The farmer and mechanic., 1915-06-01

A COTTON WEDDING

There are lots of people nowa4....
tnougn lt seems hard to baua,.at
judging from what the pessirnis..
u.s. who are SO glad that they r7a--..,,
each other that they celebrate 80
wedding anniversaries regularly. NJ.
people, however, whether satisfied
not, celebrate only the first anrt,-,-
airy, the fifth and the twenty-ff-h =.
they live to commemorate any ror
then their children generally ase,,~,'
the responsibility. The most nonn}a.
form for the wedding anniyerSar,,
celebration is formal reception IT,,
host and hostess receive their friends
serve light refreshments and o.,
PROVIDE snort musical entertainment
In this way they are able TO enter.3,,
many more people than if givin,
dinner or less formal party
For the cotton wedding, which ,
generally accepted as the first ANN
versary, though some authorizes
claim paper. a very informal and iouv
affair can be arranged, especially -
the host and hostess are usually
young, and, therefore. have guests
Of the same age. The invitations can
be informal notes. or, if one is NOT
afraid of little extra trouble, they
| may be written with indelble INK On
small squares Of fine white COTTON
cloth. The house may be prettilv
decorated with palms and cut flowers
For the entertainment of the guests
arrange a contest in the following
manner: Prepare as many balls -
soft cotton as you have guests and
in the center of each one hide one
word Of a well-known hackneved
phrase; such as "connubial" in ono
ball and bliss in another. "happv'
;~,s i
| etc. Tie one set of words with Nj.
| low ribbon for the men and the other
with white ribbon for the girls. Then
| throw them promiscuously into the
| miust of the party, asking the guests
| to match words and find their part
ners. When all have been coupled
| off, distribute large pieces of cotton
cloth Of different colors-bolts o.
| cheese cloth can be bought very cheap
| ly-and a limited number Of pins. say.
about ten to each couple, asking them
| to make unique costumes out Of the
materials provided. Award prize
to the couple most originally dressed.
| You might either begin or end the
| evening with a literal cotton" we'd
ding. The host, clad in pajamaS (COt-
| ton, Of cOurSe), and the hostess IN 4
cotton dress, cotton gloves. mosquito
netting veil, and carrying a shower
| bouquet Of cotton blossoms dangling
| on cotton ribbons. march TO cotton
clad minister" who marries them
with foolish rigmarole composed for
the occasion They may march out
tc the tune of Down Where the Cot
ton Blossom Grows"
The table may be quite a work Of
art if the young host and hostess are
bent on carrying out the cotton
| scheme. Strips of cotton cloth may
stretch from the chandelier to each
place, having on them tufts of cotton,
either pasted or seWed in place and
ending at each place under large
ribbon-tied ball of cotton, which noldS
the place card and contains a favor
for each guest. Tiny cretonne "em.
/ ergency'' cases, filled with threaded
needles of all colors and bobbins OF
| black -in-white cotton, make pretty
gifts for the women, and small ere
r tonne-covered boxes for collar but
tons make appropriate and usefu
7 favors for the men. At each place
: candlestick made from large
2 wooden spool Of cotton holds smal
: colored candle and sheds a pre't
: glow. In the center may be iarS
} wedding cake, into which have peer
/. baked the proverbial ring (for "edd
E ed bliss), coin (for prosperity, thinl
]. BILE (for single blessedness) and bu'
= ton {fOr bachelordOm)
4 A simple supper may be served
. consisting Of creamed chicken Il
r pattie cupst fruit salad, with dabs 2
r whipped cream to look like cotto
y tufts; very thin bread and butte
t sa andwiches rolled and tied with coars
! white cotton thread; olives. nus
$ coffee, candles and "kisses- -'-Atlan'
! Constitution.