To meet a funeral either in going to or coming from marriage was very unlucky.  If the funeral was that of a female, the young wife would not live long; if a male, the bridegroom would die soon.

After partaking of the braize’s hospitality,—­for the bottle of whiskey was his by right,—­the wedding party proceeded to the house of the young couple, and in some parts of Scotland, at the beginning of the century, the young wife was lifted over the threshold, or first step of the door, lest any witchcraft or ill e’e should be cast upon and influence her.  Just at the entering of the house, the young man’s mother broke a cake of bread, prepared for the occasion, over the young wife’s head.  She was then led to the hearth, and the poker and tongs—­in some places the broom also—­were put into her hands, as symbols of her office and duty.  After this, her mother-in-law handed her the keys of the house and furniture, thus transferring the mother’s rights over her son to his wife.  Again the glass went round, and each guest drank and wished happiness to the young pair.  The cake which was broken over the young wife’s head was now gathered and distributed among the unmarried female guests, and by them retained to be placed under their pillows, so that they might dream of their future husbands.  This is a custom still practised, but what is now the bridescake is not a cake broken over the bride’s head, but a larger and more elaborately-prepared article, which is cut up and distributed immediately after the marriage ceremony.  Young girls still put a piece of it under their pillows in order to obtain prophetic dreams.  In some cases, this is done by a friend writing the names of three young men on a piece of paper, and the cake, wrapped in it, is put under the pillow for three nights in succession before it is opened.  Should the owners of the cake have dreamed of one of the three young men therein written, it is regarded as a sure proof that he is to be her future husband.  After drinking to the health and happiness of the young couple, the wedding party then went to the house of the bridegroom’s father where they partook of supper, generally a very substantial meal; and this being finished, the young people of the party became restless for a change of amusement, and generally all then repaired to some hall or barn, and there spent the night in dancing.  It was the custom for the young couple, with their respective parents and the best man and the best maid, to lead off by dancing the first reel.  Should the young couple happen to have either brothers or sisters older than themselves, but unmarried, these unfortunate brethren danced the first reel without their shoes.  Probably this has its origin in the old Jewish custom of giving up the shoe or sandal when the right or priority passed from one to another.  For an instance of this see Ruth iv. 7.  Having danced till far on in the morning of next day, the young couple were then conducted