The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-22
{ JCRTSHlr AND MARRIAGE
Their Detachable Way Of Celebrating
These Happy E,cntS--The Women
Arc All Good Nurksmrn.

II may be- interesting 90 note some oi
the peculiar characteristics bf this *.
elusive ana retiring race of people. wh,
ear" Tor naught but 10 bo lcft alone
and 10 gov'rn themselves ~ best th-y
see NJ
Their marriage customs. together
with The courtahiu Immediately prcC Il.
Ing this interesting event viii proha
bly, excite aA much interest as any OF
their quaint functions
After the slow n mixing and often
slower moving bughvr makes up his
mind that be- lows the girl nf his choice
he brings Tor her approval some 'iach-
vrgoot' confectionery n he nndH
favor In her ryrn she Will accept IN.
Kin which h. offers with ~ much
trcpidatlon. ami th-n the happy suitor
II allowed a. uu In tho midst ~ the
cyfiec.drlnklng family fpr an hour or
morv II lhr lady rvfus-n the love
lCkon the lci 'ctod suitor knows she
" not Tor him and hc must A-vk clnc.
WHORE fur cunqu-n,s Finally. after en-.
duiitE the agony Of the cofIr' drink.
Ing h. In lrfi alulv with the girl nui
/ the wlsr tant. according TO custom.
puts a ilmlt IN the length of his visit
/ ty sticking a n"ydlc In the wax candle.
which is mute statement. so long
art Ihuu welcome. and no longer" The
happy swain sits tnl Htar-a at his
| iramorAta until the candle burns 10 the
mark Thon hr wisely takes his de-
| paWurv II hnNrysr h. loves not
wisely but too wol and ov-rHtRys his
time limit nsNcr again du,u h. have
the opportunity 81 seeing his sweet
heart alon' Af,'r the courtshlp has
Progressed Hunici -n;ly certain inquiries
arr made an TO the young mans stand.
inE and ability to take caTr ~ a wife.
and II lhcsr arr satisfactory the WED.
ding ceremonies lrc arranged Tn,
marriage chamber n prepared. the bod
and box being drskcd out In white
with banda u ribbons and aVl,clai
Ilowc.S 4 rnw ~ chairs In arranged
Tor thr guests who arr to assemble
witness and take par, In the ceremony.
Tho mui lnnr. u such Il be. ls rubbed
with bullocka blood untll &, gllstcns
like pollsh'd mahogany when the !
day u the ccr'miny approaches the /
fricads and relatives. even unto the /
twenty. deg 'cc. mock to the house
all wnring properly solemn ana .
mournful expression ana greeting their
acquaintance In the same manner.
The whole sccnc appears ludicrous To- a
stranger and reminds one of the old
saying, This ls a very solemn occa-
sion" when Rll want To laugh. Greet.
ings bciig over the ordc. bridegroom
ari attendants marrh pondcrously To
thc bridal CHAMBER and the party of
assembled visitors Kravciy scat them.
selves After timc the bridesmaid
and hest man ariSr and conduct in
with ceremony each individual guest
20 wish success to and ksr, the bride
ana bridegroom, This trying osculatory
task being contaminated. the wcddlngl
feast which has bccn prepared a week
IN advance N sct on che table. and IL
tongues juicy ribs, tempting quarters
NJ mutton, succulent spring lambs aud ,
tender young :oNls drc dcvouryd The
gronnIng table, now u wreck ot It's FOR
mcr SELF, IL cl'arcd away and the real
fun of the evening bcglns, As soon as
everything In removed from the great
front room, which has bccn cleaned and
scrubbed with fresh bulocks blood
the women of the assembly flock into
the side rooms 20 attire themselves for
the evening They reissue clad in
white muslIn gay and rcsplendcnt with ,
bright nurlng ribbons of all the striking
hucs from bright scarlet, flashing or.
angc tp deep green and blue. and over
all, bedecked with huge brass jcwelry.
The dancing begins ns the first tallow /
candles ore stuck up about the walls,
the music coming from a corner Of the
room Bride and bridegroom open the ,
ban and the lloor is soon covered with
whlrling couples,
Ply II o'clock the children who swarm
In the side Ooms are not to be kept S
lulet longer even by huge lunches Of !
bread and cake. In shrlll treble their
small, piercing childish voices rise /
higher and higher, finally drowning the /
Scraping of the nddles, which are bus. l
Ily screcchIng out a happy dlscord S
Then the mothers leave the happy as {
sembly for few minutes and their I
whlom partners In the dance stand idly /
by waiting for their return From the |
side rooms pandemonIum breaks loose {
for q moment, then all Is still save an {
occasional whlmper Small heads have {
been knocked together by irate moth"
ers, little nursemaids have had their
ears Cufted for not maintaining better '
discipline and the small walters have
been forced into unocupled corners of {
beds, under tablss, chairs and behind
boxes with swift injunction to keep
quiet In half an hour all kinds,
classes and conditions Of childish snores {
may be heard Issuing from the rooms
where they lie cuddled In all conceiva-
Bile shapes, happily obllvious Of all
that has passed In deep slumber. Then
It Is that It as dangerous to enter the,
side rooms for fear Of crushing a small