Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-07-13
Wedding Buffooneries.

Wedding Buffooneries.
The barbarities practised a we'd
dings form subject upon which il is
high time both pulpit and press had
vigorous word TO say In enforcing this
utterance. the Pittsburg Christian
Advocate declares that the buresque
of weddings" is an evil fragrant and
increasing and contributes Ito the
breaking down of the sancity of mar
rage Seldom IL day passes that the
press does not report some new eX-
ample of these "unseemly doings,' The
Advocate adds, with the enforcement
of its words by the quotation of two
recent cases:
I'm one the bride and groom. hoth
of whom were respectable and orderly
people. We're so beSet with the fude
FRANKS of their friends. and so alarmed
as to what further might follow mat
they escaped thru the roof oil the
house to the home of neighbor ana
thence fed in an automobile to SUD
urban station to escape their torment
ors. But even this did not save themi
for their alleged friends scattered TO
all the stations and one party found
them before their train arrived, ana
tormented and Inundated them to the
utmost In another case the newly
married couple were forced INTO
numbering, dirty ice wagon ana hauleu
thru the streets of the city amid an
sorts of confusion"
These are but samples, 1t is asserted
of what is coming to be the common
accompaniments of weddings. The abb
surdlty of such treatment is thus en-
phasized:
"AlI sorts of tricks, no matter how
rude and sometimes indicate. are
PLAYED on the newly married couple. As
some one has said, Everything is done
that can be- done to make the couple
appear like fools, and their friends sue
coed in appearing like Doors and bar
barans' The brains of the miscreants
are racked to invent the most outrage
ous and disgusting schemes with Wnich
to torment the principals in the wed
ding.
I'VE have imagined that we are ad-
yancing in our civilization, but in these
things we are rapidly going back to-
ward the days of ruder things. ln-
deed, we are going beyond anything Oh
the past of which there is any record.
The old custom of 'serenading' new
" married couple was supposed to pc
unruly and noisy beyond tolerance; but
these things were mild and respectable
compared with modern Inventions. In
these old customs there was no attempt
to humiliate or seriously inconvenience
the victims; but this is not true of
modern practises They are considered
tame unless something extremely an
noying is done. These practises are ac-
tually barbarous-begging pardon OF
the barbarians, who never indulge IN
anything so unbecoming on such occa-
sions They are bringing US into dis
repute in the eyes of other countries.
Even the peoples we think but SEMI
civilized look upon these practises with
astonishment.
Marriage IL Christian institution,
and should be treated in a serious man
ner. A wedding is an occasion or ra-
tional and holy joy. and should be so
regarded The bride and groom shouia
receive good cheer at the hands of all
their friends Everything possible
should be done to contribute to their
comfort and happiness, and nothing to
cause them discomfort or distress
should be tolerated. It is one of the
events of their lives. one Of the very
greatest events, and they should re-
member it always with pleasure. TO
mar 1t by rudeness or cruelty Is
wicked The friends who will engage
in such desecration of a serious oc-
casion. or countenance 1t in others, are
extremely thoughtless, or malicious"