Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-09-15
Gge Storp Gelltr,
From the New York Tribune.
LIFE AT THE FIVE POINTS.
THE TWO PENNY MARRIAGE.

Why, you see we don't think it is right
for us to be living together this way any lon
ger, and we have been talking over the matter
to-day and you see
Yes, yes, i 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
1t, probably
No, Sir, we are not very drunk now, not
so drunk but what we can think, and we don't
think we are doing right--we 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 some
thing for u.s.
Read Can you read1 Do you read the
Bible!'
Well, not much lately, but we read the
newspapers, and sometimes we read something
good in them. How can we read the Bible
when we are drunk =
Do you think getting married will keep you
from getting drunkl'
Yes, for we are going to take the pledge
too, and we shall keep it, depend upon that
Suppose you take the pledge, try that first,
and if you can keep it until you wash some of
the dirt away, and get some clothes on, then l
will marry yOu.'
No; that won't do. | shall get to think
ing what poor, dirty, miserable wretch am,
and hour an, I;y;nrr NTH ,b;s ,,-ooor - =;
not a bad woman by nature, and then | will
drink, and then she will drink-oh, cursed
rum and what is to prevent ust But if we
were married, my wife would say, Thomas
she would not say Tom-you dirty BRUTE
don't be tempted and who knows but we
might be somebody yet-somebody that our
own mothers wouldn't be ashamed of
Here the woman, who had been silent and
rather meody, burst into a violent flood of
tears, crying, Mother, know not whether
she is alive or not, and dare not inquire but
if we were married and reformed, / would
make her happy once more.
could no longer stand the appeal said
Mr.. p, and determined to give them a trial
| have married good many poor, wretched-
looking 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 begrimmed with dirt. lie was by
trade bricklayer, and one of the best in the
city. She wore the last remains of a silk
bonnet, and something that might pass for an
ol1 - oh
emily without any under garments
And your name is Thomas-Thomas whatp
Elting, sir Thomas Eltng, a good true
name and true man, that is, shall be, if you
marry u.s.
well, well. | am going to marry you
Are you! There Mag, | told you SO.
Don't call me Mag. If am going 10 be
married, will be called by my right name,
the one 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 l tell the other. Yes,
will, and never will disgrace it. | don't
think should ever have been as bad if had
kept l.: That bad woman who first tempted
me to ruin, made me take false name. Il is
bad thing for girl to give up her name, un-
less for that of a good husband. Matilda Fra
ley. Nobody knows me by that name, in this
bad city,
Very well. Matilda and Thomas, take
each by the right hand, and look at me, for |
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.'
'Yes, sir
Marriage being one of God's holy Ordi-
nances, cannot be kept in sin, misery, filth and
Drunkenness. Thomas, will you take Matilda
TO be your lawful, true, only, welded wife 2
Yes sir
You promise that you will live with her,
in sickness as well as health, and nourish, pro-
tect and comfort her as your true and faithful
wife; that you will be to her true and faith.
ful husband that you will not get drunk, and
will clOthe yourself and keep clean
Never mind answering until get through.
You promise to abstain totally from every kind
of drink that intOxicates, and treat this woman
kindly, affectiOnately, and love her as hus-
band should love his welded wife. Now all
this, will you, here before me as the servant of
the Most High-here in the sight of God in
Heaven, most faithfully promise, if / give YOU
this woman to be your welded wife,
Yes, will
And you, Matilda, on your part, will you
promise the same, and be true wife to this
man .
q will try, SIR
But do you promise all this faithfully =
Yes, sir, will
Now, Thomas, says the new wife, after |
had made outthe certificate and given it to her,
with an injunction to keep it safely now pay
Mr.. Pease, and let US 60 home and break the
bottle Thomas felt first in the right hand
pocket, then the left, then back to the RIGHT.
then he examined the watch-fob.
GWhv where is II 4 saws she Won HI