The Republican journal., 1871-11-09
A Chicago Marriage.


Tribune gives the following description Of
a marriage in the suburbs of the burned
city, between parties who had lost ali THEFT
worldly possessions by the great conlla-
grafton.
50, when it was whispered
about that sweet Minnie t, a relative
of our host, and who was to have been
married according to the strctest sect of
the fashionables, if Superior street had
not been burned, would really carry out
her intention and take the holy vows on the
18th, the house was in state of the wild
est excitement. How could they get
license how find a clergyman? The
trousseau was burned the intended guests
were burned out; the caterers and florists
had neither flowers nor TODD How could
a fashionable young lady make up her
mind to be married without these things ?
But she did And what was more, being
a girl OF exceeding sweetness and woman
illness, she did not seem to care a whit
about her lost splendors Thursday
came, and with it a tremendous sweeping
and busting Of the house Of refuge; for
/ let me tell you that u running fire of run
ming guests does not leave a house swept
and garnished, but quite the contrary A
license had been obtained, and Minnie's
own burned out clergyman had come to
marry her; but what should be done for
decorations? The large house parlor had
never been furnished, and there was not
even mantelpece in the room. But it
seemed as if the fire had developed as
much feminine ingenuity as it had de-
stroyed feminine property. Theodore
Winthrop said that if the order had been
given in the 9TH New York Regiment.
'Poets 20 the 'FRONT.' goodly company
would have answered to the call, and SO
now a call for decorators Of burned prop
erty brought 4 perfect rush of talent to
the rescue. In the unsightlY chimney
hole was placed an inverted soap-box,
covered with 4 crimson cloth. On this
sat q tall slop-iar, cribbed from bed
room, filled with lovely crimson and
green autumn leaves. To be sure q slop-
jar is not per SC a handsome ornament
but then some refugee had left magnili-
cent stag's head and antlers, which, set
up in front OF the Objectionable crockery,
left nothing to be desired. A white era
tat, lost BY some CITY exquisite who prob
ably found it was impossible to save both
that and his neck, tied more autumn
leaves into true lovers knot Of colossal
size, and hung high in the pier. Branch
es OF richest color filled all sorts of inches
and corners, and the room was declared
magnificent. Some one, however, sug-
geSted that there was no sort of table OF
altar for the minister's use. But fortune
tavors the brave; q pair Of library steps
was produced from somewhere, and a
sheet pinned around them. Another
treasure trovc was a scarlet cross in il
Illuminated work with the motto, ''Cast
thy care upon Him, for lie careth fol
thee Our little white altar, with this
pinned TO the front face and surmounted
by big Bible and praver-book, made .
very canonicai appearance indeed. Their
the room was ready and we had q re-
hearsal But alas what bride and
groom of the present day could kneel on
Il bare floor and get up again gracefully
In vain blocks Of wood, boxes and books
were tried-one was too high, another
too low. At last bright thought came
carriage cushions, For it must be said
that in burned Chicago now there arc
forty carriages and pairs of horses to one
house, rs these first We're mostly saved
so that beggars ride where begLars neyel
rode before. -Four cushions were brought
from the barn, and an Afghan convertet
into a lovely hassock. As 1t is Cor was)
impossible in these days 10 haye a we'd
ding without showing tho presents, 4
vine-Wreathed table in one corner held a
most elaborate display. A beautiful
lewel-case contained Whay was set forth
as the bridegroom's gift-a set Of eX-
quisite pearls, which you had to look at
very nearly to discover that they were
moulded from fine white ravelings of cot
ton cloth. Other cases contained sets OF
pickle forks, preserve-spoon5, and SC
FORTH cut out in paSteboari, with mould
ings and monograms. in lead pencil.
Valuable jewelry was plenty, only untor-
tunatety the lava earrings had been dug
out once too often, and the canoes looked
very black and queer round thei edges.
A pewter tablespoon, a German silver
fork and some valuable aids to hOusekeep-
ing in the broom and dust-pan line, com
pletea the array, which certainly was
unique, and interested the spectators much
more than the usual show But when it
came to dressing the bride, serions diff
culties occurred. Her wedding dress and
veil had never come home from Field Il
Letters. Never mind, she had 4 white
cambriG morning-dress, which, looped
over a nice pettlcoat would make her
slender figure look lovely, and her married
sister had saved her own wedding-veiI.
Some simple white flowers from neigh
bor's yard took the place OF orange bios
sons, and q set of pearls was borrowed
from q friend who had brought them out
Of the fire in her hands AS for stockings
handkerchiets, etc, the various guests
provided those from among them. 50 the
pretty bride looked, after all, as sweet as
a rose, and the iong-i;tid-twuy tulio eli
became her soft fair locks to a charm
The groom was dressed in borrowed
clothes from head to foot, as was the first
bridesmaid, while the brother who gave
away the bride complained that he, being
five feet nine, was obliged to borrow the
dress suit of q man who stood six feet six
in his stockings, and that consequently,
when he stepped forward to perform his
brotherly duty he was obliged to take u
rect in his habiliments to prevent falling
over on his nose. At last all was ready.
| wonder if Just such an assemblage ever
met together at a wedding before. There
were about forty guests, all but one OF
whom had been driven from their houses
by the actual presence of tire-the bride
and groom had FASTENED their wedding so
as to 60 away together among friends
who could shelter and help them. The
minister who married them had promised
his congregation that he would stay among
them and work with his hands if neces-
sary, being berett of all he had in the
world. And this was all that was left OF
one Of the richest congregations in the
richest city Of the West! But never have
| seen, among rich or poor, a sweeter and
more holy-seeming wedding; and when,
after solemn words were said, the congre-
CATION, at a sign from the minister, drop
ped on their knees and offered a solemn
thanksgiving to the Almighty for their
preservation through the horrors OF the
last few dreadful days, broken voices and
tender and heartfelt tones attested the
reality of the service. And so the warm
biscuit and cold water that stood for we'd
ding cake and wine were partaken of,
with a plentiful seasoning of cheerful
words and even jests, and all felt that to
be poor in such good company robbed
ruin OF half its sting.