The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-12-07
THE NUPTIAL JOKE,
And How it Is Likely to Turn Out
No Joke.
Showing that 1t Is Dangerous to Fool
with the Matrimonial Moose.
Solving an Interesting
Question.

NEW YORK, Dec IA suit which has
some novel features is interesting the good
people of New Utrecht, this state, it being
one in which Annie Evadue Higbie brings
action against Walter Jerome Vaughan, as
his wife, claiming support. The young lady
has pretty, intelligent face with ever
varying expressions, and frequently laughed
at the questions put to her. She looks
% years of age, though she is but II. Oppo-
site to her and within the wooden ratings sat
the young gentleman whom she claims as her
husband. He is 10 years of age, but does not
look more than IL Besides him sat his father,
merchant of this city, who seemed to enjoy
the proceedings immensely, and to congratu-
late himself on having such q precocious son.
Miss Eligible lives with her parents in
Brooklyn. About year ago she met young
Vaughan at a sociable and continued the
acquaintance at strawberry festivals, sleigh
rides and church gatherings. At a sociable
held at the house of Mr.. Case in Flatbush last
July she met Vaughan ON the croquet lawn,
and in the presence of several young
ladies and gentlemen he said to her: CANINE,
come let us be married. and put
his arm affectionately around her
waist. She expressed her willing
ness by the usual monosyllable, and Walter
| added, Come, girls, and see me get mar
ried." Charlie Arcson, one of the party, was
the gentleman selected to perform the cere-
mony.
rs the gentleman who married you iM the
hall3' asked an attorney.
| He is, sir" replied Miss Higbie there he
| Is"
| A blushing young man of about IS years
| old arose in obedience to the demand of the
| justice, and he was received with such
storm of derislon that order had to be calei.
! Miss Higbie said That this young man was
informed by Vaughan that they wished TO lie
married. Arecon then asked the questions
contained in the marriage service commenc-
| ing will you take this woman to be your
welded wife!n The young lady swore that
She then thought she was married.
On cross-eXaminatiOn it was shown that
| several other couples had gone through a
similar ceremony.
After the sociable the young couple went
to their respective homes, and did not meet
again for three days when a straw ride
brought them together. Letters had been
exchanged in which Vaughan called her lis
dear wife" and said he was ready to meet
his mother-in-law. He ad lres5ed his letter
to Mrs. w. Jerome Vaughan" Miss Fig.
bic had been repeatedly told by him that the
ceremony was a binding one, and
Mr.. Case in whose house il
took place, lad informed her that
she could never marry again without di
vorce. On August 10, when Vaughan left
New York, he wrote TO Miss Higbie saying
that it ''broke his heart to leave his bride,
begged her to remember that bright
sunny day will soon fade away" On Octo
Der 10 Miss Higbie wrote to Vaughan saying
that she had been greeted coming out OF
church by three people who called heI
Mrs. Vaughan In reply to this let
ter Vaughan wrote that the marriage
was a fiction, and he had never lovet
her ''She was liable to be brought up fol
bigamy,n continued the letter, as she has
been introduced publicly as the wife of J. j
Snyder. Miss Higbie said that at sociabl
she had played with J. J. Snyder in it'll
dramatic dialogue, be taking the role of hus
band while she assumed that Of the wife
After the entertainment, and on one occasion
only, she had been jestively introduced a
Mrs Snyder" She had never kissed 0
Rugged any man except Vaughan since he
marriage. Rich developments are looked for