Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1870-09-15
A queer Indiana Wedding
The Prayer Of a Disap-
= pointed Woman.
From the Kokomo Ind.) Tribune.

On Wednesday last wagon al
rived in this city from the neigh
borhood of Middle Fork, contain
ing the following persons Milton
Birely, an engineer in the saw
mill Of. a Mr., Morrison, and Mr.
and Mrs Donohue. the latter sis
ter Of Mr.. Birely. The object of
| the visit was to meet Miss Lizzie
Lanker, of Richmond, Ind, tt
whom Mr.. Birely was to be mar
ried. Having implicit confidence
in the sincerity and honor of Mis-.
Lanker, he went to the clerk, x
Wlnslow, proved the age Of Miss
L. and secured the license. The
party at the proper time went tc
the train, as they say, but failed
to see Miss Lanker.
Birely was not to lose wife in
this way, SO he proposed to Lucin
da Morrison and was accepted
He came down town, went to the
clerk again, returned the license,
and, upon the statement of him.
self, his sister, aud the sister of
his sweet Lucinda, he obtained a
new license. The party then
sought and found Rev. Mr.. Puck
EFT, New Light preacher, lately
removed here, who bound the
twain in the happy bonds of wed
lock. The entire party, happy as
SO many morning stars, especially
Milton and Lucinda, struck out
for MiGdle Ford.
But Lizzie Lanker had arrived
here from Richmond, and could
not understand why her Milton
was not here. She sought him,
but found him not. Lizzie was
going to see about it. She found
a wagon going to New London.
On this she took passage. At that
place she secured Mr.. Funk, a
churn-pedlar, to drive her to Mid
die Fork. She arrived at Dono-
hue's ten minutes after the other
party had reached that place
When she appeared in the door,
and Birely saw who she was, be
turned into something like pet
rified man. For a time he could
not move muscle but his eyes or
close his mouth.
Lizzie settled with Mr.. Funk
and then walked in. Milton re-
gained his senses and introduced
the visitor as his wife. Lizzie
took the matter more coolly at first
than could have been expected.
She talked kindly, heard and made
explanations, and said "Let US
pray" The entire party kDelt.
Miss Lanker, with trembling voice,
uttered the following prayer:
"Our Father who art in Heav-
en-, Thou who carest for Thy chill
dren, who lowest the fatherless,
the orphans and unprotected, have
pity on me. o give me power to
bear this affliction, this deep hu-
initiation. Have mercy on this
new wife. While | thank thee,
o God, for my deliverance from
such a tickle husband, from such
a pitiable creature, ! would ask
Thy blessing upon this poor wife.
Give her grace to bear the affilc-
tion of such a husband. Keep
him from drink, and may he be-
come better man. Watch over
me. Our Father, and preserve me
from ever again approaching SO
nearly to utter ruin. Give me
strength to return to my home,
and preserve my sex from such
men. . Hear me and keep me in
Thy love. Amen"
After this prayer, Lizzie, who
had appeared to be cool, showed
signs OF intense excitement, and
tainted. She was watched through
out the night, was kindly cared
for, but was not able, until after
two days, to return TO her home.
She left this city on Saturday for
Richmond.
Mrs. Birely has since been sick,
andis still in a dangerouscondition.
Milton Birely has now his fourth
wife, although he is not above
thirly-ive years old. He was in
town on. Monday, looking for a
situation. His wife's brother, in
whose employ he was, not being
pleased with the condition of
things, discharged him.
The above is not a fancy sketch,
but true, as we learn it from the
best authority.