The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-03-02
Il CURIOUS UIELs

About twenty years ago there lived in
Central Michigan "a curious old benedict
named DOdswurth. AT the age OF nifty
he married girl of twenty aud when the
burden of sixty Yeas bore him down his
wife was only half his age. Dodsworth
was noted for his peculiarities. but the
climax came when he found himself on his
dying bed. lie was worth about $50, 600,
aud he hadn't blood relative living, 50
far as he knew. He wanted to leave his
property to his wife, as tire pair had lived
very happily, but yet he could not leave 1t
without displaying some oi his peculiarities
in the provisions OF the will. Some old
men display mean spirit when making
their wills and daft IN a provision cutting
the wife oft with shilling it she marries
again. This old man wasn't of that stamp.
His young wife good looking. viva
cious, foud OF society and it was folly to
suppose she would mourn for her late de-
pared" any great length Of time. There
fore Mr.. Dodsworth turned heel on the
usual cust ON and said in his will
''ln case my wife Celia does not take
unto herself another husband within thir-
teen months FROM date of my burial all be-
quests otherwise made IN this will to
revert to the state of Michigan. to be used
for building and furnishing home for old
women"
Whether Celia was pleased or displeased
at this provision drppueut saith not, but
the old man bad not been under the sod
more than six mouths when the widow was
aid 10 be looking out for another man.
If 1t was singular for the dying DodSworth
to urge his wife To marry again it was still
more singular that he should desire her
ceremony to be performed under the fol-
lowing circumstances, VIZ:
And il is made incum bent on said Celia
DodswoIlh that in takiug new husband
the marriage ceremony shall he performed
III the big barn on my farm, on the H
road. 1t shall take place at ten o'clock IN
the evening, on the main floor, without
lights of any description. with all doors
shut, and a free invitation shall be extended
to all. The clergyman shall stand in the
stables aud the bride and groom on the
main floor, and the principal parties at the
ceremony shall Oe dressed IN black through
out
i The widow announced her intention to
faithfully obey iu spirit and letter, the viii
was prubated AND the twelfth month bad
scarcely passed before she issued AN invita-
tion for tile public t. attend wedding
at the big barn. just who the groom
was 10 be no one could positively as
sert, as the widow had been keeping
company with a widOweT, a bachelor dnd
two young men, aud as far any outsider
could judge she loved one as well as the
Otucl- DClb8 HOOu ibthiitS sft'-hASh
and having n fortune behiud her, IT was
not strange that she should have a number
of suiturs. She seemed to enter into the
spirit of the affair with great Zest. as also
did the minister: aud t. further nystify
the people in attendance the OIide entered
the barn alone at one door, the groom alone
at another, and no one knew that the min
lister had arrived until ilis voice WAS heaId
in the stables.
l,a ol0 r,an,,1p rlvrcppt
and each one understood that even the
striking Of a match would break the will.
Many jokes ~cre passed and considerable
confusion existed. but at length the minis
ter announced that all was ready. 1he
ceremony gone through with, and at
its conclusion, the affair having been
''prOiouuG Succ-ss.' a rush was made for
the bride size was kissed 10y hundred
men, and wa, then carried home, a distance
of mile and IA half. in big arm chair.
Now comes the mystery. When the lady
was set down at her own door the widower,
she bachelor and the two young men each
claimed to be her true and lawful husband.
None of the crowd could say who was the
lucky man, the minister was at sea and the
bride herself seemed to have doubts. The
widower vas the man of her choice, but in
the confusion he could have been hustled
aside, and lie did affirm that ar attempt
was made to choke him and get him out of
the barn. The bachelor vowed that she
had promised to marry him, as also did
both yoang men, and each one was sure
that he held the widows plump hand aud
was legally married TO her. The four men
had a fight, but that didn't mend matters.
The crowd ducked two of them in a creek,
but that didn't decide the question
Just how it would have terminated, had
not the widower been a man of nerve, 40
one can tell, as the other three had already
appealed to the Law, when tie widowor
stepped in and took his place as husband
and settled with the others for 3, 600 each.
One of the young men, now over forty
years old. and having all the wife he wants
(she weighs $50 pouuds). is living IN De
roit aud during an interview he soemnly
and earnestly assured a correspondent that
he was legally married to the Widow Dods-
worth that night in the big barn. Another
of the part les lives in Clinton county, and
lie has lime and again asserted that lie Is
the woman's true aud lawful husband. so
help him God. The bachelor Il dead. but
were he alive and kicking he would renew
his oft repeated protestation-
Il married her, by gum and by gum |
ought TO have her!
4 BLUE-GLAss ExPERIMENT---Mr.B Biim