The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-03-17
"Dill cease not from Will,
Salt relax not"


this charm
"Dnl cease not from Will,
Salt relax nOt.'
ssIt is also customary for both bride
and bridegroom to strew dill and sail
in their shoes as charm against every
kind of malignant influence.
''In the northern counties a bride
is expressly warned, be sure wher
you GO to get married that you don
go in at one door and out at another
or you will be always unlucky.'
IAN instance OF a similar piece oi
folklore is recorded by the late Cuth-
bert Bede in Notes and Queries, as
having occurred at wedding that
took place in a Worcestershire vii
lage in October, 1877.
HE thus writes: The bride and
bridegroom at the conclusion OF the
ceremony lett the church by the
chancel door instead of following the
usual custom Of walking down the
church and through the nave door.
One of the oldest inhabitants, in
mentioning this to me, said that it
betokened bad luck, and that she had
never known like instance but once
in her life when the married couple
went out of the church by the chan
eel door, and the bride was widow
before the twelve months were out
"There is, too, a widespread notion
that when the bride retires her brides
maids should lay her stockings across
the bed, as this act is supposed to
guarantee her future prosperity in
the marriage state" says Thistelton
Dyer.
Turning to the bridesmaids, it
appears that as far back as the days
of the Anglo Saxon they attended the
bride at the wedding ceremony, al
though in later times they seem to
have escorted the bridegroom, his
friends waiting on the bride. AS re-
Gently, for instance, as the last cen
tury, this was the popular mode OF
procedure, an illustration of which IS
given in the Golfers Wedding:
Two lusty lads, well dressed and strong
Step out to lead the bride along:
-1s And two young maids of equal size,
AS soon the bridegrooms hands surprise.
Instead of being SO many grace
full ornaments at the marriage cere-
mony as nowadays, the bridemaids
in days of old had various duties as
signed to them, one of their principal
tasks having been to dress the bride,
when any omission in her toilet was
laid to their charge. 1t was the
first bridesmaids duty, too, to see
that each of the bridesmaids was not
only provided with a sprig of rose
mary or a floral posy, but had sym
bolical chaplet in her hand.
IA survival of this practice may
still be seen in Germany, where it is
customary for the bridesmaid to car
ry the myrtle wreath-which they
have subscribed together to purchase
on the nuptial eve-to the house ol
the bride and to remove it from hel
head at the close of the wedding day
After this has been done the bride /:
blindfolded, and the myrtle wreatt
having been put into her hand, she
tries to place it on the head of one
of her bridesmaids as they dance roune
her, for, in accordance with an ole
belief, whoever she crowns is sure te
be married within year from thai
date.
"Again much Importance was form
| erly attached to the colors which the
bride wore on her wedding day. II
an old book entitled The Fifteet
Comforts of Marriage, bride and he
bridesmaids are represented couver
sing together respecting the colors t.
be used for the decoration of the brida
dress. 1t was finally decided, afte
various colors had been rejected, tt
mingle gold tissue with grass green,
this combination being considered
symbolical of youth and jollity.
"In Scotland the bridesmaid is pop
ularly known as the best maid. ant
in past years one of her principa
duties was to carry the brides pre-
sents on the wedding day to her flu
ture home. The first article general
ly taken into the house was vesse
of salt, portion of which was sprin
keled over the floor as protection
against the malignant infunce of th'
evil eye.' And Mr.. w. Gregor, de
scribing an old Scotch wedding, tell
US the bridesmaid position was no
unattended with certain risks.
"After the church had been open
ed the beadle or bellman was in at
tendance to lead the bridegroom t
the bridal steel that is, the pew tha
was set apart for the use of those VIII
were to be married.
The bride was now led forth am
placed beside him, and great care wa
used to have her placed at the prope
side. To have placed her improperl
would have been unlucky in the ex
treme. Next to the bride stood he
best maid, this Office, though account
ed an honor, not being unattended wit
risk. Three times bridesmaid wa
the inevitable prelude of remainin
unmarried.
Lastly, ii was one of the dutie
of the bridesmaid to remind the brid
of guarding against certain omen
which were supposed to be attende
with fatal results. In making wed
ding trip. for instance, she was enjoir
ed ito be sure and always go up agains
the stream, as it was most uncanny t
go down the waters
Zone of the most interesting ant
quities of Jarrow Church, Northun
berland, is the chair of the Venerabl
! Bede, kept in the vestry, whithe