A Beautiful Custom.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1667, 25 March 1886, Page 2

A Beautiful Custom.

In sonic portions of Tjrrolr*. peculiarand beautiful, ..custom still prevails. Nfbpn theigirl is about to be nnarried, before she leaves her home to go to the church lite mother, bands her, a, kerchief, whicti is called a teaV'kerchief. It ! is made of new.ly-spun liaen, »nd| has never been ■ useA. lltds with lthis kerchief that she dries; her, tears \fhen she lea res her. father's house, and while. she stands iat the altar . After the iriarriage"iJf bver,and the <bride hair. e^one with her hnsband to/their new home, flhn folds up the kerishief and places it unwashed 'm her lineli closet, where it remains un•touchewdJ The tear ; ikerdhief ! if as only performed half its mission. Children; are born, . grown up, niariy,* ; f moye^ away from the old home. Each daughter receives from the mother a new tear kerchief. .Her own. still remains where it, was placed m the linen closet on the day of .her marriage. Generations Qome and go. The young^rosy bride has be-, come k wrinkled old woman. ; She may: have survived her husband and ' all her

children. All lier^f riends^may "haVifr died off, and still that last present which she' received from her mother, ;has riot fulfilled its Object ';: but it comes at last. At last the wearied eyelids close for the loug, long sleep, and' the tired wrinkled-, hands are placed over the' pulseless 'heart. Then the tear kerchief is taken from its place, and spread over the pla- ! cid features of the dead, never to be f&mbvbd till*we are summoned to come ilEorth ou the resurrection, morn. ','■'' '■