The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1908-02-06
opp MARR1Aor CUSTOM.
In Comparison the American Ceremony O.
Its Worst IL simplicity Itsek.

In Comparison the American Ceremony at
Its Worst Ii Simplicity Itse6.
Boston Globe.
Ccntrasted with the crude functions of
harbaric society, the wedding ceremonies
OF our highly civilised land are as an Amer
No woaSsr brides US ana SroomI are eager to
rehearse It carefully 50 a. not to mar Its
enchanting loveliness.
The Parses groom must 80 with band
to the brides house. first having sent
ahead presents Of considerable value,
varying according to his financial oondi-
tfon. At the threshold his future mother
in-law meets him with a smile and a dish
Of fruits. which she scatterB at his fleet.
Then the bride comes forth and she and
the groom are led Int a room where their
hands are tied together with q Bilken cord.
As the ceremony proceeds the cords are
passed around their bodies until they are
literally spliced: When at length they are
victor in the rice-throwtng contest Is sup
posed to be the one who shall boss the
home nest. Then both are peltsd with rice
and showered with rose water.
In Java bride and groom are rubbed with
the ashes Of the red dogs bones. while in
Transylvania gypsy bridal couples are rub
bed with a weasel skin. In Thibet the
brides parents put homemade batter on
the head Of their future aon-in-laW. while
in certain parts Of Wales the father rides
away on horseback with his daughter. per-
sued by the groom. but like true parent,
he allows himself to be overtaken. In EStfa
the bride and her parents ride to the home
greet his wife-to-bs. The parents, no
doubt, wishes to conceal their eagernegs TO
get rid OF their daughter, make show OF
resistance. Firearms are displayed, but the
one is hurt and the pretending to- be-reluc-
tant bride finally yields to her lovers en-
treaties. as the eighteenth century novel;
list would say. ~
In Bengal it was once the rule to marry
bride and groom first to trees, and, indeed
the custom is not yet wholly extinct ihe
hwfd IaA 20 wal
hand she held some red lead with which
she smeared the bark and then clasped the
trunk in fond embrace. This done. the at
tendants dashed her as tight to the tree
as ever Farragut was to the mast at Hart
ford 1t was the bride-Groom's turn next.
But instead Of splicing him to the manwa.
they spliced him to the mango tree. APP
propriately enough II one considers the
spelling of the names Of these arboreal
spouses. How long they were kept in that
position the historian does not say. put
goes on to tell how in ancient Mexico the
garments Of bride and. groom were tied to-
gethsr in a huge knot Then the couple
into which they threw incense. After the
ceremony was concluded they tasted -FOUR
days. ...
is not permitted to have q wife until he
can catch her But they do not give -him
fair race in the open. The bride. sur
rounded by her female friends awaits MIN
in a big tent. AS soon as she sees him
she starts to run. He follows ike HIPPO
menes after ATLANTA. But Instead OF oo-
stacles being thrown in the way OF the nriae
they are thrown across the path OF the
bridegroom. Usually the obstacle e IKE
that of an elephant running an obstacle
race AGAINST an automobile on a clear
track. The pursuing groom falls over old
women, chair. tables. stones. and risning
rods, or is tripped UP by ropes or vines;
Only when 1t 10 feared he might give up and
sulk and go away without the neeting lady
is he permitted to overtake her. Then as
she falls into his outstretched arms, 1t may
be imagined she utters some equivalent OF
This Is so sudden"
mony must be as entertaining as vaudeville
to the spectators, but to carry 1t out well
more than one rehearsal might be neces-
sary 1t also entails much premature
smashing of furniture, II the entire realism
OF it is to be attained. The expense OF
making debris of tables ana chairs 20 an
other consideration which renders this un-
ique ceremony alien to the tastes OF CIV
ilized peoples who are accustomed 10 CON
vert household furniture into woodpulp
after. not before. marriage