Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-03-20
Odd Matches.

Aui'i thc varieties OF strange mar
riagcs, the palm of oddity must GER
tainly be conceded TO those from which
man has been excluded. One case of
tins sort came to light this very year,
when the Edinburgh police laid their
hands upon a young woman who was
wanted" from information supplied
by an Irish girl, whom the Young
masquerading female in question had
married, while employed as laborer
in the neighborhood of Kirknewtown.
The couple had lived happily together
for some time; but quarreliing over
some domestic matter. the wife re-
solved to part company, and informe;.
the police what manner of a husban d
she had married. a stranger story of
the same nature is told in the Gentle
mans Magazine tor 1866.
A discovery of very extraordinary
kind was made at Poplar, where
two women had lived together
thirtysiX years as man and wife, and
kept a public-house, without ever being
suspected. But the wife happening to
fall ill and die, few days before she
expired revealed the secret to her rel
atiyes, made her will, and left le2acies
70 the amount of half what she thought
they were worth. On appealing to the
pretended husband, she at first endeay-
ored to support her own character; but
being closely pressed, she at, length
owned the fact. accommodated all mat
ters amiably, put off the male a ad put
on the female character in wh ich she
appeared TO be 4 sensible. well-lrcd
woman, though in her male cheractc r
she had always affected the plain, plod-
ding ale house keeper. 1t is said they
had acquired in business three hundred
pounds. Both had been crossed in
love when young, and had chosen this
method TO avoid further opportunities.
The female widower afterwards prose-
cuted a man for exorting money from
her before the disclosure, by threaten
ing to proclaim her real sex and prov
ing her case, had the satisfaction of
hearing the offender sentenced to four
years imprisonm ent, and exposure in
the pillory.
In l777, woman was pilloried in
Cheap side and afterwards sent to Jail
for six months, for dressing herself in
male attire, and marrying three wo-
men, with whose clothes and money
she had decamped at the first opportu-
nifty. In 1873, another deceiver court
ed and welded An old woman, in hopes
Of gaining possession Of hundred
pounds; but instead of lingering the
money the woman-husband was intro
duced to the Lord-Mayor, by her cheat
ed spouse, and paid the penalty Of de.
lection.
The Rev. David Mackenzie relates
an instance of man getting married
dnintentionally. Some thirty years ago
a decent couple appeared in church 70
be married, after due proclamation of
the banns. They asked the clergyman
to wait bit; he waited for IN hour,
and then, at their request, proceeded
with the ceremony. He had thought
the delay arose from the absence of
some expected friend, but the truth
was, it was the bridegroom who had
failed toput in An appearance and his
brother. who brought the bride to
church, unwilling, as be Afterwards
said, "to 60 home, after coming 80 far
without doing some business, 60 a to
make sure of the young woman" had,
in all innocence welded her, himself,
- proxy for bis brothsr. How ths l.
dy and brothers arranged matters, he
reverend gentleman forgets to tell 10.
Another odd match i noticed BY