The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-08-20
An Illinois weddine-Lively soenes,

An Illinois Wedding-Lively Scenes.
Cole, the artist, has just returned from
trip down the Peoria. Pekin and Jack
sonville Railroad, and while stopping at
Forest City he witnessed rural wed
ding, which quite throws into the shade
anything Of the kind we have ever heard.
While at the hotel, in the evening,
party drove up. and, assembling in the
parlor, sent for the landlord. They had
come from the prairie, and were in
search of IN official to tie the knot that
should make them one md inseparable
forevermore. Cole wns invited to wit
ness the ceremony, and ascending to the
parlor found the expected bridegroom, q
man about forty years Of age, and fair
and blushing damuel of twenty, waiting
impatiently the arrival of the pnrson.
For some reason, no minister conld be
found, and they were obliged to fall
back upon young fellow newly elected
justice of the peace, and who had
never before ofliciated at ceremony of
this kind. he was very nervous OF the
idea of having to perform the ceremony,
and had brought with him a copy Of
"Every Man His Own Lawyer" and
"Haines' Township Lava" through
which he searched for desired form.
Not finding one, and the crowd growing
Impatient. he told tho couple to stand
up before him and hold up their right
hands. This done, lie pronounced the
TO lowing unique charge:
lyon and each of you do solemnly
swear that in the cause now upon hear
ing you will tell the truth, the whole
t.uth, and nothing but the truth, md
tlat you will love, honor, cherish and
obey each other during the term OF your
natural lives: So help you God"
Both answered solemnly, II will"
and then the justice charged them dol.
lar each, and pronounced them man and
wife. One Of the friends then produced
Jug of whiskey from their wagon and
proceeded to compound q punch, of
which the whole crowd drank freely and
had dance. AS they could fnd no
music. their efforts were principally con-
fined to jgs and brcak-downs. At last,
the party concluded to put the happy
couple to bed. The bride was willing to
go, because she said she was tired and
her shoes pinched her fent. The girls OF
the party took her off to her chamber
and disrobed her, and announced to the
young man that everything was ready.
All repaired to the bridal chamber, where
eno AnSo " Iuo uoW-mhu6 UIlue WAS
sweetly reposing on the pillow. After
romp and the perpetration of the Gus.
tomary jokes, the young fellows init.
mated to the bridegroom that they pro.
posed to divest him OF his wearing ap-
paFei, and put him by the side Of his
wife. BE demurred. and then scnffle
ensued. The bridegroom was as strong
as an OK, and getting angry he blackened
one fellows eye. and tore another ones
cont off his back. In the turmoil, the
whole party got out OF the room, tum-
b!ed down stairs. and brought up in the
bar.room, where, good order being re-
stored, everybody took drink. In spite
OF oil persuasions, the newly married
man declared he wasn't going to let them
take off his clothes. His comrades then
got rope, and making moose slipped
it over his head and tried to drag him mp
stairs. They nearly chol1ed him to
death, when the landlord interfered and
cut the cord. Then they fastened it to
his leg, and in trying to drag him up
stairs broke lounge, tore down o hand