]
girls at the altar of IIymen. Showers ,
If grain aud bits of cake afterward {
this custom, AMI then the {
brides loaf" was broken over the l
leads Of the newly-wedded pair FL
ially, in the eighteenth century, came
he "wedding-cake," very much in Its
present form, and cut and eaten at the
marriage feast then as now In Eng !
and this cake Is a tower of nlagnlh-
ance, in It's proportions and ornamen-
alton, those at royal weddings espe- I
tally beautiful and fabulous IN price.
In choosing the wedding day little
'erse has been authority. and is so fa- a
nlliar It scarcely requires repetition. II
Monday for ,,aolfh I
Tuesday Cor health,
Wednesday the best day Of all; n
Thursday for crosses, =
Friday for losses, ii
no luck at ALL
Present caprice seems to defy super
tltion, Thursday and Saturday being a
he favorite and fashionable days to y
red. "To be lucky" the bride is cx- n
orted to wear ON the. important occa-
on,
Something old something new, q
Something borrowed, something blue, cl
And sin going into church the right
'ot must be first" The shower OF :,
ce and old slippers must not be for n,
'tten, to insure happy future. A te
Try old but sensible custom seems to ci
ave passed away In, viz. at the words,
With all my worldly goods | thee en- b,
wv the groom poured many pieces w
gold and silver coin into the hand w
'rchief OF the BRIDE" to emphasize his ~ ~
Nv. The marriage calendar declares
ay the most fatal, and June and oc-
Der the most fortunate months and -, ~
so claims that It is an exceedingly Sc
sh couple who win &
Marry in Lent
And live to repent. a.
To be warned is to be forearmed. but E'