The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-10-17
A RICH MARRIAGE CEREMONY.

The following. desert ption of a marriage in
Illinois by newlJ-appointed Justice of the
Peace, who is something of wag, is taken GER
6atina from a.letter written by him. He says
'Having been appointed to the "posish" of
Justice of the Peace, [ was accosted, on the 9th
day of July, by sleek looking young man, aud,
IN silvery tones requested to proceed to neigh
boring hotel; as he wished to enter into the holy
bands of ustrimony. Here was "squelcher."
had never done anything of the kind; had no
books or forms; yet | was determined to do
things up strong, aud in legal manner. So l
proceeded to the hotel, bearing in my arms one
copy of The Revised Statutes, one ditto Web
ster's Unabridged Dictionary, .one copy large
n size Bible, small copy of the Greed and Ar
ticles Of Faith of the Congregational Church,
one copy of Pope's Essay on Man, and a sec
tional part of the map where the victims lived
Having placed table in the middle of the room
and seated myself behind it, |, 10 trumpet tones,
called the With that the young man and
woman, with great alacrity, stepped up before
me. Having sworn them on the dictionary to
answer well and truly all the questions. | was
about to ask l proceeded l told the young
man that, being almost entire stranger, l
should have to ask him to give bail for the cost.
Having heard this frequently in Court, /
thought it indispensable. He answered, If
meant the fee for performing the ceremony, he
would deposit it thep and there. AS | did not
know exactly what did mean, I mag unanimous
ly waived that portion of the ceremony then
told him it would De necessary to give bail to
keep the peace This he said he was willing to
do when he arrived at home, and l waived that
point also.
Having established to my satisfaction tina,
they wanted to get married, and that they were
old enough TIC enter into that blessed state,
proceeded to tie the knot. | asked him if he
was willing to take that woman to be his wife
lie said he was. | told him did not require
haste in the answer; that he might reflect few
minutes, if be wished. l told him she looked
like fine girl, and | had no doubt she was, bu'
if the sequel proved that he had been taken in
/ Gid not wish to bear the blame. | said be
must love, honor and obey her, as long as she
lived. He must not be "snappy" around the
house, spit tobacco juice the floor, all OF
which he promised to heed.
"Now," said l, "Goorgiana," (her name was
Georgiana,) "you hear what Humphrey says
Do you accept the invitation to become his
wife; will you be lenient towards his faults, and
cherish his virtues; will you never be guilty OF
throwing furniture at his head for slight often
ces, and will you get three meals day without
grumbling?" She said she would. | asked
them if they believed in the commandments
aid they said they did Having read the Greco
and articles of faith as aforesaid, l exclaimed
"Humphrey, take her; she is yours; l cannot
withhold my consent. Georglaua, when safe
in the arms of your Humphrey, you can defy
the SCOTS and jeers Of the world"
[ read a little from the .sEssay on Man" in
Gliding that passage, ,"Man wants but little
here below, but wants that little long" As
finale to the scene, l delivered the following
exordium: Go in peace, and sin no more"
Then generous Humphrey having placed a
fifty check in my unwilling palm, 1 babe
thehappy pair final adieu