The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-04-27

Go through Before they Are Mad
FOr the IntslligenSsr.
The following description Of matrisg
ceremony among the Friends, or Quaker
as they are called, is extracted from pr
vate letter of gentleman well known Ii
Eastern Ohio:
"Thus far my vacation has been yer.
enjoyable indeed. Yesterday morninI
the sun came out bright and clear; tn
air was fresh and bracipg, and l deter
mined to turn It 70 the best possible nc
count by taking & ramble among the Of,
Concord hills. 1 had wandered up hill
and down, and across rayines for perhap
an hour, when suddenly came into al
open field where n great, broad shoulderet
fellow was blowing. Observing the frank
open expression Of his countenance,
yentured to bid him good morning and u
add word in praise Of the magnificent
team with which he was blowing, i
took but minute TO discover that he wa,
fine specimen Of the genuine Quaker
My good morning expanded into q
pleasant chit.chat Of q hall hour, and, as
turned to leave, he babe me adieu in a
good old Quaker style, inquiring at the
same time II was on my way to the wed.
ding. Upon my confessing that
was ignorant Of any wedding, being
stranger in fact, he ventured
to suggest that 'if thee will walk over the
hill yOnder, thee will observe the Friends
Meeting House Just over the brow Of the
hill" Never having had the pleasure oil
attending marriage ceremony among
this class OF people, and being already
somewhat tired from my walk, l deter.
mined 10 repair 10 the church and wit
ness the ceremony. Following the direc.
tons OF my new.made friend, / soon came
in sight Of the injecting House" aquaint
little structure, painted white and sur.
rounded by little sheds, which atterward
found were for the benefit Of the horses.
You must understand that there were as
many horses outside as people inside, since
In these country places everybody rides to
church. TWAS perhaps ten o'clock when
entered the little church. Although the
ceremony had been announced for 1850,
already the deacons and the deaconesses
we're in their elevated seats facing the
congregation, while young maids and old
maids-the 'dear above" knows where
they all came from-had arrived an hour
earlier yet, and had secured the best seats
in the house. We waited three.quarters
Of an hour for the arrival OF the high con-
tracing parties, and an lawful" wait 1t was.
Death.likestillnes everywhere, with notso
much as wink from the stiff young men
what sat bolt upwright in theirqueer col.
larless coats, and with their hats on their
heads. Now and then the monotony was
slightly relieved, when one OF the old dea.
cons, who had unconsciously drifted of
into Greenland, would suddenly snap
open his eyes and peep out from under
that immense hat brim in such way as
to say, snow, thee was mistaken, wasn't
asleep at all" Then again baldheaded
old fellow would remove bis ancient tile
from his head and exhibit streams ofsweat
pouring down in various directions from
mat natural water shed. You see II was
as hot as bakeoyen down where we sat
70 To so degrees at the very least-and 1t
must have been ten degrees higher up in
that unventllated region.
Well, 1880 came, and with 1t the bride
and groom. They entered together, at
tended by another couple, and immed.
lately took seats below the deacons and
facing the congregation. Immediately
back OF them and one tier higher, sat, &C.
cording to the quaker custom, the parents
OF the bride and groom. They were de-
lightlul looking old people, and / spent
a half hour before the arrival OF the young
people, studying their kindly faces, and
wondering il the frank, open expression
would reappear in the faces OF the young
people who were so soon to solemnize so
important an event, So far as the bride
was concerned, my hopes were realized.
She was really pretty, and Of that type Of
prettiness that attracts you the more you
see It. Her husband was manly looking
fellow to be sure, but can'tsAy handsome.
Indeed the old gentleman who sat imme-
diately behind him, his father, was the
Landowner OF the two.
Well, / was now ready for the ceremony,
but 1t didn't come according TO my ex-
pectation. For one mortal hour, the
pretty bride In her dark brown silk, with
delicate BIT q rucning a. her throat, sat
on that stil, old.iashi0ned oeneh, the TAR
get OF every eye In the crowded house;
It seemed outrageousto me. AT INST did
as everybody else dldItook good square
look at the bride, ana then ieil 70 taxing
the measure oil the groom. Az last gettlng
ashamed Of myself, and oeglnnlpg 70 trem-
BILE for lear the BRIDE would not stand tne
ordeal, ! quietly sllpped out my note
book. and unobservea' from my corner,
noted down my Impressions;
All at once the groom took the brides
hand in his, and rising pronounced IN
good style, facing the congregation, thepre-
scribed ceremony. Then the bride repeat,
ed the ceremony, excellng even the gooa
style OF the groom. Ihe language OIL me
ceremony IS very pretty ana aS you may
not have heard II, quote: Inc groom
said; Friends, In me presence 81 tne
0FH and tlia agaHmhlV. i takH HlQA ID.