Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1898-10-13
The Brides Garter Luncheon.

The Brides Garter Luncheon.
From the st. Louis Dispatch.
The dining and wining of the various
brides and grooms elect and the de-
signing of costumes and decorations
and what-not for the ssll weddings
are compelling the butterflies to fiutter
their bright wings q bit anxiously
when 1t comes to . question of COM
bining novelty with propriety or cor
rectness of form.
Since the marriage ceremony first
become social Institution it has been
proper to afford the bridegroom an
opportunity for . last fling ut a rip
roaring stag dinner party given by his
groomsmen. The bride 10 entertained
at either breakfast or luncheon in a
very quiet, unostentatious sort of
fashion by her b smaids.
That these luncheons and thing are
thoroughly proper 10 assured by q st.
Louis girl who was married ont of town
this summer and who whites, while on
her wedding journey, to st. Louis
friend. The letter, which describes
the newest fad for bridal celebrations,
contains the following:
"Of course you will want to know
about the garter luncheon that Mrs.
D-,of New York, gave my brides
maids and me on the day before my
wedding. It was quite the prettiest
affair I ever saw. And funl Well, you
know what those girls can do when
they get started. I was given the
place Of honor at the table, which was
a round affair covered with an en-
broidered dsmask cloth. Over my
chair was a sort Of canopy, formed OF
white roses and ribbon and draped
with my wedding veil, while each OF
the bridesmaids' chairs was garlanded
with smilax. At my place was a
surerb bouquet of white roses tied
with pale blue ribbon and pale blue
silk garter, to which was attached q
card inscribed with the BRIDES key to
happiness, advising me to wear on my
wedding day
Something old and something's new,
Something borrowed, something blue,
And q piece Of silver in my shoe.
"The garter, with Its dainty knot oi
ribbon and its pearl-studded buckle,
was the something blue.'
CAT the bridesmaids places were
enormous punches of marchal nei
rosebuds, tied with yellow ribbon
Their sovenifs were yellow garters
made Of plattened ribbon over yellow
elastic and finished with gold buckle
and big satin bow.
"There were no flowers In the cen.
ter Of the table, save plat, star.
shaped design formed of yellow anc
white roses and lilies of the valley
but from the chandelier was suspended
thick mass Of gorgeous orchids. The
fad for high decorations in the center
Of the table is q thing Of the past here
in the East, where man likes to Ok.
change an occasional glance, q smile
or word with his vis-a-vis. The
tower-like masses of flowers which
used to make Q conversation with the
people opposite you an impossibilit,
have given way to individual splac,
decorations' and plat floral arrange.
ment for the center. 30 1t will bs
possible to see what sort of people
one is meeting with when one is dining
ont.
"Butth isn't telling you what thost
ridiculous girls made me do at ths
luncheon. Some one remarked tha
the girl who received and wore to Z
thread the garter used by the bride o.
her wedding was guaranteed (by
superstition) proposal of marriage
within the year.
"Immediately there was Q stampede
each Of the girls trying to make me
promise her my blue garter. Icouldn'
give it to all of them; didn't care tt
show my partiality, and, honestly,
wanted to keep the garter myself.
told them this, and then one of thoss
ridiculous girls suggested that I weal
all Of the bridesmaids yellow garterl
during the ceremony and return them
afterward. Thus the charm woule
still hold good.
"Well, am physically incapable o.
wearing ten yellow garters and ont
blue one at the same time-and SO
told them. But they wouldn't tax.
mo- for an answer, and while I con-
tinued to hesitate they rushed upor
me In . body and bound me to my
chair with napkins and-well, I blusf
to relate what happened. They made
me swear with solemn oath to take
the garters home Just as they wert
and wear every one of them on the
night Of my wedding.
81 did it--but I almost strangled tc
death. The best man said he ha6
never seen my cheeks 30 rosy before
but, oh, had he only knowni"