The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1896-12-17
SCOTCH FISHER FOLK.
Quaint Wedding Customs in the
Coast Villages
The Bride IL Iustailed ms Housewife by
the Breaking of Bread Above Ter
Head-The Concluding
Ceremony.

The courtship may have been of many
years standing, and ''the young mans
intention" have been not only obvious
to the community. hut assumed with
out catechism by the lady's father.
But so soon as the contracting parties
have come to an understanding, the in
tendant bridegroom, accompanied by
two or three bachelor friends. calls
upon the father of his fnamorata, to de-
mand her hand in marriage. The origin
OF this escort is, perhaps, capable of
more than one interpretation. 1t is to-
day, indeed, nothing more than piece
of etiquette, but it may be a relic of
time when escorts were 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.
Yet that even now there may be oc-
easions on Which the persuasions of the
bridegroom's friends may he not with
out service would appear from the fol-
lowing conversation between the Sis
ter of an expcctant bride and friend
(the case being marriage with a farm
servant): Sister-"Oor James ga'en to
get married" Friend-sWha' wi'?"
Sister 'sGa'en to marry great coun-
try muck-the-byre. He Gamma shell a
nutshell nor yet bait line" Friend
AN what the deuce guild will I've be ?"
Sister--'Dinna ken. But he and his
laddies brought in three mutchins, and
my father said: 'A'richt.'" Friend
'.Well. she'll rue'tl" The consent of the
brides father having been obtained.
the happy sutton, accompanied by that
worthy or his deputy, proceeds ON the
following day to the registrar to exc
cute the legal part of the contract,
commonly termed 1.-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
sSWA AZ 4uNSt Va hIA tiouSStau III CA-
petition of no less Importance than in
Belgravia, though conducted, it may be,
with singular deviations from the eur
rent mode. Follows a period of calms
devoted 20 the construction of gar
nents which no layman is more worthy
to investigate in a Scottish village than
he il in the West End At the expira-
tion of this. and strictly on the Satur-
day, bride with bridesmaids on the one
hand, bridegroom with grooms on the
other, respectively make house-to-
house visiting round. to invite their
guests to the wedding. Thus closes the
second week. On the Tuesday of 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
yited TO inspect ''the bonnie things"
the wedding presents, set out in the