The Russian habit of threatening other nations was in evidence on this Mother's Day of 1923.
And related to the theme of the day, in a way, an elopement was frustrated. The intended bride was 16, the groom 20.
I wonder if that ended it, or if their union later developed? Seems like the parents, implicitly, were not thrilled. Note also the judge intended to go ahead with it.
Ritualized bride kidnapping is a surprisingly common human custom, perhaps derived from actual bride kidnapping. In Christian societies actual bride kidnapping cannot give rise to a valid marriage, but in many non-Christian societies, including pre-Christian European ones, it was fairly common. The entire origin of Rome came about that way.
After the rise of Christianity in various cultures, some retained a ritualized form of which, as in this instance, existed to overcome parental objections. The bride was complicit in her kidnapping and consent was generally given afterward with a negotiation on the bride's price. This was common, for example, in Medieval Scandinavia. Implicit in the negotiation was; 1) as women could freely consent to marriage, there was no stopping it, and 2) the girl was likely "ruined" by that time, or would be so regarded. Additionally, the use of force by the groom implied that the kidnapping was not so much that, but an armed intervention in favor of the couple's intentions, which was a dicey thing to disregard without violence.
In spite of the constant boosterism, the real nature of Casper was showing through. Pool Hall fights were breaking out during an era when Casper had a really thriving open red-light district. "Shirt Sleeves" slim was going to be escorted out of town.
In boosterism, a parachute jump was planned over a new subdivision.
Mother's Day (Muttertag) was officially recognized for the first time in Germany, although it had been widely celebrated the year prior. Lacking the nationalist tones that it had in Germany, the day had been recognized in the United States since 1908. The celebration also spread to Czechoslovakia and Poland for the first time in 1923.
It was of course Mother's Day in the US.
In Philadelphia, the unknown mother of the unknown soldier was honored.
In various states, such as Michigan, the Governor issued a proclamation in honor of the day.
A Proclamation By the Governor
Mothers' Day Proclamation By the Governor
In compliance with our beautiful custom, which in a few years has come to be universally observed throughout the land, the time has come to set apart a day in honor of American motherhood.
The American home is at once the cradle and the bulwark of all that is finest and best in our present day civilization, and the American mother is the heart of that home. If the home spirit is what it should be the major portion of the credit belongs to her.
It is impossible for us to compute the debt we owe our mothers, and it is only fitting that in this way we should pay our tribute of respect and devotion to the mothers of the nation, living and dead.
Therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Michigan, I do hereby designate and proclaim Sunday, May thirteenth, 1923, as Mothers' Day, and I call upon our people, both old and young, to gather in their several places of worship and take part in services appropriate to the day.
And let absent sons and daughters take this occasion to visit the mother in the old home, or, where such a visit is impossible, let them send a message of cheer and greeting.
In accordance with a resolution of the Congress of the United States, I further request the people of Michigan on the day aforesaid to display the United States flag in their homes and in other suitable places, as a fitting expression of their desire to pay homage to American motherhood.
Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the State this Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-three, and of the Commonwealth the eightyseventh.
Alex J Governor.
By the Governor:
Oddly, the Casper paper for the day didn't mention Mother's Day at all.
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