New Orleans Republican., 1868-08-02
LOVE AND LITeRATUKE.
A Young Romeo and an Elderly JuIiet-
"A EeWsbay Of Fifteen Marrtes a Nid.
OvT Of ThlrtY-nves

/ OyT OF ThIrty-nvc. -
| From the Chicago Republican,
"Truth is stranger than fiction" SO sait
some one many years ago, and in the ut
terance of it he displayed an intimat
knowledge of human nature. An eroti
melodrama was enacted yesterday, "fo
this time onlyu at the office of Justic
Drandorff by whom
Two souls with but single thought,
| Two hearts that beat as one,n
were united in the holy bonds of wedlock
The drdnatiS persOnoe were Ellen Kelley
the heroine, a young widow of some thirty
| i've summers, and a gdnlip rejoicing in the
| cOgnomen of Thomas Mason, whose street
| S0briq,tet is at the present time unknown
70 fame, save among the newsboy frater-
nifty, of which he is an honored and esteem
ed member. When literature is dull he
| deVotes his time to "shine, sir; only Zen
cents p and when he couldn't get the dime
he would "black 'em for n0thin.n Finding
through bitter experience that the occupa-
tion Of selling ''papers" and giving
shines" were of very precarious charac.
ter, he looked around for something
better, and like 7. Wilkins Micawber.
waited patiently for something to
turn up" He had often read
of fortune hunters" those young men who
have no other ambition than to marry
wealth, with bride thrown in ito make il
more binding, you know" and he resolved
to be one Of them, and get his name handed
down to posterity as leading character in
cheap novel. Taking a survey of his cir
Gle of neighbors, bis mercenary eye lit Oh
the widow Kelley, or rsiher on the house
and lot which the departed Kelley willed
to her on bis exit from this mundane sphere.
Here was favorable opportunity to crafty
this ambition. Through the aid Of 4 mu-
tual friend he obtained an introduction 10
the buxom widow. He pressed his suit
with all the pertinaeity of tailor dunning
slow customer. The female "Bark4s was
willin,' though she often vowed she never
would marry him, as he was too young.
10 this he replied in language more forcible
than elegant, age amt nothln', blood'll
tell" At last the widow Yielded, and
consented to name the happy day. The
expectant groom yesterday morning hur-
ried to the county clerks Office for IL
cense, humming, as he journeyed thither,
" Lives there a man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said.
Woman! woman in hours of ease,
Uncertain, coy, and hard to please
When seen too oft, familiar with thy face,
We hrst endure then pity then embrace"
At respectful distance in the rear,
though near enough to keep sharp eye on
the movements of her future lord, walked
the widow, gaily eaparisoned. The or.
ange flowers were in her hair. The cam
els hair shawl was there in all It's oriental
| splendor, and the brida jewelry was the
most brilliant that could be obtained on
the board-"Take your choice for a dol
lar" After the permit was granted by
| General Saloman the pair wended their
way to the office Of Justice Drandorff,
whom the bride had chosen to perform the
| ceremony. This was exceedingly impress
sive. The crowd of professional iurymen
and others of elegant legal leisure who
are in the habit Of attending the Justice s
! Office, ceased their story telling and crowded
around the improvised altar TO witness the
action OF the blushing bride. To her it
| was an old story-a repetition she had
loved once before. The service differed
IN language somewhat from that she had
heard in the days of yore. She frequently
interrupted the justice, and remarked thai
it wasn't the same when she married the
late Kelley May the Lord be good tC
him now that he is in heaven"
When the Justice named the figure fol
splicing the knot, the bride became some,
what obstreperous as she deemed the
| price too exorbitant. ait isn't worth while
paying so much for so little. Indignantly
she marched off alone in her glory, leaving
the groom behind to settle the bill. He
| treated the matter rather contemptuously
and at the same time philosOpically. All
| l wanted was the house and lot, so be
| un11 Z L, 4
comes near me. II she raises a muss why
I'll get divorce With these remarks
he bowed himself out, terminating the
| scene