The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-02-28
odd MARRIAGE Gus
TOMS Of LONG ago
In Comparison With the Amer
can Ceremony Is Simple
ity Itself.

Contrasted with the crude functions
of barbaric society, the wedding cere'
monies of our highly civilized land arr
as an American. beauty rose to 6
bunch of chickweed. No wonder, OBJ.
serves the Boston Globe, brides and
grooms are eager to rehearse 1t care
fully so as not to mar its enchanting
loneliness
The Parsee groom must go with a
band to the brides house, first having
sent ahead presents of considerable
value, varying according to his finan-
cial condition. At the threshold his
future mother-in-law meets him with
a smile and dish of fruits, which she
scatters at his feet.
Then the bride comes forth and she
and the groom are led into a room
where their hands are tied together
with a silken cord. AS the ceremony
proceeds the cords are passed around
spliced. When at length they are re-
leased they are permitted to throw
their bodies until they 4 literally
rice at each other. The victor in the
rice-throwing contest is supposed TO
be the one who shall boss the home
nest. Then both are pelted with rice
and showered with rose water.
In Java bride and groom are rubbed
~ no rnd
while in Pennsylvania gypsy bridal
couples are rubbed with a weasel skin.
In Thibet the brides parents put home
made butter on the head of their flu
ture son-in-law, while in certain parts
of Wales the father rides away on
horseback with his daughter. pursued
by the groom, but, like true par
ent, he allows himself to be overtak-
en-. In Syria the bride and her par
ents ride to the home of the groom.
The latter come out TO great hiswife-
to-be. The parents no doubt wishing,
to conceal their eagerness TO get rid
of their daughter, make a show of
resistance. Firearms are discharged,
but the cartridges are blank, and, con-
sequently, no one is hurt, and the
ng-to-be-reluctant bride final
" yields 10 her lovers enlreaties as
the eighteenth century novelist would
say
In Bengal it was once The rule to
marry bride and groom first to trees,
and indeed, the custom is not yet Who'll
ly extinct. The bride was led up to
a mahwa tree. In her hand she held
some red lead with which she smear
ed the bark and then clasped the trunk
in fond embrace. This done, the at
tendants dashed her as tightly to the
tree as ever Farragut was to the mast
at Hartford. 1t was the bride-groom's
turn next. But instead of splicing him
to the mahwa, they spliced him to the
mango tree appropriately enough if
one considers the spelling of the name
of these arboreal spouseS How long
thew were kept in that position the
historian does not say, but goes on to
tell how in ancient Mexico the garment
of bride and groom were tied together
in huge knot. Then the couple were
marched ten times around fire, into
which they throw incense. After the
ceremony was concluded they tasted
four days!
Among certain Siberians the BRIDE
groom is not permitted 20 have a wife
until he can catch her. But they do
not give him a fair race in the open.
The bride surrounded by her female
friends, awaits him in a big tent. As
soon as she sees him she starts TO
run. He follows like Hippomenes af-
ter Atalanta. But instead of obstac-
les being thrown in the way OF the
bride they are thrown across the
path of the bridegroom. Usually tine
spectacles is like of an elephant run
ming an obstacle race against an au-
tomobile on clear track. The pursu.
ing groom falls over old women chairs
tables stones and fishing rods or is
tripped up by ropes or vines. Only
when it is feared he might give up
and sulk and go away without the