Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-11-06
FOLK LORE OF WEDDINGS.
Few Know why Familiar Cere-
monies are Gone Through.

1 monies are Gone Through.
There Is much marriage and Civ
ing in marriage In these October
days, and at each and every ceremo-
ny bride and guests are careful 10
preserve hallowed traditions. Su-
perstitions may be defied on oil oc-
casions but these. A wedding with
out blue garters and rice and old
shoes i almost, II not quite, as bad
= Hamlet with the Prince of Den-
marx out 0fthecast. But. although
everybody knows what should be
done, TO propitiate the good fairies,
few have any idea of the origin OF
the hundred and one customs attend
ing the wedding day.
The use OF the ring is, without
doubt, the most ancient and sym
bolic accessory OF the celebration OF
marriage. So prevalent is the feel
ing regarding its indispensability
that strange substitutes have been
used in cases OF emergency when
the conventional hoop OF gold had
been forgotten. Curtain rings and
key rings have done duty. and o
more personal substitute has often
been devised by cutting ring from
the bridegroom s glove.
Anciently ring marked an Office
of great dignity, being worn only
by king or given by him to his
messengers, that their authority
might be established. AS civiliza-
tion advanced the woman s position
was more chivalrously regarded,
the ring was given her as token OF
the high dignity bestowed upon her
in the marriage ceremony.
The choice OF the form OF the ring
is for twofold reason-the poetic
meanings ascribed TO it, and the
fact that its plainness makes it more
practical for constant use. Among
the Egyptians circle was the hier-
oglyphic expression OF eternity. Its
adoption for use as the marriage to
ken'in preference TO q pin or ear
ring or any other kind of ornament
is said 10 be that it can be worn con-
stantiy, and is not put of with any
particular garment; also, that it is
always in sight of the bride, keep
ing the bridegroom in mind.
Various reasons are given for the
adoption of the SO called ring finger
rs the resting place for this emblem,
and to this usage also the fanciful
and utilitarian mind has ascribed
diverse origins.
The former Interpretation has il
that the belief was very current be-
lore the days of advanced anatomy,
that smsa artery ran from this
finger to t1e heart directly. What
could be more to the purpose OF po-
-etical logic than that the wedding
ring should rest there? The choice
of the left hand is by some supposed
to symbolic the submission of the
wife TO her husband.
The practical minde disposes OF
these fancies by suggesting that in
this position the ring was more pro-
tected from wear and injury or loss,
as the left hand is not SO much in
use as the right, and this finger is
protected ON either side and is ca
pable of a lessdegree ofindependent
action than any other finger.
In many old pictures of the vir-
gin, her ring was painted ON her
forefinger, as was the custom for
the wearing of it in ancient Greece
and Rome. This finger is the one
nearest the mount of Jupiter, indi-
eating the pride of dignity.
An old Italian custom placed the
birth month stone of the bride i'm
her wedding ring, and this idea be-
came elaborated into the using OF
twelve stones, one for each month,
that no good fairy might be unpro-
pitiated. Through this custom the
ring became SO enormously expen-
sive as to be q severe tax ON many a
humble groom in the Middle Ages,
and hence the revulsion to the plain
circlet of gold in universal use.
The modern practice OF gift of
iewelry from the groom to the bride
(aside Of the engagementor or wedding
ring) is a survival Of the old insti-
tuition of the "daw purse, or purse
of coins, which he gave her to sig
fy that he had purchased her from
her friends.
The giving of gifts by the friends
OF the young couple has vesy diff
ferent significance now from lis
original one. Instead Of token OF
compliment or expression of good
will, it was anciently of much more
practical import. Itwasfranklycon-