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Show "The Settling" Custom. A curious old marriage custom, called call-ed locally "the settling." survives In county Donegal, Ireland, and is found, we hear, in the Scottish districts ot Kintyre and C'owal. After a pair of lovers are publicly betrothed, their friends from far and near gather to celebrate the event and to have their say as to the suitable date of the marriage. mar-riage. The ce :vnumy for it quite amounts to thai takes place in the house of the bride's parents, and the busincs of the occasion is introduced by the opening of a bottle of whisky. Each guest, as ho helps himself, mentions men-tions the date ho considers the best for the nir.rrir.go, and then drinks to the happiness of the young couple. When all have had their say an average aver-age Is carefully struck, and "the settling' set-tling' 'is complete. Neither bride nor groom ever thinks of protesting the date so curiously hit upon. It would he the height of bad luck even to speak of alteration. Fate has spoken, and the chosen day can. it is believed, scarcely fail to he propitious. |