The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-12-12
QUAINT WEDDING CUSTOMS.
Festivities and Ceremonies Among the
Scotch Fishermen

Ns''Ities ana Ceremonies Among the
Scotch Fishermen.
The courtship may have been of many
| years standing, and 1.-THE young mans
| intention" have been not only obvious
to the community, but assumed with
| out catechism by the ladys father
! But SO soon as the contracting narties
| haze come to an understanding, 1hc in
tendant bridegroom, accompanied by
Two on three bachelor friends, lis
upon the father of his inamorata, l., te-
mand her hand i'll marriage. The or. IN
OF this escort is, perhaps, capable of
more than one Interpretation. 1t is t.
day, indeed, nothing more than a pie
/ OF etiquette, but it may be a relic O.
/ time when escorts We're not without
their protective use in the event OF any
/ difficulty arising between the parties.
or when witnesses to such an interview
| were actually members of the suitor's
family.
let that even now there may be oc-
casions on which the persuasions of the
bridegroom's friends may be not with
out service would appear from the fol-
lowing conversation between the sis
ter OF an eXpectant bride and friend
(the case being marriage with a farm
servant: Sister-"Oor James ga EN- to
get married" Frend-"Wha' wi'?'
Sister-"Ga'en to marry a great coun-
try muck-the-byre. He Gamma shell
milShel nor yet bait a line" Friend
AM what the deuce guild will he be"
Sistcr-"Dinna ken. But he and his
ladies brought in three mutchins, and
my father said: 'A'richt'" Friend -
well, she'll rue't!" The consent of the
brides father having been obtained,
the happy sutton, accompanied by that
worthy or his deputy, proceeds on the
following Gay to the registrar to exc
cute the legal part of the contract,
commonly termed the booking" This
prosaic business dispatched, on the
Saturday of the same week the bride
groom gives an evening party as for
NAL announcement of his approaching
marriage; a graceful custom, much TO
be commended. With this very fifty
ends the first of the three weeks.
On the following Monday, the bride,
with her parents, shows her acceptance
of the position by proceeding to the
town in quest of her trousseau-an ex-
petition of no less Importance than in
BeIgravia. though conducted, it may be, |
with singular deviations from the cur
rent mode. Follows u period of Gains
devoted to the construction of gar
merits which no layman is more worthy
to investigate in Scottish village than
he is in the West End. At the eXpira-
ton of this, and strictly on the Satur-
day, bride with bridesmaids on the one
hand, bridegroom with grooms on the
other, respectively make q house-to-
house visiting round, to invite their
guests to the wedding. Thus closes the
second week. On the Tuesday e the
third and last. a very classical scene is
played. The bride, with her maids,
visits her future home, where they to-
gether bake the bread for the marriage
FEAST which, by the way, gives her an
opportunity of criticising the bride
groom's view of what is what" On
the succeeding evening party, for men
alone, is given at the house of the
| brides father, the ladies being only in
vited to inspect the bonnie things"
the wedding presents, set out in the
houses of bride and bridegroom. In
these crockery plays The chief part; the
walls of the new home being almost
concealed with jugs, plates and dishes
by the score; than which array nothing
gives more comfortable, if shop-lil<e,
aspect to the cosy interior of a fisher
mans kitchen. When this exhibition
j has beenduly honorcd, the bridegroom's
presents first and then the brides are,
on the following evening, conveyed to
the new home.
Two days now intervene, and each of
| these is marked by curious ceremonies.
On the night OF the first, the feet of the
bride are bathed by her maids in her
mothers house; while in the bride
groom's his friends perform that Office
for him. On the night of the second
! the bridegroom and his best man oc-
cupy the marriage bed together. The
origin of these ceremonies is worthy OF
investigation. On the Saturday, the
wedding day, while the young men ru,
up gay flags over the house of the
bridegroom, the bride sets OF to church
under charge of the best man and his
coinrade; the bridegroom, carrying a
wand with II blue ribbon, follows, ao-
companied by the two bridesmaids.
The wedding celebrated, the bride is
escorted to her new home, and installed
! as housewife by the simple and pretty
act of breaking an oaten hammock
above her head. The day is wound up
with festivities, and the next day (the
Sabbath) the pair are escorted to kirk
| by their rei2 tons. This is called THE
kirling"
Truly very decent conclusion of
single life and proper beginning of
Weddcd.- london Standard.
The Cellars of Bordeaux.