The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-11-22
The Balloon wedding.

united states, yesteTuAy htlWo CLOCK In the
afternoon, caused great crowd to assemble
in the large enclosure from whence the bri-
dal party were to take their departure from
this terrestrial sphere. About three thous-
and persons, more than half Of whom were
women, were congregated around the balloon
at the corner OF Sixth Avenue and Fifty
ninth street, while probably as many more
occupied positions on the roofs of buildings
and lofty rocks which overlooked the enclo-
sure. ~...
THE BRIDAL CAR.
At one end Of the raised platform over
which the partially distended balloon oscil-
ated fitfully in the strong gale, was erected
q pretty gate Of woven cvergreens, bearing
the motto, Ever Thus" through which the
bridal party were to pass to the balloon
The bridal car was very handsome, the out
side being covered with gold and crimson
damask, and the inside cushioned round
with pale green silk, with capacity for
four voyagers. The car was also elegantly
tented with pink silk. bordered round with
dropping festoons Of lace Of bridal white.
THE PARTIES CONCERNED.
Miss Mary West jenkins, late Of St. Louis
Missouri was the blushing bride; Professor
John W. Boynton, NJ. D., Of Syracuse, New
York, was the happy and eccentric man.
They had been engaged for some time, aud
according to advertisement, it was expected
that they would be accompanied by the Rev.
F. Dewitt Talmadge Of Philadelphia, to the
pure, untrammeled realms Of space, and
there united in the holy bonds Of wedlock
with the eternal stars for witnesses, and the
sun and moon for groomsman and brides
maid. the fires of sunset for their hymeneal
fnw ~ he h1nn cu, . has, I.
mestic sphere, OF course there was poetical
novelty enough to attract throngs of sight
seers who, however, were compelled to wait
two dreary hours in the cold open air, keep
ing their hands and feet from freezing by
the incessant applause and clamoring for the
spectacle to commence, as they had paid
their admittance fee in good faith.
ARRIVAL or THE BRIDAL PARTY.
Owing to the accident which had taken
place At the Manhattan Gas Works, Professor
Lowe was compelled to make his own gas,
which occasioned considerable delay, but
about four o'clock, the balloon was ready for
her voyage, and soon after, q carriage con-
tanning the bridal party, drove into the
deep enclosure, from the Fifth avenue side
amid roars of laughter from the people, and
deafening cries If ..Hi Hir' "lIere they
come" Il see the bride!" ..Look at the old
man !" and similar expressions. A moment
after two little girls. half-clad in white mus
lin and cheap spangles, and shivering with
the cold, sprang from the first carriage, and
scattered flowers along the platform, which
was now densely crowded with spectators,
whom the police, with all their efforts were
hardly able to keep back from the narrow
path which had been cleared for the passage
Of the brid4l party, consisting Of the bride
and bridegroom, the two daughters Of the
latter. and the sister Of the former, with q
few other friends.
THE BRIDE AND BRIDEGROOM.
Soon after the arrival Of the party, it was
given out that the marriage ceremony had
taken place few hours before at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel, and that the only legal cere-
mony to be performed on high, would be the
signing Of the marriage contract. The rea-
son given for this change Of programme was
that the clergj man Of the occasion had to
return to Philadelphia by the next train !:
but the actual reason probably was that the
reverend gentleman, accustomed to ope-
rate solely in this mundane sphere, had
backed out at the eleventh hour, and tied
the knot in the manner with which we grow
cling mortals are usually contented.
(which is the gal what's to be yoked -
asked q vuloar falIn-~ =. our elbow. .That
IS the bride" was replied instinctlvely, in
dicating beautiful woman of about FIVE
and twenty, who had just alighted from the
carriage
She was tall and comely, with bright, dark
eyes, and a somewhat nervous smile about
her pretty lips, as she passed through the
throngs with step-daughter hardly young
er than herself, on either side. She was
dressed in plain but elegant travelling
dress of dove-colored silk her rich dark
hair was modestly disposed beneath an ele-
CANT bonnet Of the latest style, and she kept
her eyes cast down as if sad and detected.
The ..happy man" was a large, portly gen.
tleman, about double the age of his new
wife The latter looked pretty and sweet
as she was lifted into the gay cabin Of the
air-ship; but rs the husband stepped over
the edge Of the car, there was pitiless
laugh from the crowd, as though he had
made that one step from the sublime to the
ridiculous, Of which the poet speaks. Ow-
possible for Miss Lula Boynton to accompa.
nv her father and step-mother, as was orig
inally intended. Her place was therefore
occupied by little sister Of the bride
Professor Lowe then stepped in and all was
in readiness.
The ballast was N board. dozen men
were clinging to the unsteady car to keep it
down.
.Giye US one good swing boys, and then
let us sail " cried Professor Love- The
next moment there was a strong puff-a
Tapping sound like that Of wings in motion
the crowd below caught one more glimpse
Of the pale-cheeked bride with the nervous
smile on her lips, and then the air-ship was
afloat and rising slowly on her heayenward
way. She rose but slowly, however. The
Professor emptied sand-bag just in time
to clear the caves of the little house at one
corner Of the enclosure. As it was, the
car came squarely in contact with the flag
staff on the roof; but the slender mast bent
like willow wand, and the next moment
they were clear and rising rapidly. with the
Professor waving his hat triumphantly over
the side of the car.
THE BRIDAL VOYAGE
was happy success, and is thus described
by one Of the yoyagers, who Is evidently Of
poetic turn:
1t was not near rs cold as we thought it
would be. Immediately after clearing the
walls OF the enclosure, the balloon seemed to
become perfectly motionless, and the world
SAM from beneath our feet like a pcopled
dream. The city was spread below us like
map with its hundred spires and myriad
easements cleaning in the last fash Of sun
set, which flooded the west with pallid gold
with here and there an island Of white cloud.
For moment we seemed to be perfectly
motionless, and then BY watching the Gem
trail Park directly beneath us, we saw that
we were moving rapidly toward the North.
Our nervousness was quickly gone, and