The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-07
THE OLDEST LOVE LETTER.
II is Carefully Preserved in the Brit.
fish Museun,

The Oldest known love letter in the
world Is In the British Museum. II is
a proposal of marriage for the hand of an
| Egyptian princess. and 1t was written 1900
years ago. II is in the fern of an inscribed
brick and is therefore not only the old
est but the most substantial love letter in
existence
The first silver wedding dates back TO
the time of Hughes Capet. Two servants
belonging TO him had grown grey in his
service, man and a woman, and what
| could he do as a reward? Calling the
woman, he said: Your service is great
greater than this mans whose service is
| great enough, for the woman always finds
work harder than man, and, therefore,
will give you reward. At your age. l
know of none better than dowry and a
husband The dowry is here-this farm
from this time forth belongs to you. if
this man has worked with you five AMI
twelty years is willing to marry you, then
the husband is ready"
Your majesty" said the old peasant.
how is IL possible that We should marry.
having already silver hairs?'
the King gave the couple silver enough 10
keep them in plenty. This soon became
knoSn all over France and raised such en-
thusiasm that it became fashion after
twenty-five years Of married life 10 cele-
brate silver wedding.
The practice of the wife assuming the
husbands name at marriage is Roman
custom. and originated soon after the Ro-
man occupation. Julia married to Pompey
became Julia of Pompey." In latter times
married women signed their names in the
same manner, but omitted the of" How
ever, during the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries the usage seems doubtful. since
We find Catharine Parreo signing herself
after she had been twice married. In Ice
land the opposite has always been the GUS
tom. There. after marriage, the husband
assumes the wifes name
The word wedding is derived from the
we'd or security which tie Anglo Saxon
bridegroom gave at espoueals for the due
performance of his contract. This wed
was held by trustees, and in addition to it.
the groom wore an espousai ring. As for
the wedding ring, 1t was first designed by
Prometheus according to tradition, and
fashioned out Of adamant and iron by Tub1l
Cain, and was given by Adam 10 his son
to this end. that ne Herewith should es-
pouse a wife.
Our wedding cake is the remains of a
custom whereby Roman bride held in her
left hand three wheat ears. and many CEN
turtles later. an English bride wore chap
let OF wheat. the bridesmaids threw grains
of corn or small bits of cake upon the
heads OF the newly married and the guests
picked up the pieces and ate them. The |
wedding cake did not come into general |
use until the last century and was then |
composed Of solid blocks, laid together, |
iced all over. so that when the outer crust |
was broken over the brides head. the cakes |
inside fell on the floor and were distrib-
uted among the guests. Bridal favors
are of Danish origin. the true lovers knot
having been first designed by Danish hearts
and deriving its designation from the Dam
ssh truelofa-"I plight my troth.'
The throwing of the slipper comes from
he custom of a shoe beins given by the
lather Of the bride TO the new husband
n token OF transference OF power over
her. the groom lightly tapping the brides
read with IL.
The best man is a survivor of the band
II friends who accompanied the sutton in
n his wife-winning and kept watch for him
,ver the brides tribe, while the lover
sought the opportunity TO carry of his
,rize. The honeymoon journey is the hur-
led fight OF the husband with his wife
o escape the vengeance of the pursuing
ribe. The presents given the bridesmaids
md ushers are simply relic Of the rough
bribery used by the ancient bridegroom
mong his personal friends so that they
would assist in the capture Of his chosen
ride when the day arrived on which he
lad determined to carry her of In the
fifteenth century a bride-if one of the ar
received twenty rings
rom the bridegroom-two when he became
in her. two for the espousal, and
wo when they were married.