The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-03-23
THE VENDS.
= PECULIAR RACE STILL FOUND
IN GERMANY.
Their Home is tho Serbian swamp
DaptismaI Professions aud We'd
ding Parties-Pagan Prac-
tees That Survive.

L = W
General to Berlin, is the
~ author OF apaper entitled San
Inland Venice, lin the Century
1t describes the picturesque scenes in
ihe Serbian Swamp, Germany. and tho
/ peculiar manners and customs of the
Nends, remnant of which race still
makes its home there. Mr.. de Kav
says: As Il rule, the older women
wear white headgear at least the big
square kerchiet that falls nearly TO the
shoulders is white, while with girls
this upper part is colored like the
,ulip-beds OF HARLEM. But on Trinity
Sunday they wear the plyachzishka
all is white on head aud shoulders,
while the gown, the wohnjanka, is
black. Then is the old church at
Burg sight that recalls Brittany.
The men for the most part are in the
galleries. Almost the entire floor Of
! the church is filled with seated
women, their starched caps. as white
as white can be, having tue effect of
stiffened windows of snow.
But on other Sundays the young
women appear Ia all their fiucry.
Many of them enter the village bare
foot, and put their shoes and stockings
on Just before assembling in front of
The church. The men gather in one
group, the women in another. As
! gentle reminder OF the uncertainty of
life, the first thug one sees in the
Yestibule OF the church is pair OF
! coffin rests, past winch the peopls
troop TO their German prayers aud
Nendish sermons. After tho sorvicss
I laat.l L. 4. q
| ;odmothers tkmotra) are oNpocted to
| appear III special kind OF Whit cap
very difficult TO describe. When the
baptism Is over the party adjourus to
tavern, aud tho dresses and cap are
duly criticised or admired, aud the
| proud parents are expected 60 do the
handsome thing bt the friends and
godparcnts. Godlathers and god
| mothers are also given present of
money, but not n round sum-that l.
unlucky- always little over.
The child must not be left alone ut
least bird or beast must be lett with
it to baf1lc evil spirits. The elder god
| mother carries the child to the church.
, the younger from the sanctuary. But
before they re-enter the home some
| one lays symbolIcal tools across the
| threshold over which the baptisinal
party must pass. For boy it. may be
M AK aud hoe; for n girl spinning
wheel and broom. As she steps
across, the younger godmUther, boar
ing the child in her arms, SAYS aloud.
we carried away heatheu. and
bring back n Christian with the proper
name of John or Mary" In come
| villages children are named in fixed
order as they are borJ, and If the
baby dies the new child is given its
namo. Thus in Schleifa it is custom.
airy TO give boys names in the follow.
ing order: Hn0zo, Matthes, Juro,
Kito, Merton, Lobo; and to girls,
! Marin, Anna, Madlena, Liza, Khrysta,
Wortiia, WorsuIa.
Next TO II baptismal procession
wedding party is the ioIliest sight on
| Spreewald hiesscs, since every one is
naturally decked in his or her best,
and the men carry slaves bound with
bright ribbons, said to be "a survival
! OF the swords OF an earlier period
| when the bride was carried of more or
| less by force, or at least with a show
| OF violence. Kozol,. the bacpipes,
still survive in some parts OF the
forest. The bridegroom, preceded by
| his druzba, or best man, a fiddler and
| bagpipeT, and followed by his
/ friends, knocks loudly at the door OF
/ the bride, and OH being admitted de-
maDds the young woman with great
show of wrath, only TO receive, in
stead OF the bride, al old maid who
has a false hump Oh her back. The
men strike neT on the hump, which
soon breaks, since il is an old cooking
| pot, and drive her back into the
! house.
Tbon the bridesmaid, or druzka, Is
/ given up but she also IS, compelled TO
! flee into the house. Finally the bride
| herself is handed to the best man, who
places her beside the groom, where
upon the couple turn about three
times, n peculiar pagan rite known
| formerly TO Ireland and Scotland, and
the whole party enters the house 60
/ breakfast. The Turkish and Finnish
/ tribes of Asia have similar customs OF
| teasing the groom and lus best man
! before surrendering the bride. At the
! wedding both must have money i'm
their shoes, or they viii always he
/ poor. On tho return from the wedding
! q newly bought lot filled with milk
/ and beer IS sent TO meet the couple as
soon rs they have drunk the druzba
| scizes the pot and dasheg it. 60 pieces.
On reaching her new homo the bride
must feed all the animale st tho
wedding feast neither groom and bride
nor best man aud woman must rise
from the table under any pretsxt
whatever until dancing begins 10 tho
| evening at the tavern.
10 Sweep tho Globe.