Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-09-11

l
have a sup before, tho work. ~ & Thank
you," said the District Attorney, glad of
any excuse for delay. for he found with
alarm that his memory was not near so
strong on the church services III he had
thoug ght. But he knew that it wouldn't
do at all to look embarrassed, so he drank
gracefully to the bride, and taking on q
grave. .ffown, he buttoned bis shirt at the
neck, and turned to the gaping Assem-.
blage.
"The friends will please gather in a
circle" While this was BENG done on
tip.toe, the District Attorney scowled i'm.
pressively. sThe gentleman and lady
about to be united in the holy bonds Of
matrimony will now please to stand up
the gentleman on the right and the lady
on the left-so. We will begin at your
convenience. madam"
This was addressed to the matern al
Brady, who, as if to add to the agony of
the purple bridegroom's position, had
thrown her arms about her daughters neck
and Get up a howl. The Generals lady
came to the rescue, aud drew of the fond
mother in the midst of her lamentations.
and soon tho fearfully constrained silence
was restored.
~Dearly.beloved brethern (hem) ~ be-
gan the District Attorney in q sepulchral
tone, "dearly. beloved brcthern:" :" he
paused again to blow bis nose and scowl
around at the Flatters, who looked guilty
-" Dearly beloved brethren, We are
gathered here in the sight Of God, and in
the face OF this company to-to-to-iu
fact 70 marry Mr.. Finnegan and Miss
Brady" The District Attorney cleared
his throat, and seemed to challenge con.
tradic'ion. ~This is commanded of St.
Paul to be honorable among all men,"
Here the Attorney looked solemnly around
again. One or two Of the Flatters nodded
assent, and Lanky Tom went go far as to
murmar, i" You bot, yer:" "And thcre-
FORE" continued Brown, "is not to be
entered into slightly, but reverently, dis
creetly. advisedly, soberly, and in tho fear
Of God, the laws of California
The District Attorney, began in the mess
again, had recourse to his pocket handker.
chief. The Flatters improved the oppor.
tunity to relieve themselves by changing
their positions and sighing. Mr.. Finnegaa
also drew out colored handkerchief to
mop his brow, and the bride accepted q
sip from the tumbler offered by the gallant
General. Old Brady still smiled stupidity
behind the bur and nodded .pprovingly.
"7As l have saii;" resumed the Attorney
desperately, "it should not be entered
into lightly, but reverently, discreetly, end
-and-iu short, Miss Brady, wilt thou
have this man to 10 thy welded hus-
bands"
Miss Brady, after an anxious look at the
Generals lady, murmured that she would.
"And you, Mr.. Finnsgan-wilt thou
have this woman to be thy welded
wife2''
"Ay," said MIR. Finnegan, stoutly.
Again the District Attorney was hope
lessly stuck. He scrowled and pulled out
bis handkerchief once moro.
"And SO you both say you will, do
you !" Brown asked this as if clinching
some damaging admission of witness.
"Yis, SUR" said Mr.. Finnegan, with
tho air of standing by his colors at all
hazards.
"You do 2"
"Yis, we do" Mr.. Finnegan. was
becoming nettled. There was no tine to
lose.
Then hold up your hands. You,
Michael Finnegan, and you, Mary Brady,
do solemnly swear that you tell the whole
truth, nothing but the truth, and the truth
only, so help you God 2"
"Yis," gasped Mr.. Finnegan.
Then, according to the laws of Cali.
forn'a and the United States, l pronounce
you man and wife. And" added the
District Attorney, with his eyes rolled up
-" What God hath joined let no man put
| asunder-amenw
NO calm or dec0rOus pen Can describe
the extravagances Of congratulation that
followed this impressive ceremony. Mr..
Brady half an hour afterward was carried
Upstairs, and forty minutes later the BRIDE
groom was also borne to his chamber in.
sensible. After these to.be.expected pre-.
liminaries the company settled down. to
solid enjoyment. Ia threo hours after the
retirement of the bride, every liable was q
root to at least one deeply slumbering
F1atter. BY midnight only party Of four
had MT suocumbed. Their employment
was poker. General Hardinge and One.
eyed Jim for ris-a- vis, and the District
Attorney sat opposite Lanky Tom. They
were playing with that selt.possessel ex.
citement and quick eyed eageruess belong
ing to old poker devotees.
"Bet an ounce" said the General, In the
professional low tone, and reaching over
70 snuff the candle.
"i'm out" said the District Attorney, so
softly Us scarcely to Re heard above the
snores and gasps Of the sleepers, who
covered the door.
"So'm l." said Lanky Tom, giving q
sharp little kick to I. gentleman on whom
he was warming his feet for moving.
| "See your ounce and rase it two;" said
One.eyed Jim.
"Five better" qucth the General.
"See it-call"
"Four Kings"
"You stole 'em," said One-eyed Jim,
drawing bis revolver and putting bis hand
on the rile of gold.
"You lie," answered he General, and
shot him through tho head.
1t was done before poor One.eyed Jim
could raise his pistol, and as the Gen..
er!l would in all probability have been
killed himself but for his promptness, no
body Can blame him. Whether or not he
stole the kings is another and irrelevant
question.
This was the view taken of it by the
Flat next morning, and as public mani
testation Of confidence in the purity of the
GeneraPs motives, every Flatter felt it
his duty to ask the General to drink. And
then, POOR One.eyed Jim had not been u
tavorite at the Flat. Ills profession hay.
ing been poker, many Of tho FIatters re
called sundry losses ard had their private
belief ia IN over-ruling Providence
strengthened.
But there was nothing mean about the
hlat. IL cheer(ully voted a holiday to
bury Onc-eyed Jim. The District Attor.
ney was again pressed into the service as
Master Of the Ceremonies. A purty wus
detailed to dig the grave in an old claim
that had onco been the property Of tho d.
ceased.
One-syed Jim, in life, had u habit Of
cursing this possession as the means of
driving him to poker, for he had never
seen the color in It after months of pu,ient
working. Another party knocked up u
roug h coffin for tho body, and then, utter
. solemn drink all round, the funeral