The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-10-14
WEDDING ANNIvERsARrEs.

Let us have more of family festi-
vals. Conspicuous among these are
days which celebrate any good fortune
that comes to the home, and surely
the greastest good fortune of all heaps
itself upon the wedding day. That
day is the beginning of the home and
the new family. 1t wears crown
given to no other. Husbands and
wives should not forget their wedding
anniversaries. All the way from first
to the last they should be ushered in
as with peal of bells. Atintervals
from the first to the sixtieth recurrent
anniversary these proud days have
special names.
l heard not long ago of a golden
wedding at which were present the
married pair themselves with their
children, grandchildren and great
grandchildren. not single death hav-
ing ever invaded the happy circle.
This is an extraordinary record sci.
dom paralleled. Fifty years of earth
ly felicity are sheaf of sunbeams
given to few. Fifty years of perfect
trust Fifty years of tranquil love !
1t is heaven begun below, as the
hymn says.
The brides first anniversary is
called her cotton wedding. The Sec
ond year marriage brings the paper
wedding in its wake. Books, maga-
zines, newspapers, stationery, wall
paper, many household utensils made
of paper ornaments of every descrip-
tion are now in order.
A year after this comes the leather
wedding, which is the third anniver-
sary. 1t would seem that by this
time the married pair have arrived at
one of the milestones when they need
more than to hold fast to the senti-
ment of life, and not to let themselves
be daunted by any of its hardships.
The fifth year is the wooden we'd
ding anniversary. The seventh the
wooden the tenth is signalized by
tin. Each of these anniversaries may
call together groups of dear friends
and may be celebrated with much re-
ioicing. In wood, in wool, in tin,
one may choose gifts galore, regard
less of expense.
The twelfth year brings woman
her china wedding, and as no woman
ever keeps house without loving china
and having heart breaks and heart
aches over the way it is treated in
needless hands, this anniversary is
one that brings deep content.
The happy woman who has had
china wedding must wait three years
more for the crystal wedding, which
signifies fften years Of wedlock. Cut
glass is now the proper gift. and in
this there is endless variety.
After twenty years comes the linen
wedding. 1t is to be hoped that
shower of fascinating articles will
then fall on the wife. By this time
sons and daughters assist in making
the fete a success.
The twenty-ffth year brings the
silver wedding; then follows long
stretch in which no special name is
given to a wedding anniversary, yet
they are not to be neglected nor over
looked.
The fftieth year brings the golden
wedding, and the sixtieth year OF
marriage the diamond wedding.
A golden wedding day is an event
worth celebrating in family history.
Through the shadow and shine of
fifty years onward from youth to old
age, the couple have Jared together.
Probably most of thosewho wereguests
at their wedding have passed away,
but there are few who linger, and
they should be honored beyond other
friends, when the children and grand
children, the neighbors and kinsfolk
assemble to give congratulations on
the gala occasion.
Very few couples are spared to eel
ebrate their diamond wedding. But
as.the health rate of people in general
is everywhere on the increase, andlife
is longer than it used to be, we may
cherish hope that diamond weddings
may cease to be infrequent.