What were their habits? Did they drink, smoke, or chew? Did they dissipate in any way? Who will tell us how these aged people managed to keep up their youthful spirits so long?. We should like to publish the recipe for “the benefit of whom it concerns.”
A good One.
A Maryland paper tells the story of a marriage under difficulties, where first the bridegroom failed to appear at the appointed time through bashfulness, and was discovered, pursued, and only “brought to” with a shot gun. The bride then became indignant, and refused to marry so faint-hearted a swain. And finally, the clergyman, who is something of a wag, settled the matter by threatening to have them both arrested for breach of promise unless the ceremony was immediately performed—which it was.
AN INDIGNANT BRIDE.
The Honeymoon.
The origin of the honeymoon is not generally known.
The Saxons long and long ago got up the delightful occasion. Amongst the ancient Saxons and Teutons a beverage was made of honey and water, and sometimes flavored with mulberries. This drink was used especially at weddings and the after festivals. These festivals were kept up among the nobility sometimes for a month—“monath.” The “hunig monath” was thus established, and the next moon after the marriage was called the honeymoon.
Alaric, about the fifth century king of the Saxons and Western Goths, is said to have actually died on his wedding night from drinking too freely of the honeyed beverage,—at least he died before morning,—and it certainly would seem to be a charitable inference to draw, since he partook very deeply of the “festive drink.” It was certainly a sweet oblivion, “yet it should be a warning to posterity, as showing that even bridegrooms may make too merry.”
Dr. Blanchet recently read a paper before the Academy of Science, Paris, relative to some cases of “long sleep,” or lethargic slumber. One of them related to a lady twenty years of age, who took a sleeping fit during her honeymoon, which lasted fifty days.