Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-04
Highest of all in Leavenng Powe-Latest u Govt Report
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ABSOLUTELY PURE
ABSOLUTELY PURE
MAY AND MARRIAGES,
The Month is Considered Unlucky
and Few Weddings Take Place.

The Month is Considered UnIucI1y
and Few Weddings Take Place.
There is an awful lot of superstition in
the world after all. If you don't believe it
just watch the marriage license market for
the remaindei of the month of May, and
compare it with the month ending April
30 or measure its thirty-one days of per-
mits to double up ''for better or for worse"
with those that are issued during June and
you will be surprised at the figures. 1t will
bring you face to face with the fact that
old world superstition has not died out,eyen
from the centers of nineteenth century life
and civilization. This prejudice against
marrying in May is as old as recorded his
tory. The deep-rooted superstition has
lasted through all ages and is known In all
chimes. permeating all conditions of So
ciety. and gives excellent promise of hang
ing on as long as there are people left to
marry.
Where was the superstition born? Under
the shadow Of the dark ages, 1t would seem,
for nobody can go so far back that some
mention Of Mays baleful influence over
marital happiness is not made. OF course,
the gods and goddesses had a lot to do with
1t. They are responsible for almost as
many supersttions about love and mar
rage as Cooper is for superstitions about
good Indians. True, We know that gods
and goddesses and good Indians are myths,
but We go on believing In them, just the
same. The Catholic Church, in the early
years Of its existence, forbade, under ban
of its eternal displeasure, marriages in
May.
Plutarch tried to fix up a reason for this
most unreasonable superstition, saying that
ut is probable that May is regarded as I'M
lucky, because 1t comes between April and
June, the months respectively Of Venus
and Juno, the tutelary goddesses of mar
riage. Or, perhaps, it is because May is
the month Of the feast of Lemurs. the souls
of the dead"
The Scotch have a deep-rooted prejudice
to marriages contracted in May. Sir Wal
ter Scott says of this prejudice: THE Scot
fish people, even Of the better classes and
rank, avoid marriage in the month of May,
which general season Of flowers and
breezes might in other respects appear so
peculiarly favorable for that purpose" 1t
was especially objected to the marriage Of
Earl of Boutwell, that 1t was solemnized
within the interdicted month. For once.
perhaps. the moral properly pointed at the
superstition. This prejudice got to be SO
ridiculous among the Scots that in 1854 q
lot Of enthusiasts known as the Gibbites.
who had set themselves to tear supersti-
and thirteen and May marriages in a per-
fectly frightful way, and like to have got
themselves mobbed for their "blasphemy."
The had ID myth that that S SaS eaa
other, that If the marriage did take place
the couple would live most unhappfly end
children born of the marriage-if it was
not hopelessly rendered barren by thus
Shaping the fates in the face-would be
deformed or imbecile. With prizes like that
in prospect, it is not much wonder that the
ignorant and superstitious taboo May mar
riages, but there is no excuse yet for this
idicsyncrasy of thinking people. At least
no sensible one. Ovid was a firm believer
in the superstition. and said that no widow
or young girl would marry in May unless
she wished to invite the displeasure Of
the gods, and that the imprudent woman
who braved their wrath would fill an early
grave Ovid pinned his faith to rosy June,
the birth month of Juno, and when he got
ready to launch his daughter on the matri-
monial sea he studied the stars and all the
superstitions to make sure that he would
not run upon Scylla in steering of Charyb-
dis
Resolved to match the girl, he tried to
What days unprosperous were; what moons
were kind.
After June's sacred Ides his fancy strayed-
Good to the man and happy to the maid
lucky wedding month. 1.-The month of
flowers is a month of tears" they say.
And they cite the fact that many of noble
blood who have striven to set the ancient
superstition aside have gone early to their
graves.
May seems to have baleful influence on
a good many things. Kittens and babies
born in the month of May will be sick
great deal and are very apt to be
drowned-the kittens, of course-and who
dares controvert that statement? There
are natural causes for sickness of babies
in their first summer, but that doesn't
count alongside of a full-grown supersti-
ton.
While not a good month in which to
marry, May is the month par excellence
for making love, and the crop Of tenderness
sown then bears fruit in June in a larger
number of marriages than during any
other month of the year. And therein lies
more superstition for you June IS the
month sacred to Juno, the venerable OK
eyed "Hera" of Homeric renewn. Her very
name signifies the .yokemaker'' and she
was a kind of female providence, protect
ing her from the cradle to the grave.
The Romans thought her to be the guardian
of the national finances, and erected a
temple to her on the Capitoline, in which
they placed their mint. She was the god
dess of chastity, and no Magdalene- dared
touch her altar. Her month, June, was
considered especially propitious for mar
riage, and along down the ages the sweet
myth has come, that rose-crowned June
will bring to brides all of happiness there
is to know.