The Northern Pacific farmer., 1884-02-07
A WOMAN'SSA

A Strange Scene in a Court Room
Marrying and Dismissing a Stran-
ger for the sake Of the Man She
Loved.
From Buffalo Letter.
The story of strange marriage is told
in dispatch from Erie to the Courier
to-day. In brief form it is as follows:
Saturday morning, when Justice Free
man, of Erie, opened court, there sat on
one Of the benches well-dressed and
beautiful young woman. When the
cases on hand were disposed Of she
arose and asked his Honor if he was
duly qualified to perform the marriage
rite, Receiving an affirmative reply,
she beckoned to an exceedingly un-
couth, middle-aged man, sitting st the
back of the room, and said to the Jus.
tice:
II want you to marry me to this man."
The man went forward and stood be-
fore the desk, looking the picture of
sheepishness.
SIS this the husband of your choice,
MADAME" inquired the Justice, looking
at the couple with intense surprise.
II believe 50. Are you the husband
of my choice. Mr.. Traynor?"
''Yes, ma'am, an," replied the man,
with sly grin.
Justice Freeman informed the woman
that it was customary to hand in the
names and addresses of the contracting
parties, The couple then stepped back
a few PAGES and conferred tor'a moment
Then they sat down at table AID the
woman handed the man sheet of pa
per. He made move which the JUS
tice interpreted to mean tina, he Was not
acquainted with the art of wri,ing. A
contemptuous smile passed over the wo
mans face, and. taking the pen, she
scrawled with aristocratic regularity the
names Of Amelia A. Royce. Cincinnati,
and Charley Traynor, Utica, N. Y.
Then the couple stood up and were
made man and wife,, according to the
laws Of Pennsylvania.
The husband stood as though bewild.
cred. When the ceremony was COM
pleted. Justice Freeman produced a
marriage certificate, but the bride beg
eed him to desist "You will make
record of this marriage, sir; and that
will be of more value than this senti-
mental but silly picture card" said she.
Then she turned to the groom, and
intimated that he would lose his train if
he wasted too much time. He smirked,
and remarked that it would not distress
his much to miss the train. He was
coldly informed that his absence Was
preferred to his company, and that he
was to go about his business as quickly
as possible. Some papers Were handed
to him, and, after a few words, uttered
in low tone, the man took his hat, Did
the bride good.day, and left the court
room. The bride remained. II think
you think some explanation is due you,',
she said to the justice. There is moth
ing wrong in all this; no crime. no
despair, broken hearts, nothing tragic.
l am simply putting it out of my power
to say yes! to the only man on earth il
would please and hurt me to marry
the only man on earth I care for. For
reasons that have no desire to tell
cannot marry this gentleman without
bringing great sorrow upon him and ms
in the future. Anc as | am only wo.
man, capable OF being tempted to marry
the man love, I have married a stran,
ger and so placed myself beyond the
reach of temptation. This is all there
have always lived, and love as I alway.
have loved. 1t is not likely that I shall
see this man Traynor again. He per
fectly understands that he was hired to
marry me and then go about his busi
ness"
The astonished magistrate was ther
requested to forward copies of papers
containing her marriage notice to THE
Baltimore Sun, the Washington Crit
and the Denver Tribune. She seemed
particularly anxious that her marriage
should be m ,de public, also the facE
that she remained in ths room after he,
husband left it to catch the train. Jus
tice Freeman's theory is that insanity is
the trouble she feared to bring upon her
self and the man she loves.