The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-12-23

| WEDDING CUSTOMS IN CORSICA.
| Many of the old time customs of this
| charming island have fallen into disuse
except in mountain districts and in VIII
lagos remote from the sea- Cue Of the
most interesting among them is the
Travata, a kind of barrier which stops
the BRIDES procession as she IS being
conducted to her husbands village.
The whole Of her attendants must sue
coed in passing this barrier without
touching it, or she must pay a tribute.
Early in the morning Of the wedding
day a crowd Of relatives and friends as
samble In the market-plaee of the
brides village; the youths armed, their
guns loaded, pistols charged, and belts
well furnished with ammunition They
arrive by all the mountain paths, most
of them on horseback, and all dressed
in their Sunday best. The bridegroom
10 led forward by his father, he enters
the village, receives his bride, and leads
her off; but at the end of the village
there Is triumphal arch, and under 1t
the passage is INSTRUCTED by belt of
ribbons stretched from one side to the
other. When the bride reaches the arch
one of the elders of the village Stands
on the other side Of the ribbon barrier
and delivers a speech.
"Why do you leave us?" he says to
the bride "Were you not happy with
us? Had you not your father to pro-
tect you, your mother to love you, your
brothers to defend you, as well as
healthy habitaton in the winter season.
and a holy church for the feast days?
Again, young woman, why will you
leave us?"
The bride, leaning on the barrier, in
sists, and gives her reasons: then places
small purse in the orators hand.
This contains an offering for the
church and for the necessities of the
village.
The ribbon is then detached, the bride
passes, and at the same time all the
young people of the wedding party
start off, squirting on their horses In the
effort to be the first to reach the bride
grooms village, In which will be the
residence of the bridal pair, The first
to arrive has the right to take the keys
of the house, present them to the bride,
and do the honors Of the wedding feast.
During this dime the procession slow
~ uuFdllCtS, AT AilC CIti ditIC w AibC
village is another arch and another bar
rier Another orator also appears. He
first of all addresses the armed youths,
asks who they are and whence they
came, whether as friends or enemies,
and demands the usual tribute, One of
them answers that they come as friends,
and as proof Of their friendship escort
a bride, whose beauty will delight the
village, and whose affection will glad
den the heart and home of one of the
bravest among them. The orator then
turns to the bride, and demands what
she brings to the village In whose in
terests she intends to partake and what
is the family whose tenderness she ex-
poets to share.
The bride responds, not without emo
ton; speaks of her affection Of her du-
ties Of the friends she has and of those
she hopes to have, and joins the orator
in the wish that her coming may be a
blessing to herself and to the communi-
ty. A second time the purse Is given a
second time the barrier is lowered. The
procession enters the village and pro-
ceeds to the house. where the winner of
the keys Is waiting to present them;
the bride Is at home and the festivities
mmenee.--Household Words,