Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1896-12-23

1ncnoS aOOve TIE rest of the room
Here is always placed the horai sham
Gd0i. Ho9oi is fabulous mountia
rising from the sea where men resid
in immortal youth and happiness
Shsan0d0i is stand on which are al
ranged branches of bamboo, emblem
attic of endurance; of pine, which con
veys the idea of fdelity; and of tn
plum, signifying patience; also figure
OF the crane and the ttrtoise, togethe
with that of an old man and woman
suggesting long life.
| When the bride arrives at the doc
she finds waiting for her woman VIII,
acts as her guide. and to whom tn,
go between's wife presents a bag o
charms she has brought for that pur
pose. She leads the BRIDE and heI
guardian into private apartment
where the brides toilet is most care
fully arranged, then they are conouct
ed into the presence of the go.betweer
and the groom, who are silently wait
ing alone in another room.
The blushing maiden moves slowly
and gracefully forward and sits on the
mat opposite the grave looking young
man. Then a table one foot square
and about foot and a half high, upon
which is three lacquer bowls, very
shallow, and a jar decorated with
paper butterflies, emblematic of hap
piness. The maid in waiting fills the
smallest cup with sake Japanese
whiskey), pouring it very slowly from
the decorated jar, and passes it to the
bride, who daintiiy sips from it three
times. then slowly and gracefully offers
it to the bridegroom, who does exactly
the same thing. The bowl next in size
is then taken, and in the same manner
the third. This ceremony, called the
''san san kudo." or three times three
ceremony" is really the marriage GER
emony. In the cup they pledge them
selves to share each others joys and
sorrows.
During the ceremony of the wedding,
songs are sung in an adjoining room,
one of them expresses the blAssedness
OF welded life in the words: Hail,
hail to the pine tree that grows in two
branches from ona root" As soon as
the ceremony is over the bride and
groom leave the room in order that the
bride may change her dress, and the
go obetween annoui ces to the guests.
who are standing in another room,
that the ceremony has been properly
performed. The friends then enter the
room just vacated and wait for the
bride and groom, who soon appear, the
bride wearing a dress given her by her
parents.
Congratulations are extended, not to
the newly welded pair. but to their
parents.
A very elaborate feast is then given,
the bill of fare may differ in minor
points, but there must always be
served clam soup. emblematic of
unity, as the shells are identical and
joined. There is also a congratulatory
soup made Of pounded rice and vege-
tables.
After the feast the couple retire to
their room and drink again the "san
san kudo," with only the go-between
and his wife present as before. Atthe
first ceremony the bride drank first,
indicating that she was a guest, now
the groom takes the cup first, indicat-
ing thereby his mastership over the
house.
The next day the bride sends letter
to her parents. and en- the third or
seventh day she visits her old home
wearing dress given her by her new
parents. The husband goes also, and
the brides father makes great feast
and introduces his son in law, who has
brought presents for the entire house
hold
After the new pair have gone back
to their home, he bride must go with
her mother in law to call upon all who
offered congratula tions to her on her
wedding night, and she must send a
little present to each one who gave her
a present. There is SO much expense
attending the wedding ceremony, that
there is saying that though man
having three daughters be rich, he
will, in marrying them off, become
very poor.
With all this ceremony it would seem
as though the vow should be lasting,
but it requires no ceremony to get a
divorce. God speed the day when the
vow will mean more and when all
homes will be places of that peace,
equality and love which comes only
from 1.-The Fatherhood of God, and the
Brotherhood ofman.
IRENE P. MANN.