Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-01

S~e1D0 "SBBhO0 ~ 0sO8U8
This time wae bound 10 make sure work,
ana 30, with Me best Information could orc.
cure, started OH for the civil bureau Islands
%nsQ 70 ascertain precisely what was required.
s "upSn w what s, BUSHES DO you conner" de-
am An American citizen, and want tc
Knew how TO get married In 6ermany,"I TAI
he opened the door O, the mata once and
shouted, "Ein Herr Amerikanner wishes q
marry himself" ana then showed nae into q
large and well-filled waiting-r room to take my
turn, every occupant OF which gased nxedly al
thin. dark, why man In s0iIed linen, and br1gn,
YELLOW kid gloves, had dropped In to announce
the death OF his third wife. A trembling young
the eaa sr sh asp for
death OF her child. A somewhat seedy CLERK
had come. with radiant face, to announce
the birth OF boy fourteen hours Old. and to be
called Johannes COnrade Hermann Degener-
meister. A servant girl and her lover were
waiting in one corneT,-she red and gigglin9
he erect digniflsd, and taciturn as q head
xaltef..t0 be made man and wife. I had
plenty OF time to observe, for nearly An hour
passed before my turn came. At length was
shown into long room, With half q dozen
clerks at one end; who twisted their neczs, ad
1uSted their glasses and gazed and listened
with open mOuthed wonder.
Wish to get married in the very simplest
and quickest way" said presenting my pass
port; win you please tell me how to do it?'
Il,
''We must nave certificate OF your birth ice
0slrtSsCAean] signed by the burgomaSter OF the
Town In which you we're born and with Its
sea-, and witnessed In due form. Your cert
ncate OF baptism tTdufschPtn] should also De
sent, to guard against all error, sealed and
witnessed by the present pastor or the proper
church officers. These must be presented here
Dy each OF the contracting parties with Jheir
passports, as the first step."
carefully noted this. and he proceeded
"The parents, II living, should certify to
their knowledge and approval OF the marriage.
We must also be satisfied that there is no 30
stacle, legal, moral, or otherwise, to 1t; whe
ther either OF you have been married before
and II so whether there are children, and ii 50
should be in full; also their residence, occu pa.
uon: age, and place of birth should OF course
be given for record here
begged for another scrap OF paper and made
when we have these here In this desk" he
continued, patt1ng rondly that piece Of furni-
ture. -'then either we can publish the bans
tion in the RdtHhdus for fourteen days. or Else
you can have it printed in the journal OF the
place where you reside In America, and bring
US copy here as evidence that 1t has actually
you can be married in this ONCE" ''>
Must 1t be here?" l queried
"Of course" he said. "Thts is the ONLY
place which the law now recognizes Poor
people are content with civil marriage only,
to the church for religious CEREMONY"
us 1t not possible to shorten the time?" I
timtdly ventured to inquire. 1--WE had made
all the arrangements for an earlier day. and are
seriously incommoded by the delay. / did not
Know the requirements. 1t takes four weeks
to hear from America, and then two weeks
more here. and You do not, perhaps, ex-
actly understand, and yet hardly know how
to explain. But there Is really haste. We are
pressed for time"
Haste? Pressed for timer" he repeated
Perhaps l do not understand. l am sorry.
but 1t cannot possibly De sooner. You think
we are slow In Germany, True. but we are
sure. We require our people to take time to
think over the matter beforehand, and divorce
with us Is far from being the easy matter I
tic -