Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-03-27

YOUTHFUL MARRIAGEs.-How they are
managed In New York.-Burleigh, who Is a
clergyman and not "statesman," writes from
New York to the Boston Journal that early
marriages are the fashion of the day. Boys
from sixteen to eighteen appear in our courts
with writ Of hdbeas corpus to get possession of
a child wife. Signals hang out from fashion
able boarding schools, which the initiated un-
derstand. Our first-class hotels are kept In q
state Of alarm over missing maidiens who run
of with lads. No punishment, no license. and
no certificate are necessary to make valid a
marriage. Though divorce Is difficult thing
in New York State, the pathway TO matrimopy
is as broad as the gate is wide as that 4oad
that leads to destruction. Any priest, magis-
trate, or justice can marry party, whether any
Of them reside In the State or not. Marriage is
a civil contract, and II entered into by the par
ties in the presence Of witnesses 1t is as valid
and binding as If performed by the Rabbi at
Jerusalem or the Holy Father at Rome.
Just outside Of Brooklyn is a beautiful sub
urb known as Bay Ridge. One would travel
thousands OF miles without finding prettier
spot. 1t lies Oh u high eminence overlooking
New York Bay, and is occupied by the elegant
dwellings of the merchant princes Of our city.
The place has been stirred to its profoundest
depths by wedding that had just come off,
The parties belong to aristocratic households,
and their ages are eighteen and seventeen. The
firing. He walks regul irly to school with his
books under one arm and his luncheon under
the other, in a tin box. He bears as little ap-
peartnce Of young man matrimonially incliE-
ed as a cosset grazing on the hillside.
The intimacy between the two was not pleas
ant to the young lady's family, and she was for
hidden to keep company with her ador,r. This
only intensified matters, and led To cadestine
meetings. The young lady was sent to Europe.
The father of the young man, who tayo. ed the
match, sent his boy abroad on the steamer that
sailed the day after. When the young lady
and her family reached the dock at Liverpool,
the first sight they saw was the form of the ten
acious young man awaiting the arrival of the
party. His vessel was the swifter, and reached
Liverpool first. He quietly but persistently fol-
lowed the company through their continen tai
wanderings.
He was always bound to the same place
was ready at the exact time-never missed a
train, nor was late. He not only went il the
same train, but when he could bride the guard
got into the same compartment, lodged IN the
same hotel had seat at the same table, and
by an adrolt feeling of the steward had his tea
and toasts en- fdnile.
lie was ignored and snubbed, and treated
with disdain; but all to no purpose. He stood
against the car door when the train stopped
The family FASTENED back, and the young man.
nothing 10th, followed. The claDdestine inter
views were renewed and the family gave at
last their consent to the marriage. The an
nouncement contained the oininous words,
mo cards." The child wife followed the boy
husband to his home. The youngster has left
school and given up snow-balling, and the par
| Ties will soon settle down to the sober business
| OF housekeeping, The mischief is it is conta-
gious, and rumor has it that half dozen yonng
ladies' are locked up in their chambers to keep
them from an eopement