The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-13
Marriage Customs.


eo IN The pagan past. The harh.r,. ,,sso
sum procured his mate by one Of tw.
ne'hous-eapturs or purchase. We speal
"'ss now OF capturing" bride. and
purchase Is not wholly unknown. I'm the
'oimer me groom started upon the war.
pam win some chosen COMPANION. who
assisted him In SELLING the woman,
whence cometh the custom NJ ha,,ns ,
best man"
me uainty gold ring of today Is relic
20 tue fetter by which the bride was
pound. while the jocose sinner Is a rem
hsht or the missiles hurled by the angry
! parents.
Inc orange blossoms came IN a more
oiNiiized age. though not Christian. and
augured great blessings for the woman
| 'ei'' as sun In modern Oriental coun.
| "IeS 'ypehes possession by one man.
Even the honeymoon is but the symbol
OF the interval which elapsed before tho
victor brought his bride from hiding and
sought peace with her wrathful kinsn,en.
hiopements are the evolution of the run.
i'ihg away In which an intermediate step
Is seen In the pretense M eant,lr, ..,iu ~
vogue among Irish mountaineers.
IN cardiganshire, Wales. wedding is
very tame unless the groom captures the
pride after thrilling pseudo-skirmish
The relatives offer mock resistance. ana
much scuffling and horse-pIay ensde. A
ulaiosue I'm verse-old ballad style-being
hnlshed, the groom is admitted ana seeks
Va hn 10
woman otten with male infant i'm her
arms the symbol Of sons and heirs. At
the church the bride is snatched nv her
relatives. and the groom's party pursue
on horseback, AT last she is tossed mack. |
ana whoever receives her will be wed |
within one year. (Smllar TO our throwing 1
or the brides boquet)
purchase gradually superseded capture (
Inc fathers wrath was mitigsted l,y base
CON- Occasionally the bridegroom ,fered
mis- own sister in lieu of cash. But literal
capture Is still prevalent i'm barbarous
countries, and purchase in semi-civilized
ones such as China and MohamnIedan
sections
Arabian fathers sometimes present tne,r
naushters with a sword. signifying free-
dom. For one blessed moment she be-
longs TO no man-then she presents II 70
her husband, and thenceforth is In MS
power.
baoylonians and Assyrians purchased
heir wives. All girls OF age stood bseore
ne temple twice a year. and were sold
II auction. Handsome girls command,pg
lIsn prices, but their purchase money WAS
PRESENTED to the homely ones. to increase
heir attractions. Our Anglo-saxon an.
es'ors were still purchasing wives when
'hristlanity claimed them. Every woman
ad guardian-if not father the king.
~ interesting TO learn that widows were
old at half price! I
Not untll the tenth century did Anglo
dNoh women have any right Of choice \
'ethrothed as children the uroon's
ieuse was called wed: hence our word 6
he primitive Anglo-Saxan ceremooies
'ntalhed these promises: For faIrer or
'uier' Tor better, for worse, for richer or =
'orer' Then the man put the ing on >
ich OF his wife's fingers sa vinu: m "In
le name or the Father: C2J or the SON r
, or Holy Ghost; 90 Amen" The father
ave the husband an old shoe, with which | "
u iped his fe on the head, as a sign
authority
Welsh law permitted only moderate wife
'a'iEg. Three blows were deemed sufi- =
tnt. with stick 40 longer than a-m''
Long after the advent ~ Christi,nitv
arrlage was purely secular In ise9 Tho 4,
'uhcii OF Trent made the ecclesiastical IN
remony binding. There was. however a | ~
stom or priests being called i'm to bless ca
e marriage bed th
N Noitinghsmshlre there IL n dogserel n,, C,
.ornihg OF me times when the church ",
rmitted weddingsA fe
Advent marriage, doth deny. 30
Sut Hilary gives thee liberty. Or
eptuagesima says thee nav. -
-sht Gays from Easter says you may, q
togaton bids thee 10 contain.
'ut Trinity sets thee free gain"
he Greek church has the most eIahor-
rituals We are familiar with the Rus-
n wedding feasts. In Slavouic rituat
wine drunk by the new couple Is call
the cup or bitternessi" Champapne &c
Neu IN the cars land. and guests are Il
en- souvenir initial boxes Of cake. II
ct twentieth century Americans believe Ia
ir marriage customs original -
! Brazil drinking brandy together NAV
sttute marriage; IN Japan the same
u VINE. To join hands. To sit together .,
receive congra tuls tions are odd hind. IN
customs also TO be smeared with each VI
ers blood or for the woman to tie n ~
2 OF grass around the mans waist. ~
" Huslrian woman carries fire 10 n n,
rs tent; the Loango native cooks two
les for him In his hut. -
ne Croatlan bridegroom boxes the -
e's ears, while now, in Hungary. tho n
I'm gives the bride a kick, To indicate ~
subsection.
le Hebrew bridegroom crushes the
glass TO atoms with his foot. TO OBJ
ate the past
CHINA the maiden steps over fire M
threshold; sypsies hop the broom
l." -
these supcrsttions Of tho past have
? 10 us in modern form. bur tho love n
radltion and tendency toward imita-
make us slow TO part with them.
dless tests have been made upon the
obey, and women largely repudi- !"
H. YET the great orthodox churches -
REQUIRE IL. Denmark has recently
shed the word legally.
entire conception OF the functions
omen In social and domestic life has
ltered and broadened that n seems
llar that so many of the old mar
customs are stu prescrved-customs
H. although amusing when traced 10
source. are really typical of n de-
J womanhood In barbaric times and
81.