The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-04-24
miscellaneous.
OLD TIME WEDDINGS IN STARK
COUNTY.
by REV. p. HERBRUoK.

Cured that couple were married NJ q
parsonage most marriages took place at
the house of the brides parents, re-
member of frequently having travelled
from twenty TO twenty-five miles to per-
form the ceremony. AS a rule large
number of guests were invited to the
nuptials. Occasionally some very comic
incidents transpired, and placed me in
unpleasant predicaments.
At one of my first weddings there was
q slight misunderstanding, which caused
the perspiration to gather on my brow
was invited to go to a place about three
miles from home to ofiCiate, 1t was a
log house, and had but one room, which
served as kitchen, parlor and bed room.
From twenty to thirty young people were
present. The mother of the bride was
a widow, a real Pennsylvania, and was
actively engaged in preparing the repast
and spreading the rude table. Iasked
her to inform me when they were ready
to proceed with the ceremony. She said
she would. In short time the old
mother came and said "Parson, we are
now ready" arose, opened the liturgy,
and summoned the happy pair to arise.
They stepped forward, and began read
ing the formula, But scarcely was the
first sentence concluded, when the
mother stepped out and, in her broad
dialect, said; "Parson, don't want it so.
don't want them married across the
cracks" "CraCks cracks" !" thought l !;
"what in the world does that mean ?"
I had never heard the word before, The
young people Uttered and stood there
in extreme embarrassment, not knowing
what to do. 1 was then only twenty.one
years old, and very difident. OF sud-
den I thought perhaps the mother
meant that the ceremony should not be
conducted in German. "Do not the
young folks understand German ?" ask
ed. "Oh yes, we are all German,"'was
the reply" took courage, and began
anew to read the formula; but had only
begun, when heard the mother exClaim,
more emphatiCally than before: "Par-
son, don't want them married across
the cracksp This was perplexing. /
knew not what to do. The silence ofthe
pause was painful. Like Belshazzer,
"the Joints of my loins became loosed,
and my knees smote one another" Again
I took courage, and said: "Mother l
don't know what "craCks" mean." She
smiled, and pointed to the grooves in the
floor, and said: "You must stand 30
that the cracks will run lengthwise be-
tween the two young ones." Parson
and couple assumed different position,
and all went merry as a marriage bell
1 was 30 glad when the trial was over,
that forgot to ask what meaning their
superstition attached to being married
across the cracks.
Some years afterward l had another
wedding difficulty. l then preached to
a country congregation about fifteen
miles from home, and usually on Satur.
day afternoons. The congregation con-
sisted mainly of Wirtembergers, a good
natured, amiable people. One Saturday
afternoon, as rode up before the old log
church, there stood at the door an Irish
man of about twenty five summers, The
blush of modesty tinged his cheeks as
he slowly approached, and asked me if |
was tho pastor of the flock. Receiving
an affirmative answer, he gasped for
breath; and stammering, asked the mo-
mentous question: Can you marry me
tonight" I asked where, about
seven miles from here" was the reply,
II am sorry" said /, "hut it is impossible
for me to grant your desire, as intend
to depart this evening tor another point,
about fifteen miles distant, where must
preach at half past nine o'clock to.mor-
row morning. Should 20 with you to.
night, / would have the long journey of
twenty-five miles to make before service
in the morning" While 1 was endeav-
oring, by haberdash of sounds and
signs to make the man understand that
he must postpone his marriage or look
elsewhere for one to solemnize it, there
stepped out of the church door man,
with whom was intimately acquainted.
He was German. "0f course you will
60 with US this evening"" said he "You
see its my daughter that is going to mar
ry this Irishman." l tried to explain
to my German Countryman, also, that
could not go with him; but he insisted,
saying: ut has been appointed for to-
night, and there is no changing it," At
this point deacon, who heard the en-
tire conversation, interposed some help
full advice. Said he, "Parson, you must
90. You can leave your horse here in
my barn, and will saddle two of my
horses and ride over there with you.
We will return tonight yet; and will
see that you start early enough in the
morning to meet your next appoint |
ment." This proposition met my favor,
and / told the German and the Irishman
to start for home at once and have everya
thing ready, so that no time need be
wasted when I got there. They depart
ed. At dusk my deacon and were at
the place. We found the table spread
and the feast prepared; and there SEEM
ed to be nothing in the way of immedi-
ately proceeding. As was customary,
asked the groom to produce his license.
He said, II have none. did not know
it was necessary to have license to get
married" 1t was then my painful duty
to inform him that could not tsolemnize
the marriage. He thought l ought to do
1t now at any rate, since all other ar.
rangements had been completely he
might get the license afterward and hand |
it to me. have no right to marry you
without license, / replied, and shall
not do it. II will give you this advice,
however; bring your bride to c., some
day next week; obtain your license, and |
1 will marry you at my house." The
groom thought this good plan, if the
bride would consent to go with him; and |
as he could speak no German, and she |