Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-03-21


ing quite proficient in music, relied mostly up.
on that divine art for livelihood. She was
member ofthe South Baptist Church, and off.
ciated as organist therein. The former, so far
as l know, young man Of irreproachable char
acter, was sort Of superintendent or clerk Of
the Temperance House ofs Deacon In the same
church. The sleigh ride was got up by HALL
and another young man, who took with them
three young ladies. On the way ont, as might
have been expected from such sedate compa.
ny, the conversation turned on the interesting
topic Of matrimony. H. asked L. il she would
have him, and she consented in as terse and fi.
rect q msnner as did Rebecca of old when the
servant Of Isaac "popped the question:" The
preliminaries were all settled-and here will
remark. all parties agreed in testifying that it
was understood as nothing but joke. Arrived
at the house Of their destination, which was that
Of Justice of the Peace, he was called upon
to officiate. He was rather green in his line Of
business, and as this was the first knot he had
ever tied he went about in rather primitive
way. HALL confessed that he had now mede
up his rnind--to use his own words--if she
would marry him ito stick to it." The Justice
arranged the parties with all solemnity, but az
there was most immoderate laughter, he put on
a very solemn face, read them lecture on so.
briefly, and sat down. He was asked to try a..
gain, and this time he succeeded in stopping
the laughter and the ceremony proceeded.
"Have you," said the Justice, addressing HALL,
"any,objections to matrimony "No sir" was
the reply. "Have you." was the farther ques.
tion to Miss L. "any objections TO getting mar.
red " and she as everv other young lady natu.
rally would, replied. "Not at all, sir" She
says she intended. when the Justice put the far.
ther question, "Wili you have this man for your
husband :" to give most unequivocsl and un.
mistakable negative. But he gave her no op.
portuni,y, but Immediately upon the above ques.
tions being put and answered, he pronounced
them man and wife.
Here was pretty kettle of fish, but the lady
still regarded the whole as a joke, not supposing
that such an overhanded knot would stick. BY
dint of perseverance and considerable help, the
Justice made out the certificate, and late at
night the parties set ont tor home to mediate
over the old proverb-"'rhose who marry in
haste can repent a: leisure" =
In the case Of the lady. repentance came soon
enough. The rest of the testimony consists
merely Of "says l's' and ''says she's" of those
who volunteered their advice or coincidence. and
does not amount to much. II is evident to me
that she was deceived somewhere and by some.
body. although she cannot be acquitted Of blame
in tri1ing with such subject and in attempting
to carry the joke so far. wrote the other day
that she was engaged to another person. This
appears now not to be the case. What the re.
port ofthe Judiciary Committee will be know
not but think it will be favorable. A bill for
her divorce will pass the Assembly with per-
feet rush, but Of it's fate in the Senate there is
doubt, as that grave body is very much afraid of
preceaents. From the peculiar circumstances
of this case and the intense interest manifested
in it, especially BY some Of the younger mem.
bers Of the Legislature. do not know but it
may be called the great measure Of this ses.
son!" Yours, &c.