Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1853-09-23
Galrs amo Skettbes.
LIFE AT THE FIVE POINTS.
THE Two-PENNY MARRIAGE.

Want to be mamied-what for ?''
Why YOU see we don't think it Is right foI
US to be living together this way any longer, and
we have been talking over the matter to-day and
/ you see -"
Yes, yes, see you have been talking over
! the matter over the bottle and have come to a
sort of drunken conclusion to get married. When
! you get sober you will both repent of it, proba.
bly,"
81 No, sir, we are not very drunk now, not SC
drunk but what we can think, and we don't
think we are doing right-wc are not doing as
we were brought up to do by pious parents We
have been reading about the good things you
have done for just such poor outcasts as we are
and we want you to try and do something for
us"
Read Can You read Do you read the
Bible %
- Well not much lately, but read the news
papers and sometimes we read something good in
them. How can we read the Bible when are
drunk 90
" Do you think getting married will keep you
from getting drunk %
Yes, going to take the pledge too and
( we shall keep it depend upon that
Suppose you take the pledge and try that
first, and ifyou can keep it till you wash
some of the dirt away, and get some clothes on,
then will marry you"
q No. that won t do. | shall get to thinking
what poor dirty, miserable wretch am, and
how / am living with this woman, who is not a
bad woman by nature, and then will drink, and
then she will drink-oh, cursed rum and what
is to prevent US But if we were married, my
wife, yes, Mr.. Pcase, my wife would say, Thom-
as'-she would not say Tom,-you dirty brute,
don't be tempted anGvho kgows but what we
might be somebody Somebpdy that our own
mothers would not he ASHAMED Of"
Here the woman, WHO lad been silent and ra-
ther moody, burst into sza1 lIsea of tears,
crying Mother, motto <5 rot whether
she is alive or not, and ds5e HSl inquire; but if
we were married and i'efosisesi ] would make
her happy once moR
q L could no longer stand the appeal; said
Mr.. p, . and determined to give them trial
have married good many poor, wretched look
ing couples, but none that looked quite so much
so as this The man was hatless and shoeless,
without coat or vest, with long hair and beard
grimed with dirt. He was by trade a bricklay-
er, Of the best in the city She wore the last
remains of q silk bonnet, and something that
might pass for shoes, and an old, very old dress,
once rich merino, apparently without any un-
der garments
:. And your name is Thomas-Thomas what?'
Elting, sir. Thomas Elting, good true
name and true man. that is, shall be if you mar
ry us"
'Wel, well. l am going to marry you"
q Are you 2 There, Mag, told you So"
Don't cali me Mag. If am going to be mar
ried, viii be by my right name, the only my
mother gave me-"
q Not Mag. Well never knew that"
% Now, Thomas hold your tongue, you talk
too much. What is your name 90
Matilda. Must tell the other? Yes,
viii, and never Will disgrace it. don't think
! should ever have been as bad if had kept it.
That bad woman who first tempted me TO ruin,
made me take false name 1t is a bad thing
for girl to give up her name, unless for that of
good husband. Matilda Fraley. Nobody knows
me by that name in this bad city
Very WELL Matilda and Thomas, take each
other by the right hand, and look at me. for am
now going to unite you in the holy bonds of mar
riage by Gods ordinance. Do you think you
are sufficiently sober to comprehend its solemni-
""
:" Yes, SIR
Marriage being one ofood's holy ordinances
cannot be kept in sin, misery, filth and drunken
ress. Tnomas, VIII you take Matilda to be your
lawful, true, only, welded wife 90
''Yes, SIR
you promise that you will live with her, in
sickness as well as health, and nourish, protect
and comfort her as your true and faithful wife ;
that you will be to her a true and faithful hus-
band; that you will not get drunk, and will
clothe yourselfand keep clean"
q So | will"
Never mind answering until get through
You promise to abstain totally from every kind
of drink that intoXicates, and treat this woman
kindly afiectionately, and love her as a husband
should love his welded wife. Now all of this,
will you. here before me as the servant of the
Most Hgh-here in the sight of God in Heaven,
most faithfully promise, i'll give you this woman
to be your welded wife !'
. Yes, I will"
'' And you, Matilda on your part, will you
promise the same, and be true wife to this
man 2''
| '' will try, SIR
& But do you promise all this faithfully ?"
Yes, sir, will"
" Then pronounce you man and wife.
Now, Thomas" says the new wife, after
had made out the certificate and given it to her
with an injunction to keep it safely now pa.
Mr.. Pease, and let us go home and break the bot
tie" Thomas felt first in the right hand pock