The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-06-08
About the Wedding Veil.

A brutal wit, who probably never
married a June bride, once said that
marriage began in illusion and ended
in disillusion. He might have said it
began with point lace and ended in the
divorce court.
Cynics aside, the wedding veil is a
thing of beauty and the most becoming
article of apparel ever donned by a
girl. Just as in the dark all cats are
gray, so beneath a veil all women are
beautiful
The filmy folds of white give one
tantalizing glimpses of the face be-
meath. Is she beautiful? Who can tell ?
Yes. she is in all probability concealing
a wondrous loneliness of face from the
vulgar eyes of the crowd. Consequent
ly, she is probably as modest as she is
beautiful. If she would only raise that
tantalizing veil we should see what we
should see
The veil is said to be the symbol of
maidenhood and declaration of a
brides proper subjugation to her lord
and master But everywhere. symbol
or no symbol, ii is made as becoming
as possible, and the average bride of
today likes to wear it partly because it
is the custom. but chiefly because it is
pretty and distinctive
There are many interesting customs
connected with the wearing of the veil
In Arabia a bride must keep her face
entirely covered for four days When
she goes to her new home she is gen
orally enveloped from head to foot in
a cashmere shawl. red white or yellow.
On her head she wears a small paste
board crown. which is also hidden be-
meath the shawl. She goes through the
service and the feast concealed from
view in this way. 1t is not until the
groom gives her some money, which is
called the price of uncOvering the face
that she allows the shawl to be re-
moved, says Philadelphia exchange.
X x
In Persia ii usually happens that q
man takes his bride to the altar with
out ever having seen her face. Natur-
ally, he has great curiosity to see what
she is like, and the guests are particu-
larly eager to see how he will take it
when she unveils. 1t must be very
trying moment even for an Arabs
nerves.
The case is the same with the
On the wedding day the bride
is led to the groom's tent by her girl
friends while the merrymaking goes
on outside. After the ceremony the
bride remains in the tent while the
husband joins the nerrymakers for p
time Then he is allowed to 90 in and
lift her veil. If he is satisfied with
what he sees he announces it by shrill
cries of delight This triumphant
shouting after the lifting of the veil is
one Of the principal features of a Bed
ouin wedding.
Among the Zulus the veil takes the
form of a fringe of beads hanging over
the face The briday party conducts
the bride TO the house of the groom.
5eeping her concealed among them.
They then stand in front of her while
she sings q song. after which they
break away so that he can see the
singer.
In Assyria the yelling custom is very
strict. especially among the tribe
known as the Yezeedees There the
bride not only wears a heavy veil. but
she is shut ND for three days before the |
After day of rejoicing the |
bride is led forth in holiday attire and |
taken to the house of the groom. still |
closely yelled. On entering. she goes
straight to the darkest corner of the |
house and stays there for three more |
lays. to be seen by no one not even her |
husband. While she is thus concealed |
he rejoicing is kept up outside. At the |
expiration of the term the husband is |
allowed to go and find her.
In Morocco they have a curious Gus