Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 271, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1912 — HOLD BRIDE CHOOSING DAY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HOLD BRIDE CHOOSING DAY.

Moving-Picture Machine to Reveal Mystery of “Chlnadec” In Brittany. Saint Jean du Doigt, Brittany.— More than usual interest has attended the annual “Chlnadec” or “Bride-choos-ing Day,” which is one of the festivals of this old-fashioned town of Brittany. A moving-picture apparatus has been present and has taken many pictures. The custom dates back to thq middle ages, when, it is said, the laws of the church were so strict that no marriage between relatives to within the eleventh degree was permitted. JJie result was that young men could noY

find brides evep in neighboring villages, and rather long journeys had to he made to find eligible girls elsewhere. It was then that the church, after an understanding with the feudal lord of the place, who had a right to a fee for each marriage, arranged a common bridal day every year after Eastern, and the custom has been maintained to the present. The day is observed as one of great religious solemnity. There is no music or band, no dance of any kind —as, in fact, dancing has. always been forbidden at St. Jean du Doight because of the story of St. John the Baptist having been ordered to be beheaded by Hercd after a dance. j From one to two hundred girls air tent mass In the morning, and at 3 in the afternoon they again attend vespers in the old Gothic church. They are dressed in Bretagne fashion, of all colors, and wear long embroidered shawls reaching to their feet, and carry a mass book and an umbrella. The young men stroll about some distance away on the walks, and seem -to be rather indifferent. From time to time one of them leaves his friends and goes to the girl whom he has chosen. He salutes her ceremoniously, and speaks to her. Then the umbrella plays an Important role. If it is handed over to the young man, his proposal is accepted, and it is rare that it is not. The girl usually hesitates for «a few minutes for the sake of decorum. The young man walks away to give the girl a last chance to reflect, and still retains his air of indifference. Finally, after a few minutes of waiting, which seem to be only a traditional delay, the girls leaves the ranks and follows the young man, who then invites her to a small collation. Little by little the inns become crowded with young couples, who are thus partaking of a sort of frugal bridal repast. When night comes the couples return to the house of the chosen bride, and a real bridal supper is then given by the parents. / The girls who have not been chosen do not seem to be disappointed. They remain about the church till dusk, and sometimes till it is perfectly dark. If their parents are kind to them nothing is said, but it often happens that the unfortunate girls who failed to be chosen are roundly scolded when they return home without an intended husband. ,

A Peep at the Medieval Town of St. Jean du Doight, Brittany.