The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-02
WEDDING IN NORWAY
AN HONOREO GUEST TELLS OF IRIS
AMUSING FEATURES.

The Spirit of Revelry Runs High, and the
Festivities Last Until Everybody Ia Tired
Welded Pair.
a country wedding In Norway is an
interesting sight to behold, and, besides
being amusing, should think, is quite
unique In its way. 1t is not so much
the actual church ceremony, although
that is strange enough in its simplicity,
as the after proceedings which find such
charms for the stranger
When 1 was travelling in the neigh
borhood Of the great Justedal glacier,
was invited to join IN some wedding
festivities, and the privilege of being
the honored guest is ono shall not soon
forget.
was rather behind my time, and
when 1 reached the village the good
people were returning from the church.
The first thing 1 caught sight Of was o
troop Of gayly dressed men and women
collected i'll the street and marching
along to the tunes of an antique fiddle.
Some were dancing, some were singing,
and the older inhabitants, who had
reached the age when such frivolities
no longer charm, were putting away at
their curious, long, wooden pipes, the old
women enjoying the fumes of smoke, if
anything. more than the men.
The younger girls were most gorgeous
~ arrayed i'll snow white caps and mass
i've ornaments of gold. Their dresses
were gay with every color of the rain
bow. All the musical accompaniment
was supplied by one old fiddler, but
those simple folk enjoyed the cratic
sQueaking every bit as much as if it had
been the finest orchestra in tho world
under the charge Of some celebrated con-
ductor.
The new made wife, covered with
bushes, looked sweetly picturesque in
her bright red skirt and snow white
bodice, and her jcwelry tinkled like
fairy cymbals as she walked or rather
gently swayed along.
Her most conspicuous ornament was
the bridal crown, which it is the ambi-
ton of every village girl to wear 1t is
the property Of the whole parish and is
generally under the charge of the priest,
who hands it over just before the cere-
mony. High above the maiden's head
1t stood, looking most imposing, as the
sun glistened OH the many jewels which
were set around it.
joined the merry throng, the men
raising their caps and the women cour-
tesying low when they caught sight of
me Then I followed the party up some
narrow steps to the first floor of big
matched barn belonging to the father
of the bride. An old oak chair was
dragged forward to receive my portly
person, and sat me there and wonder
ed greatly what on earth was coming
next
The villagers ranged themselves round
the long, low room. on one side the
girls, opposite them the young men, the
matrons mt the top and the elders at
the bottom. Then the bride retired, Of
course accompanied by her husband,
and changed her ceremonious garments
for lighter attire. l thought her wise
when l saw what followed
When the pair rcturned-and during
their absence there was silence IN the
barn-a huge bowl was offered to me
filled with the national beverage
looked Mt it aghast Was to drink it
oil? They intimated was to wish them
health. 1 touched with my lips. Then
the bride bent her pretty head and took
q sip. That one taste was enough for
me. But there was more to come
They signed that | was TO go on
l shut my eyes and did so.
Between every two drafts the bride
bowed her head and courtesied before
me. AT last it seemed might leave off
But, no; l had to go through it all
again with the bridegroom until the
bowl was empty. And when that time
came was heartily glad. for the drink
was strong, and a liking for it is most
surely one that could only be acquired
by long acquaintance.
And now the husband led his bride
into the middle of the room and trip
ped one of those graceful pas deux pecul-
lar to the country.
AT last, hot and flushed. they stopped
and stood before me. A tiny silver cup
was held out. and was asked to drink
their health again, this time III cognac.
l did so without daring to think of the
morrow.
This was the signal for the dancing
to commence i'll earnest Only four pco-
ple-two men and two women-were al.
lowed to dance ut one time, but as soon
as they stopped, exhausted, others slipped
i'll and took their places, and the old
fiddler scraped away until thought his
arm must break.
Presently there was lull Twowom
en-, dressed Ill gauzy. wavy dresses, step
ped into the middle. They were the vii
lnuo 6onoarc rTbn,, fo1lnx..oI IN ,,,o~,-oi