The Newtown bee., 1881-01-12
Getting Married in. Germany.

This time was bound to make sure work, and so, with the best information could procure, started off for the civil bureau (Standes Amt) to ascertain pre- cisely what was required.
 "Upon what business do you comeP" demanded the rompous servant at the door.
 "I am an American citizen, and want to know how to get married in Ger many" faltered.
 He opened the door of the main office, and shouted, ssEin Herr Amerikanner wishes to marry himself!" and then showed me into largs aud well-filled waiting-room to take my turn, every occupant of which gazed fixedly at me without winking for some min- utes. One thin, dark. wiry man in soiled linen and bright yellow kid gloves had dropped in to announce the death of his third wife. A trembling young mother was sharply reprimanded for letting the legal third day pass before announcing the death of Ter child. A somewhat seedy clerk had come, with a radiant face, to announce the birth of a boy fourteen hours old. and to be called Johannes Conrade Herman Degener- meister. A servant girl and her lover were waiting in one corner-she red and giggling, he erect. dignifed and taciturn as hsad-waiter-to be made man and wife. I had plenty of time to observe, for nearly an hour passed before my turn came. At length l was shown into a long room. with half dozen clerks at one end, who twisted their necks. ad- justed their glasses, and gaZed and lis tened with open-moutbcd wonder.
 "I wish to get married in the very simplest and quickest way" 1 said, pre- senting my passport. Will you please tell me how to do itP"
 "lt is extremely simple" said the officer. "We must have certificate of your birth [GeburtssCheinl signed by the burgomaster of the town in which you were born, and with his seal, and wit messed in due form. Your certificate of baptism [Taufsshein). should also be sent, to guard against all CT or, sealed and witnessed by the present pastor or the proper church officers. These must be presented here by each of the con- tracting parties, with their passports, as the first step."
 carefully noted this. and he proceed ed:
 "The parents, if living, should cer- tify to their knowledge and approval of the marriage. We must also be satis- 6id that there is no obstacle, legal, moral or otherwise, to it; whether either of you have been married before, and if so, whether there are children, and if so their names and ages. The parents names should be in full; also their residence, occupation, age and place of birth should of course be given for record here."
 begged for another scrap of paper and made further notes.
 "When we have these here in this desk," Le continued, batting fondly that piece of furniture, ''then either we can publish the bans (Aufgebot) by posting a notice of your intention in the Rdthhaus for fourtoec days, or else you can have it printed in the journal of the place where you reside in America, and bring us 8 copy here as evidence that 1t has actually appeared. Alter the ex = piration of this time you can be married in this office
 Must it be hereP" I queried.
 "Of course,n he said. ''This is the only place which the law now rece9g- nizes Poor people are content with civil marriages only, but all who move in good society go from here to the church for 8 religious ceremony" ''Is it not possible to shorten the timep" I timidly ventured to inquire We had made ali the arrangements for an earlier day, and are seriously incom- moded by the delay. I did not know the requirements. It takes four weeks to hear from America, and then two weeks more here, and You do not. perhaps, exactly understand, and yet hardly know how to explain. But there is really haste. We are pressed for time"
 "HasteP Pressed for time?n he re- peated. Perhaps do not understand. I am sorry, but it cannot possible be sooner. You think we are slow in Ger many. True, but we gre sure. We re- quire our people to take time to think over the matter beforehand, and divorce with us is far from being the easy mat ter I have heard 1t is in America. "- Atlantic Monthly.