Evening journal., 1897-04-06
WEDDING IN NORWAY
AN HoNoRED GUEST TELLS OF ITS
AMUSING FEATURES.


interesting sight TO behold, and, besides
being amusing should think, is quite
unique in its way. It is not so much
tho actual church ceremony, although
that is strange enough in its simplicity,
as the after proceedings which find such
charms for the stranger.
When / was travelling in the neigh
borhocd Of the great Justedal glacier,
was invited to join in some wedding
festivities, and the privilege Of being
/ the honorcd guest is one / shall not soon
forget.
! 1 was rather behind my time, and
when l reached the village the good
people were returning from the church.
The first thing l caught sight of was a
troop Of gayly dressed men and women
| collected IN 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 !
l. arraycd in 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
vas supplied by one old fiddler, but
those simple folk enjoyed tho erratic
saueaking every bit as much as If it had
been the finest orchestra in the world
under the charge Of some celebrated con-
ductor.
The new made wife, covered with
b ushes, looked swectly picturesque in
J. T. bright rcd skirt and snow white
/ l0dice, and her jewelry tinzled like
fairy cymbals as she walked or rather
gently swayed along
Her most conspicuous ornament was
S the bridal crown, which it is the ambi-
e 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
a il stood, looking most imposing, as the
f sun clistened on the many jewels which
d were set around it.
s / Joined the merry throng, the men
l. raising their caps and the women cour-
e tesying low when they caught sight Of
, me Then 1 followed the party up some
nl1row steps to the first floor of big
i thatched barn belonging to the father
i Of the bride. An old oak chair was
10 dragged forward TO receive my portly
ie person, and / sat me there and wonder
D cd greatly what on earth was coming
next
The villagers ranged themselves round
the long, low room. on one side the
s. girls, opposite them the young men, tho
oA matrons at the top and the elders a
eo the bottom Then the bride retired, o.
- course accompanied by her husband
ne and changed her ccremonious garment
1T for lighter attire. / Thought her wis'
ne when 1 saw what followed.
rt When the pair returnod-and during
IF thoir absence thcro was silence ia th,
lur--a huge howl WAS offered to m'
filed with tho national beverage.
looked at it aghast Was / to drink j
all? They intimated Twas to wish then
k health l touched itwith my lips. Thel
n the bride bent her pretty head and tool
a. sip. That one taste was enough fo
mo- But there was more to come.
They signed that ! was to go ol
drinking. / shut my eyes and did so
us Between every two drafts the brid
ne bowed her head and courtesicd bcfor
sh me. At last it seemed / might leave OF
ne But, no; / had to go through it al
o., AGAIN with tho bridegroom until th
a. bowl was empty. And when that tim
n came | was heartily glad for the drip
ge. was strong, and a liking for it is mos
he surely one that could only be acquire
by long acquaintance
he And row tho husband led his brid
ms into the middle Cf tic room and triI
ped once Of those graceful pas dcux pccul
iar to the country.
-, At last, hot and flushed, they stoppc
IN and stood before me. a tiny silver Gu
ooo was held out, and l was asked to drin
,ar their health again this time in cogna'
on lid so without daring to think of th
in morrow
he This was the signal for the dancin
9th to commc caco in earnest. Only four pee
ne me p'a-twO men and two womcn-woro q
~ Nv lowed 70 dance at ono time, but as 500
~ they s.op1gd, exhausted, others slippe
mt ia and took their places, and the ol
}. fiddler scrapod away un,il thought II
arm ma break.
Presently thore was a lnll. Twowon
uel On, dressed in gauzy, wavy dresses, ste
ppi into the middle. They were the vi
ent la.,e dancers Then followed a marve
les, Gus exhibition Of high kicking II WI
OF yeritable triumph in the tcrpsich
ca ca j an art, for every few steps they touc
,gb G the ceiling with their shoes. and d
~,s loudcr the click Of their shoes the lou
i'm e. came the applause. And so the mig
yed hours slipped away UNDECIDED. Dance fC
lth. lowed dance and song followed son
ton until at last they could keep awake
re- longer, and, with a kiss to the bra
ard The bridegroom, one and all depal
cd Hartford Times.
ub- The Value Of Cap.
nN- One OF tie most comforting things
80 fisherman OF hunter can carry with hi