The Osceola times., 1881-08-06
A MUTE MARRIAGE.
Spelling Out the Nuptial Service with the
Fingers.
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n. Y. sun.
William G. Pownall and Miss Lizzie
Wells, both of them deaf mutes, were
married in the church OF st. Peter and
st. Paul on Second street, Brooklyn. at
7 O'Clock last evening. The groom is a
member of the firm of Harvey & Pow
nall, art stained glass works, 469 Hudson
avenue, Brooklyn. He is well-to-do, a
man of education, and not more than
% years old. Soon after his arrival in
this country from London year or two
ago he became a teacher of class OF
deaf mutes in st. Francis Xavier's Sum
day school In this city. One of his
pupils was Miss Wells, with whom he
thus became first acquainted. She was
able to hear and speak until she
was five years old. She then had fall
that destroyed her hearing, and upon
Her parents subsequently sent her to be
educated in the Buffalo deaf aud dumb
institution. Last May she removed from
this city to Brooklyn and became a
member of Father Malone's church of
st. Peter and st. Paul
About $50 ladies and a sprinkling Of
gentlemen had gathered in the church
yesterday when a carriage drove up con-
tanning the bridal couple, Miss Agnes
Lynch, the bridesmaid, and Mr.. Thomas
i. Grady, the groom's best man. The
last two are not deaf mutes. They
walked before the bride and groom up
the aisle to the music of the Wedding
March.
In front of the chancel the leading
couple divided and the bride and groom
took places between them. The bride
was dressed in a travelling costume of
ccru silk trimmed with amber. Ecru
feathers swept over her hat, which was
also trimmed with silk and satin of the
same color. She wore diamonds. She
has fair complexion and dark brown
hair.
The Rev. NJ. p. Costin, S. j., of st.
Johns college, Fordham, assisted by the
Rev. Father Gallagher, of the church OF
st. Peter and st. Paul, performed the
ceremony. He has taken much interest
in deaf .nutes and has incidentally ac-
quired knowledge of the sign language.
Not word was spoken during the cere-
mony until Father Costin said the Latin
prayers in closing. 1t is supposed to be
the first wedding of deaf mutes solem-
nized in the sign language by a clerg.
gyman in the diocese.
When Father Costin spelled out with
his fingers the words, "Wilt thou take
Lizzie Wells, here present, for your
lawful wife according to the rite of our
holy mother, the Church," Mr.. Pownall
shut the first three fingers Of his right
hand and extended it before him with
the thumb and little finger held out
straight. The position of his thumb
and fingers represented the letter Y but
the motion of the hand increased the
significance to YES" which in his case
took the place of the ritual words, 81
will" Then the same question was put
to the bride. who gracefully replied ia
the same way, and at the same time
bowed her head in assent.
Next, Father CostiR began to signify
the words:
81, William S. Pownal, take thee
Lizzie Wells, for my lawful wife, to have
and to hold from this day forward, for
better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health, till death do
us part"
He expected that the groom would re-
peat them after him clause by clause,
but the groom, who evidently knew the
passage by heart and who is very dex-
ferrous In the use of the sign language,
took the words out of Father CostIn's
mouth, if the expression may be allowed,
and completed the declaration. The
priest soon stopped making signs with
his fingers, and contented himself with
bowing assent to show that he under
stood the words spelled out to be accord-
ing to the ritual. When it came to the
brides turn to make the corresponding
declaration, she also ratified it off ahead
of the priest with similar fluency.
Father Costin said in silence:
81 unite you in matrimony in the
name of the Father, Son and Holy
Ghost"
The ring having been blessed and
sprinkled with holy water from an urn
the groom received it and, holding it in
his left hand, said with his right:
with this ring | thee wed, and |
plight unto thee my troth."
Then with his right hand he put the
ring on the brides finger.
After the ceremony the bridal party
was driven to the brides home, log
South Second street. Last evening the
bride and groom, accompanied by the
brides sister, started on tour to Sara
toga.
Among the many handsome presents
displayed at the brides residence were
large and very valuable diamond cross
and a gold-lined solid silver service o
twelve pieces.