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Show WOMAN'S WEDDING DAT Folklore of Brides and Bridesmaids in Europe. According to a Sussex piece of folklore, folk-lore, writes Thlstelton Dyer, a bride on her return home from church Is often at once robbed of all the pins about her drests by her single friends around her. frjm the belief that whoever possesses pos-sesses one of them will be married In the course of a year. Similarly, the Clermans have a custom cus-tom of throwing a bride's shoe among ine guests at a wooding, the person who succeeds In getting It being considered con-sidered to have every prospect of a epeedy marriage, and among the many Other customs associated with the bride's shoe may be mentioned the tierm in pra.-ti. e lor the mother of the bride to strew salt and dill In In r hoefl prior to her going to the rhun b, repeating at the same time (Mm charm . inn cease not from Will, Salt relax not. It !s also ustomary for both bride and bridegroom to strew dill and salt In their shoes as a charm against ever Kind of malignant influence. In the northern counties a b-lde Is ex-pre ex-pre ly warned, "be sure when ou go to gel married Ibat you don't go In ut one door and out at another, or you will b- always unlucky." An Instance of a similar piece of folklore Is recorded by the late Cuth-bert Cuth-bert Been In "Notes and Queries," us having Occurred at a wedding that took place in WoiccotcrsJure village ! In October, 1877. He thus writes: "The brlue and bridegroom gj the conclusion of the ceremony left the church by the chancel chan-cel door. Instead Of following the usual custom of walking down the church and through tlv: nave dror. One of the I oldest inhabitants. In mentioning this to me. said that It betokened bad luck, an.) that she hfd never known a like Instance but once In her life, when the married couple went out of the churoh by th. chancel door, ami the brld- was g widow before the twelve months wer-out." wer-out." Th-re Is. too. a widespread i tlon ihat wnen the bride retires her bridesmaids brides-maids should lay her sto.-kings aeross the bed. as this act Is supposed to guarint-e her future prosperlt in the I marriage state. Turning to the bridesmaids. It ap-I ap-I pears that as far back as the days of ' the Anglo-Saxon they attended the , bride at the weJding ceremony, ai- 1 though n lat-r times they seem to I hae escorted the bridegroom, his Mends waiting on Ihe bride. As re-; re-; cently. for Instance, f.s the last century this was the popular mode of procedure, proced-ure, .in Illustration of which Is given In the " "outer's Wedding". Two lusty lads, well dr s. .1 gnd strong, Stept out to lead the bride along: I And two young maids of equal site. As soon the bridegroom's hands surprise Inst .-ad of being so many graceful oinaiie-nts at th" marriage ceremony 'as nowadays, the brldt smalds in days 1 of old had various duties assigned lo them one of their principal tasks hai , Ing bin to dress the bride, when any omission In her toilet was lnid to their . harge. It was the first bridesmaid's ' duty. too. to -ce that each of the ! bridesmaids was not only provided with a sprig of rosemary or a Moral posy, but had a symbolical chaplet In i her hand. A survival of tols piactlce may still be sen in Oermany, where It is customary cus-tomary for th- bridesmaids t . airy j ihe mvTtlo wreath Which they ha' ulis. rloed together lo pur. base on tho ! nuptial eve to the house of the bride gnd to remove It from her head at the . lose of the wedding day. After this has been done the bride Is blindfolded, and the myrtle wreath having boon put into her hand, she tries to place It on 1 the had of one of her bridesmaids us , they dance round her, for. In uccord-ance uccord-ance with nn old belief, whoever ghe ' CfOWOI Is sure to be married w.thln a ' year from that date. Indon Mall. |