MARRIAGE RITES IN HIGH LIFE.
(From the Morning Herald.)
The long talked of espousals of Lord Julius Fitzmarlingspike and the lovely and accomplished Rosa Augusta, youngest daughter of his Grace the Duke Of Bopps, have at length come off. Some delay was occasioned by the gentlemen of the long robe, but the Sponsalia having been finally perused and settled by the eminent barrister Chrysostom Silvertongue, Q.C., were engrossed on the Legitimæ Tabellæ, and were sealed on Woden's day last. Lord Julius took the opportunity of presenting his betrothed with a splendid Annulus Pronubus of diamonds alternating with emeralds, expressly manufactured by the talented jewellers, Runt and Hoskell. There was a difficulty in fixing the marriage day, there being so many unlucky days, and Atri, in this month's kalendar, and Salii and the Parentalia festivals approaching. But yesterday having been selected, the lovely bride was dressed in a long white robe bordered with purple fringe, or embroidered ribbons (we could hardly say which), bound with a girdle of wool, and tied, of course, with the time-honoured Nodus Herculeus. Her face was covered with a flame-coloured veil, denoting modesty, and her beautiful hair having been divided into six locks with the point of a spear (kindly lent from the New Zealand Museum), was crowned with flowers supplied from a well-known bouquetière in Covent Garden. Her shoes were of the same colour as her veil. The auspices had been duly consulted, and a very fine hog having been sacrificed to Juno (the animal was supplied from the long-established styes of Messrs. Chitterlings and Co.), the omens from its inside were pronounced very favourable. We must not omit to record a bon mot of the bride, which shows that she possesses all the wit for which her spirituel family has been so long celebrated. On the question at the espousals being put to her, "An spondes?" she instantly replied, with an arch smile, "Spondeo, sed nomen meum non est Anne." The marriage ceremony was performed at the house of the Duke of Bopps, but in the evening the bride was conducted to her husband's domus. Three boys, whose parents were alive, attended her, two holding her by the arms, and one flourishing a link, which we regret was made the subject of ribald remark by the other boys in the street. The maid-servants followed with distaff, spindle, and wool, and a boy from the Lowther Arcade bore the playthings—the crepundia—for the family with which it is to be hoped Rosa will be blessed. The boys let off more than usually good sales et couvicia, which is accounted for by Mr. Punch having kindly undertaken to supply the jokes for the day. On arriving in Park Lane, the house of Lord Fitzmarlingspike was found tastefully adorned with leaves and flowers, and the rooms with tapestry. Rosa, being asked by Lord Julius who she was, replied, in a firm voice, "Ubi tu Caius, ibi ego Caia," and immediately bound the door-posts with woollen fillets, supplied by Madame Crinoline, of Bond Street. She was lifted over the threshold, touched fire and water—a wax lucifer and some Eau de Cologne doing the symbolic duty—the nuptial song, written by M. Catnach, and composed by M. Costa, was sung; Lord Julius scattered nuts (best Barcelona, from Shadrack's) among the boys; and then several matrons, who had been married but once (the Hon. Mrs. Jones, the Hon. Mrs. Brown, and the Hon. Mrs. Robinson), singing all the way, conducted the happy bride to the nuptial bower, which was erected in the hall, and covered with flowers. Young women sang outside the house until midnight, when they were ordered off by the Police. The second entertainment, the Nepotia, will be given this day. We should add that the ceremony was impressively performed by the Hon. and Rev. Pontifex Maximus, assisted by the Haruspex Bobbus Montgomeriensis.