The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-09-29


not inquire but if we were married and
reformed, | would make her happy once
more"
" | could no longer stand the appeal y
said MIR. p, )" and determined to give
them trial. l have married good
many poor, wretched-looking couples,
but none that looked quite so much so
as this. The man was hatless and shoe
less, without coat or vest, with long hair
and beard grimed with dirt. He was
by trade a bricklayer, one of the best in
the city. She wore the last remains of
silk bonnet, and something that might
pass off for shoes, and an old, very old
dress, once rich merno, apparently
without any under garments"
" And your name iSThomas--Thomas
what :"
Elting, sir. Thomas Elting, good
and true name, and true man, that is,
shall be, if you marry us"
Well, well. | am going to marry
you"
"Are you' There, Mag, I told you
So"
" Don't call me Mag. If am going
to be married, | will have my right name,
the one that my mother gave me-"
Not Mag; Well, [ never knew
that"
"Now, Thomas, hold your tongue,
you talk too much. What is your
name -
Matilda. Must | tell the other !;
Yes, | will, and I will never disgrace it,
| don't think | should ever have been
as bad if l had kept it. That bad
woman who first tempted me to ruin,
made me take a false name. 1t is II
bad thing for girl to give up her name
unless for that of a good husband. Ma
tilda 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 l am now going to unite
you in the holy bonds of marriage by
Gods ordinance. DO you think you
are sufficiently sober to comprehend its
solemnity 2"
" Yes, SIR"
Marriage being one of Gods holy
ordinances, cannot be kept in sin, mis-
cry, filth, and drunkenness. Thomas,
will you take Matilda to be your lawful, ,
true, only, welded wife :"
" Yes, sir"
"You promise that you will live with
her, in sickness as we'll as in health
and nourish, protect and comfort hcI as
your true and faithful husband thai
you will not get drunk, and will cloth'
yourself and keep clean"
"Lo 1 will"
"Never mind answering until &c
through. You promise to abstain totally
from every kind of drink that intoxicate'
and treat this woman kindly, ,affectionate.
ly, and love her as husband should
love his welded wife. Now all Of this
will you, here before me as the servant
of the Most High-hcre in the sight Of
God in Heaven, most faithfully promise
if 1 give you this woman to be youl
welded wife ~
eyes, l will"
"And you, Matilda, on your part
will you promise the same, and be c
true wife to this man 2"
81 will try, sir"
But do you promise all this faith
fully"
I" Yes, sir, I will"
"Then pronounce you man ant
wife"
Now, Thomas" says the new wife
after | had made out the certificate an,
given it her with an injunction to keeI
it safely, "now pay Mr.. Peasc, and lc
us 90 home and break the bottle.
Thomas felt first in the right pocket
then in tho left, then back to the righ
then he examined the watch-fob.
"Why, where is it :" says sac, "yo
had two dollars this morning ~
eyes, l know it, but l have only 90
two cents this evening. There, MI
Fease, take them, it is all l have got il
the world what more can l give :"
Sure enough, what could he do more
l took them and prayed over them, tina
in parting with the last penny, thi
couple might have parted with vice,
wicked and foolish practice which ha
reduced them to such degree of po,
erty and wretchedness, that the monstc
power of rum could hardly send its VII
tins lower.
So Tom and Mag were TRANSFORM,
into Mr.. and Mrs. Elting, and havir
grown somewhat sober while in Il
house, seemed fully to understand the
new position, and all the obligations the
had taken upon themselves.