Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-10-17
A Singular wedding.

instinctiyely think they must not laugh
in their presence. Many people would
be edited and enlightened could they gel
behind the scenes, and see and hear the
exuherance of clerical wit and downright,
good fellowship when the yoke of con
straint is thrown off.
The fact is, s0lemnity, like India ink,
is capital for the dark shades of liie's
picture, but there must needs be light
shades and white spots, or where is the
picture.
Western ministers are far more socia-
BILE than their brethren of the east
Starch Goes not grow out west, and the
ology is less in analogy with broa,lcloth.
And must confess that know of few
merrier or happier places than Presby te-
ry after adjournment. Our missionary
agent, II. was one of the cleverest ieI-
lows alive, the life of every circle. He
had one of those faces whose vivacity
was contagious. He never dawned up
on roomful of folks, bu: that they in
s'antly felta strong propensity to laugh
1 believe mirthfulness in him must have
been second to no organ, except consci-
eniiousness. Witness the following an
ecdoie, the absolute veritv of which il
was sin to doubt. We had all been
telling our stories after adjournment. as
we sat in good old Dutch farmers kit
chen, when III. entered
"Come, H.. tell us story You a.
gents aIe all sorts of people. and are al
ways accumulating anecdotes. Your
sermons are more than half picked up
in that way. and you have style OF ser.
monizing. sui generis, which--as the
schools have not recognized tive will
baptize the anecdotal style"
FL. yielded-settled gracefully in the
old arm chair-placed his feet on the
stove, and began: ?.
"1he most solemn wedding | ever
attended was in X. You have all doubt
less seen singular things in your country
experience in that line; but mine is un-
ique--prodigious-appalling. One ev.
ening just at dusk, | was waited on by a
cadaverous looking fellow, who myste-
rioGsly minated to me that was want
edihat evening in hymenial capacity.
The fellows hat "was not all a hat
part of the brim was gone" He was a
land.holder, evidently, for his rents were
coming in. His boots were not rights
and let's; they were both isf1s, having
been thrown away by former wearer,
nor was there any vestige of rectitude
in them. As TO buttons, they were like
verbs-''regular, irregular, and defect
ive." His tout ensemble was gypsey-
ish, and he was evidently in the prelim,
mary stage of dumb ague. ..s
"After minute directions as to my
route, | suffered this messenger Of Gu.
pic TO depart, and prepared myself for IA
wedding. My toilette was soon made,
and | sailed forth.
ut was a pleasant moonlight night,
and soon found myself outside the viii
lage, across the canal, in broad marsh
field. filed with bushes. After about
three miles walking, drew nigh TO a log
house containing but single room and
loft. The door was open, and enter
ed. There was nobody within. There
was no bed, no chair, no table, no bench
not the first vestige of piece of furni-
ture nor of cooking utensil, except the
replace. / suppose fire-places are
cooking utensils, and this was large
one. There was no fire in it, however;
only couple of smoking brands. |
stood looking, waiting, wondering, -
Could have missed my way! No;
the directions were too precise. Could
there be plot to murder or rob!
"a deep sense of awe settled upon
me. | was about to call aloud, when a
noise arrested my attention. looked
to the corner whence the noise proceed
ed, and there saw-Q was mistaken in
saying there was no furniture there
was ladder with every round broken
out, and square nailed on.) looked
and saw pair of boots coming down,
followed bv no other than my ague-
stricken friend. The bride followed IN
a neat striped calico dress, and bonne'
which was leghorn probably, } so called
from its resemblance to two familiar OBJ.
jects in nature--a leg Of bacon and a
horn of whiskey.
"'fhe pair confronted me: the bride
groom in the blue stage of ague-,he
bride in blue calico. saw that they
expected me to marry them. began
| took breath after short prayer. dc
not think that prayer was particularly
lucid. progressed successfully through
the prescribed formula. pronounced
them man and wife, and again entered
upon short concluding prayer.
"As deceased speaking. and opened
my eyes, | was alone. BRIDE and bride
groom had disappeared, while will
junction. had been interceding for them
and where they were and what they
were doing, Icould no, tell.
1.-The frogs and cricke,s were singins
merrily. walked three miles and ;
half home and went to bed. And d.
you believe it! never got any fee
Take it all in all, it was the most solemn
wedding ever attended"