Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-12-18
MARRIAGE IN IRELAND.
Shrovetide the Great Nuptial Season.
Parents Arrange the Matches.

IdfcHlS Arrange the matches.
The great marrying time in Ireland
is Shrovetide. During the forty days
Of Lent the Irish peasantry. In obedi-
ence TO the ordinances OF the church.
abstain from matrimony, as well as
from eggs. butter, and milk. Some
time before the approach of that holy
season farmer with marriageabIe
son or daughter whom he desires to
see settled tells his friends and neigh
bors OF the fact. He usually conveys
the intelligence In an iddirvct. on
hand manner. He meets friend at the
fair or market, and says, with laugn.~
Whisper here, Jim, I'Hf training up
my little Maggie for 7 our Johnny"
"Ah, now, Jem," the Other says. you
do me great favor Entirely. But mind
you. my little JOHNNY is very particn-
lar. The boy do De sayin' what great
fortin' he'll want with his wife" The
subject having thus been broachedf
the parents discuss It whenever they
meet and it often happens that long
time elapses and many discussion
and wrangle takes place before the
terms are finally settled. The farm
generally goes with the male. and the
great difficulty In the arranging OF
matches is the fixing of the girls dow
ry, consisting partly of money and
partly of furniture and culinary uten-
sils, as a set-off against the land.
But happily many Of the marriages
in rural Ireland have their spice OF
romance. The match Is made by the
boy and girl themselves. An irish
peasant maid in the heyday OF her
youth, with her pretty figure. her abunr
dant black hair. her large blue eyea1
with their indescribable half-arch. half
shy expression, is quito irresistible;f
and the boy has too often an impress
sionable heart and "deiuding tongue"
to render it always necessary that the
parents should make the bargain"
The youthful couple meet at dances
or on Sundays after mass-even wake
is turned to account for little court
inland they are in hearty accord with
the boy who said: 1T is crate pleas
ure entirely to be alone. especially
whin yer sweetheart is Wild ye." DO
you drame OF me, Mixer" said the girl
to her lover, as they walked arm in
arm down the lonely glen. ''Drame OF
you, Kate? Shure, tbs the way wild me
that l can't sleep dramin' OF you, me
darlin'!" Eyes. they have the aatter-
ing tongue, those Irish boys. Och. I
wish | was in Jail for stealin' ye." was
the compliment one of them paid to
pretty colleen. Even when they get q
refusal they have 7u 49,
Eileen was engaged to another boy, and
so she had to say no to Tim when he
asked her: "Wisha. thin" said Tim.
with a sigh, Il wish you'd been born
twins, so that could have half OF
yez."
When the day has been named,
whether by arrangement between the
boy and girl themselves or through the
intermediary of their parents, prepara-
tions are made on the most extensive
scale for grand wedding. II Ia con-
sidered essential in the humblest cir
cles that, for the honor OF tho family,
the guests at the wedding. which In
clude sometimes the whole OF the coun-
tryside, should have lots OF eating and
lashin's and LAWNS OF w.
erything" Closeness on such an occa-
sion Is the unforgivable social sin
Macmillan's Magazine.