The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1874-01-24
The Jolliest Wedding Ever Known in
Nicola, Iowa.

From the Council Bluffs Nonparei
NEoLA, Dec. 17.-Last night a party drove
up, assembled in the parlor of the hotel, and
sent for the landlord. They had come i'll
from the prairie, and were in search of an
official TO tie the knot that should make
them one and inseparable forever. was
invited to witness the ceremony, and ascend
ing to the parlor, found the expectant
bridegroom, man about forty years of age,
and fair and blushing damsel of sweet
sixteen, waiting impatiently the arrival of
the parson. For some reason no preacher
could be found, and they were obliged to
fall back on young fellow, newly-elected
justice of the peace, who had never before
officiated at a ceremony of this kind. He
was very nervous at the idea of having to
perform the ceremony, and brought with
him copy of "Every Man His Own Law
YER" through which he looked for the
desired form. Not finding any, and the
crowd growing impatient, he told the couple
to stand up and hold up their right hands.
This done, he pronounced the following
charge: You, and each of you, do solemnly
swear that i'll the cause now upon hearing,
you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth, and that you win
love, honor, cherish and obey each other
help you God.'' Both answered solelnnly IT
will" Then the justice charged them a
dollar each, and pronounced them man and
wife.
One of the friends then procured a jug of
whisky from their Sleigh and proceeded to
compound a punch, of which the whole
party drank freely, and then had dance.
As they could find no music, their efforts
were principally confined TO jigs and break
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 pinehed her feet. The girls
of tile party took her off to her chamber,
and soon disrobed her, and announced to
the young men that every thing was ready.
All repaired to the bridal chamber, where
the face of the new made bride was sweetly
reposing on the pillow. After the perpetra-
tion of the customary jokes, the young
fellows intimated to the bridegroom that
they proposed to divest him of his wearing
apparel and put him by the side of his wife.
He objected, and then scuffie commenced.
| The bridegroom was as strong as an OK, and
getting angry, he blackened one fellows S
| eye and tore another ones coat off his
back. In the turmoil, the whole party got
out of the room, and went to Il saloon close
by, and took drink. In spite of all per-
sausions the newly married man declared
| that he was not going to let them take of
his clothes. His friends then got rope,
and making a moose, slipped it over his
head, and tried to drag him up stairs.
| They nearly choked him to death, when the
doctor interfered and cut the rope. They
then fastened it to his legs, and in trying to
drag him up stairs broke a lounge and tore
down half the banisters.
Finding that they could not get him VI
stairs, they went up to see if they could
not make the bride get up and come down
But she had locked the door and would no
let the crowd in. Some of them got {
hammer and nails, and getting ladder, pu
it upon the outside of the house, climbed
into the BRIDES apartment and nailed up th'
door firmly, saying il the bridegroom wonlt
not let them put him to bed he should no
get into the room anyhow. They hid the
ladder and went off. The happy mai
finding the way clear, walked quietly to hi
room and attempted to enter. He coult
not get in, and he shouted, My dear opel
the door!' She informed him that it wa
nailed up. He then tried to kick it open
when the landlord interfered and told hin
lie was not going to have his furniture an
his house ruined in that way. He went Oh
and tried to find the ladder, but could no
do it. At last some one remembered that
lightning rod man had some ladders at th
other barn, and so down the newly marie
soul fastened He secured a ladder and q
$50 in the morning succeeded in joinin
! his bride in the room above. This mornin
the party returned home, declaring tha
they had the jolliest wedding ever know
in Nicola.
| d