The Sun.
London, England, 1829-01-27 00:00:00

SALE OF A BRIDE.

It is no uncommon occurrence in England,
for a husband to lead his spouse to the market-.
place with a halter abotit her neck, and then
make a bona fide disposal °filer to the highest.
bidder. A friend of ours who has had, to say•
the least on the subject, his own share of the
miseries of matrimony, and who, therefore most
unlogically, concludes that every other " married
man " is similarly situated,--assures
,us that he
is not at all surprised at this practice of our Eng-
lish neighbours ; and stoutly insists that it .
viould constitute the " perfection of reason " to =
.
tolerate the same method of doing business m
our more northern latitude. It is perfectly new .
to us, however, to hear of a bridegroom selling
his bride ; and he certainly must have very er-
roneous notions touching the " honey moon
who could be guilty of such a deed. ".True it
is, and of verity," however, that within the last
three weeks such a circumstance happened at no '
great distance from the " gude town of
after the " devoted lovers" had' been, as the
Americans say, duly published in church. - The'
bridegroom, as the story goes, had been spend-
ing a convivial hour or two with a' few acquaint-
ances ; and the subject of the intended marriage
was very naturally introduced among othet topics
of the day. One of the individuals present began
to congratulate the bridegroom, first on his good
fortune in procuring the consent of " the fair"
to accept of his hand ; and, secondly, on the
boundless bliss which awaited him,—expressing
at the same time the secret wish of every bache-
lor, however some. may labour to conceal it,
that he were -in his truly enviable situation.
" And what would you gi'e to be in the bride-
groom's
situation ?" interrogated the bridegroom
or some one present. " I'll give five pounds," •
was the immediate answer. " And I'll be se-
curity for the payment of the Money," said a
third party. " It's a bargain, and I will give up
all claim to the bride," rejoined the bridegroom,
seemingly exulting at the happy exchange.
Hands were accordingly shaken as a proof of the
bargain's being concluded, and witnesses were
appealed to, to prove that all was fair. The
purchaser, however, on maturer reflection, seemed
to regret the bargain he had made, and intimated
his willingness to let the " lumber," as some
cynic wickedly termed the article bought,. remain
with the original proprietor. The bridegroom, ,
however, whose love to his lady may be great,
but whose affection for the ciiculating medium
seems to be incomparably greater, would not
agree to this ; and he therefore summoned the
individual who made the bargain, to the Sheriff
Small Debt Court of the county in which the
affair happened, for the payment of the purchase
money. The case was to have to come on for
a hearing on Tuesday last, and as the novelty of
the affair had excited an extraordinary interest
through the width and breadth of the country,
the Court was crowded to excess with persons
anxious to hear the details of the case. The
affair, however, had been compromised on the
preceding evening; and, consequently, they were
disappointed. The purchaser, we are informed,
agreed to pay the bridegroom three pounds, ex-
clusive of the expences, and at the same time
to renounce all claim to the bride.—Elboin
Courier.