The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-09-27
Misffllanf0n5.
From the Nsw York Tribune.
LIFE AT THE FIVE POINTS.
THE TWo-PENNY MARRIAGE.

"Mr. Pease, we want to be married. .
aWant to be married what lor!
"Why YOU see, We don't think it is right for
us to be living together this way any longer, aud
we have been talking over the matter to day,
and you see------- ...
ayes, YES see you have been talking over
the matter over the bottle and have come to
sort of drunken conclusion to get married.
When YOU get sober YOU will both repent 1T,
probably" .... ..-
No, sir, We are not very drunk now, not so
drunk but what we can thuk, 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 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
Bbe?"
aWeI not much lately, but we read the news
papers and sometimes we read something gooi
in them. How can we read the Bible when we
are drunk
"Do YOU think getting married will keep YOU
from getting drunk"
Yes, for we are going to sign the pledge too,
and we shall keep it, depend upon that
Suppose you take the pledge and try that
first, and if you can keep it till you can wash
some Of the dirt away, and get some clothes on,
then will marry YOU"
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 Il
bad woman by nature, and then will drink
oh, cursed !-aud what is to prevent MS! But
if we were married, my wife, YES, Mr.. Pe;.sc, my
wife would say, 'Thonas-she would say 'Iuln-
YOU dirty brute, don't be tempted; and who
knows but we might be somebody yet that our
own mother would not be ashamed Of"
Here the woman, who had been silent aud
n her mo ,dy, bu st into violent fo ,d Of tears,
cryi M 1ther, mother, know not whethershc
is alive or not and dare not inl uirc but if We
w.re married and reformed, would make her
r. happy once more" :, -,
II could no longer stand the appeal" said
Mr.. p, "and determined to give them trial. l
have married good many poor, wrc,ched look
inc couples, but none that looked quite so much
so as this The man was hatless and shoclcSS
without c.,at or vest, with long hair and beard
rrned with dirt lie was by trade a brickay-
er, one Of the best in the city. She wore the
last remains Of silk bonnet, and something that
,nioht pass for shoes, and an old, very Old dress
once rich merino, apparently without any un-
der garments"
"Aud your name is Thomas Thomas what!'
"Eting, sir. Thomas Elting, agood true na'''e
and true man, that is, shall be if you marry US"
"Wcll, we'll | am going to marry you."
care YOU! There, Mag, told you So"
%Dou't call me Mag. If l am going to be
married, will be my right name, the one my
mother gave me-"
Not Mag? Well, l never knew that "
"Now, Thomas, hold your tongue, yoa talk
too much"
"What is your name"
"Matilda. Must tell the other? Yes, will.
and never will disgrace it. | don't think |
should ever been SO bad if had kcptit. That
bad woman who first tempted me to ruin, made
the take a false name. 1t is a bad thing for a
girl to give up her name, unless for that of a
good husband Matilda Fralcy. 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 solemnty:"
YES, sir"
"Marrlage being one OF God holy ordinances,
cannot be kept in sin, misery, filth and drunken
ness. Thomas, will you take Matilda to be your
lawful, true, only welded wife,"
ayes, sir"
"You promise that you will live with her, i'll
sickness rs well as health and nouriSh, protect
and comfort her rs your true and faithful wife !;
that YOU will be to her a true and faithful IuS-
band; that you will not get drunk, and will
ciothe yourself and keep cleau."
$50 will"
Never mind answering until get through.
You, promise to abstain totally from every kind
of drink that intoxicatcs, and treat this woman
kindly, affcctionatcly, and love her as husband
should love his welded wife. Now all OF tins,
will you, here before me as the servant OF the
Most High-hcre IN the sight of God III llea-
ven, most faithfully promise. if give you this
woman to be your welded wife"
ayes, wi'
"And you, Matilda, on your part, will yon
promise the same, and be a true wife to this
man."
81 will try, sir"
';But dc yon promise all this fathfully?'
"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 safc y-"now pay
Mr.. pease, and let us 60 home aud break the