The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-06-13
A MARRIAGE IN WARTIME.
A Confederate Soldiers story--Why the Groom
fastened to the Wedding.
Louisville Courier-Journal

Louisville Courier-J ournal
remember a very amusing marriage
ceremony which once performed. I was
busy trying to make up some bread for my
mess. l was then high private in the rear
rank of the old Thirteenth Virginia regi-
ment, when bright young fellow of the
Maryland line" hailed me with: Il say
Mister, are you a preacher" Not sur
prised at the doubt implied in the ques-
ton, for neither my dress nor my occupa-
ton was very clerical, / replied Eyes,
claim to be- Are you authorized to
marry people in this slater I am. -
Well you are the very man / have been
hunting for five days" Il am glad you
have found me at last. What can l do
for your Il want you to marry me,
sir" ''When?' Right away. sir; just as
soon as we can get there" '*Where?"
about two miles down the road"
Accordingly, got permission from my
colonel "a. p HID, satisfied myself that
the license was all right, and started. AS
we were going along the little fellow (the
license stated that he was twentyone. but
he really did not look to be over siXteen)
pulled out his license and said: Look
here, parson; suppose anything should
happen so that we could not get married
today, she could not marry anyone else as
agin her could she?" When I explained
that the license was of no binding force
until the ceremony was performed, he
started off on a. half run, exclaiming:
well! come on, parson; we must make
haste"
Beginning to suspect that there was
something wrong, stopped and said: II
must have an explanation of this, sir
do not mean to do anything contrary to
law and right. Did you not tell me that
you had the full consent of the young lady's
parents, and that there was no obstacle in
the way of your marriage?" Eyes, it is all
right, parson, come on and I'll explain it
all to your satisfaction. The whole truth
is that have been sick down at the house
or rather have been pretending to be sick
for several weeks, and there has been a
little girl down there who has been SO kind
to me that / want to marry her for it.
Now, my colonel (his colonel was George
Ii. Seward, an old West Pointer, and one
of the most rigid disciplinarians in the
army has found out that am well, and /
am afraid he will send guard after me
and put me in the guard-house; that before
get out the brigade will move away, and
so L may not get chance to be married at
all, and she may then go and marry some
other fellow. Come on, parson! Please
let us make hastel"
followed him as rapidly as could, and
on reaching the place ascertained that
the guard had actually come for him be
fore he came after me, but had agreed to
wait for him if he could procure preacher
and hurry up the marriage. l performed
the ceremony, he saluted the bride in APP
proved old-fashioned style, and the guard
marched him off to the guard
house. He called to see me several days
however, and said: "Parson, |
have been very happy man since saw
you l took your advice, and made
clean breast of it to the colonel, and he
released me from the guard house and
gave me 48 hours leave of absence"
Some time afterward / was at Louisa
Courthouse on furlough, and being at the
depot when the cars came up, whom should
[ see but my young Maryland soldier, who
jumped off the train and rushed up to me,
exclaiming, 'Parson, I am the happiest
man in the Southern confederacy. have
gotten discharge from the army. have
work in Richmond at which / can make
plenty of money. | have rented nice
little house there and furnished it very
comfortably, and now / am going up after
my wife" / was very much gratified to
see the marriage turning out SO well, for,
these army marriages did
not ALWAYS so result