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Show TI BIDDING WEDDING. How Gifts Are Secured for Newly-Married Couples in Parts of Wales, USE OF GLASS IN MECHANICS. People With Impulsive Tongues-Interesting Notes on Important Subjects, Chambers' Journal. In certain parts of Pembroke and Carmarthenin Car-marthenin Wales, one of tho quaintest of marriage customs used to be prevalent, preva-lent, and it is said still to linger to a certain cer-tain extent in some of the remote valleys, fcut now curtailed and shorn of its pristine pris-tine surroundings. This was known as a "bidding wedding" and was so redolent of patriarchal times that it may be Interesting In-teresting to describe what is destined soon to become a mere memory of the paat. Tradition is silent as to the origin of this custom of Cambria, so we may presume that it goes a long way back indeed. in-deed. In the first place, all who received invitations in-vitations were expected to show theii respect to the bride and bridegroom by bestowing such presents as befitted their station and means. We may remark that these weddings were generally restricted re-stricted to the farmers and others of the respectable class, so that to have a bidding bid-ding Implied a certain social status and that the young couple wore both come of respectable families. When two of this class made up their minds to get married tho first thing considered con-sidered was who wore to be invited to the festivities, a list being made out, varying, according to the number of their friends ind neighbors, from forty or fifty up to E00. Invitations were written or printed, and sent round to all those whose presence pres-ence was desired. After these had been dispatched the next thing was to send round the "bidder," there being one person per-son who filled this important post in every district. Tho duty of this worthy was to go to all places where invitations had preceded him, there to advocate the claims of his clients to the best of Ids ability. The hidder, as may be supposed, waa generally gener-ally a noted character, the local wit and orator, as no one could hope to fill the responsible position who had not "the gift of the gab." In some instances females fe-males held office, for which they were doubtless as well qualified as their male rivals. These functionaries were generally gener-ally cordially received and were in the habit of specifying any particular articles arti-cles that they thought desirable, generally gener-ally fixing their requests high, on the principle that they who ask for a hcep were likely to get a lamb at loast. On completing the rounds of calls the bidder gave in his report to his employers. employ-ers. The presents were sent before the wedding to the house of the bride, when a large company assembled to view them and discuss their value. From the fact that intended presents were all entered on the bidder's books there were seldom too many articles of one sort, a business like proceeding by which the fashionable world of today might save brides from having so many 'repeats" in their marriage mar-riage presenter , |