The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-09-22
MARRIED THREE TIMES IN ONE
NIGHT.

A friend of mine, who once lived in
Iowa, used to tell story of q wedding
that he witnessed, where the ceremony
was performed on the same couple
three times in one night. He was wan
dering through northern Iowa and
southern Minnesota, on a search for
timber lands and was accompanied by q
back-woods adventurer named Preston.
Near the line between Iowa and Min
nesota, they stopped few weeks at the
house of a settler named Jenkins. The
latter had buxon daughter, and was
we'll OFF for back-woodsman, and the
situation appeared decidedly favorable
to Preston. So he courted the daugh-
ter and was polite to the parents; the
result was that a wedding was arrang-
ed and all the Heighbors for ten miles
around were invited.
Jenkins was n liberal proVider, and
weddings were not q frequent thing in
his family. lie laid in half a barrel OF
whisky, and his wife and daughter
cooked enough for small army, so that
nobody should go away hungry. There
was a preacher in the neighborhood,
who had arrived there recently, and he
was invited to unite the pair. lie tied
the knot, and was rewarded by Preston,
who made q mess of the affair by drop
ping q couple of silver dollars into a
punch-bowl while trying to hand them
to the parson. The brides arm was
called into question to lift ont the cash,
which she did with all the skill of q ma
tive of Long Island fishing for "Dlue
Points" with pair of oyster tongs.
For the invited guests the serious
business of the evening began with the
supper that followed the wedding cere-
mony. Preston took his full share OF
punch and straight whisky before re-
firing to the bridal chamber, which was
reached by ladder through the floor
of the garnet. Mrs. Preston had been
taken there by the bridesmaids half al
hour earlier, and when the couple had
disappeared there was q fresh assault
upon the whisky. " 'lf
1t leaked out in the course of the
evening that the parson was not an or.
daincd preacher, but only one of those
ministerial fledglings who have beer
| 'licensed to eXhort," When old Jenk
ms heard the rImor he went for the ex
horter, and extracted from him the hor
rible fact that he was not really author
lied to unite couples in holy natrimony
but ae had officiated on that occasion
because he thought it was all right, anG
nobody would know the difference
jenkins few around like a boy with {
humble bee in his coat sleeve; he kick
ed the unhappy eKhorter out of doors
and went up the ladder like monkey
Ginning window-blind.
"Here you, get up, GET UT" he shout
cd "you amt married at all. Get VI
and come down this minute. Get vi
aud como down Quickp
The voice of Preston was heard Il
| 4 ont hok ha Nuau1IrtS nrak M 49,
that if his respected father-in-laW die
not clear out and mind his business h
would get his nose busted.
Jenkins explained the situation, and
the couple arose. In few minutes
they came down the ladder looking YER
sheepish, and the bride blushing like
red wagon. There was Justice Of tn
Peace in the party, and he performed
the ceremony, which, unfortunately 70
Preston, took his only remaining silve
dollar. There were more drinks ana
the couple again assembled the ladder t
their bridal apartments. Preston NUT
tered, as he climbed the ladder, that
he ever found that parson he woOlG
hurt his face SO that his friends coulI
not identify him without nlagnifyinl
glass.
OF course the party down stairs, win
were making @ night of 1t, talked owe
the peculiarities OF the wedding, AM
talk developed the fact that the Justic
of the Peace lived in Iowa, while tn
house of Jenkins was in Minnesota
jenkins was informed of the situation
and away he went once more for tn
ladder. He was louder in his tone
than before, and his first words me
. prompt answer from Preston.
SNOW look here, old mar" said Pres
ton, as he bounded out of bed, "ther
has been foohng enough around thi