The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-03-15

Quite flutter was created on the streets
last Thursday night by the announcement
that the marriage of a man of widespread
celebrity in more ways than one, was about
to be celebrated at the Virginia Hotel. The
groom was Ex-Governor VIM. Sprague, of
Rhode Island, and the bride Mrs. Dora Inez
Calvert, of w. Va. The Governor had ar
rived in the city during the day, and re-
paired to the Virginia Hotel where the lady
awaited him. Shortly afterwards he applied
to the clerk of the County Court for a license
to marry, and being told that he could not
obtain il there, went to the city clerks Office
Tor the much desired document. The BRIDE
eject accompanied him to the latter place,
but even with so fair an advocate he was
unable to moye the obdurate clerk. The diff
Guilty was that the bride was not q resident of
the city, and although she protested that this
was the only residence she had and that she
regarded it her home, still the clerk demurred.
Commonwealth attorney Echols OPPORTUNITY
arrived about this time, and after hearing the
statements of the parties, instructed the clerk
that legal license could he issued. The license
being obtained, Governor Sprague asked Mr..
Echols to aid him in procuring clergyman,
stating that they preferred an Episcopal min
lister, as they wanted to be married with
ring. Mr.. Echols kindly consented to do all
he could and started for Mr.. Hullihen, Rector
of Trinity church. Upon being informed that
the party who desired to be married was Gov
ernor Sprague, Mr.. Hullihen fatty refused to
officiate, saying that one of the canons of his
church forbade marrying persons who had
been divorced, un less it were shown that the
divorce had been procured on the ground of
adultery and the person applying to be mar.
ried was the innocent party. The two, how
ever, cane down to the hotel and the diff
Guilty was explained to the bridegroom elect.
He stated in response that he had sued for
divorce from his late wife on the ground of
adultery !; that she had filed counter charge
of the same character, but subsequently the
latter charge had been withdrawn and the
divorce granted on the original charge-(and
that he was the innocent partly. Still not
satisfied, Mr.. Hullihen went to Judge Sheffey,
lawyer learned in the ecclesiastical as we'll
as the civil law, and member of the COM
mittee on canons in the Episcopal church.
After investigation the judge gave it as his
opinion that upon the statement made by
Coy. Sprague, it was the duty of the rector
to unite the two. Returning to the hotel,
Mr.. Hulihen subjected the Governor to a
rigid examination upon questions submitted
by Judge Shelley, and these being all salts
factorily answered, the ceremony was per-
formed in the presence of Mr. and Mrs
MIR. Hullihen did not dream of the lady hav-
ing been also divorced, and was astonlshed,
the next day, to find that such was the case
In the license she had given her condition as
"single," and the minister never suspected
that she had been once married
On the night train, the mated pair started
for the north. Mrs. Sprague is uni nown in
Staunton except by those who CHANGED to
meet her during her recent brief residence
here. She was the wife of Mr.. Frank Cal
vert, travelling salesman for Cincinnati
house, and had obtained divorce from him,
in the Circuit Court at Huntington Just three
days prior to her marriage with Gov. Sprague.
Her father is said to be shoemaker at Ron
ceverte w. Va, and that is about all that is
known of her in this section. She is quite
stylish and beautiful, bright and intelligent.
The newspaper accounts Of the wealth of
her father and her long descent from old Vir-
ginia families are purely mythical, She is
said to have met Governor Sprague last sum-
mer, whist visiting near his home in Rhode
Island