The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-11-22

There was clergyman who married
a couple, and at the wedding breakfast
one of the bridesmaids expressed
wish to see that mystic document, a
wedding license, which she had never
beheld in her lifetime. The request
occasioned fearful discovery. TIE
clergyman had quite forgotten to ask
for the license; the bridegroom lad
left it to his "best man" to procure it,
and this the "best man. had forgotten
to do. OF course, the marriage was no
legal marriage at all. The wedding
party broke up in dismay, and the GER
emony was performed again next day.
The poor clergyman, however, never
got over the effects of his blunder.
On another occasion clergyman got
himself in considerable trouble; he was
of the type known as ritualistic, and per-
suaded worthy couple who had been
married at nonconformist chapel that
they had not been enthusiastically mar
ried at all, and that it was necessary
that they should be married over again
at the parish church. This was very
much resented by the nonconformist in
tereSt, and the clergyman was put upon
his trial at the Oxford assizes. The
judge took very !enient view, and said
that as the parties had already been le-
gally married, any further service was
illusory and mere child's play, and that
che might just as well have read Chevy
chase Over them
One day an elderly clergyman met a
young one.
81 have had a hard days work." said
the young Levite. 81 began at seven
O'Clock this morning by marrying a
young couple"
"Allow me to inform you," said his
senior, "that a marriage in England at
that time of the day is no marriage at all.
Moreover, to the best of my belief, you
have made yourself liable to 7 years
penal servitude. You had better go
back as soon as you can and marry them
over again"
have known brides, when the
grooms have failed to make the proper
responses, prompt them Immediately
and with the greatest facility. As for
the men, they commit all kinds of blum
derS and bunglings. l have known a
man, at that very trying moment, follow
clergyman within the communion rails
and prepare to take a place opposite
him. have known man, when a
minister stretched out his hand to unite
those of the couple, take it vigorously
in his own and give it hearty snake.
Sometimes more serious difficulties
occur. Some ladies have had an almost
unconquerable reluctance to use the
word "obey;" one or two, if their own
statements are to be accepted, have in
geniously constructed the word fno-
bey." The word, however, has still to
he formally admitted into the language.
There was one girl, who was being mar
ried by a very kindly old clergyman,
who absolutely refused to utter the word
"o5ey." The minister suggested that,
if she were unwilling to utter the word
aloud, she should whisper it to him;
BUT y1un2-1d1lY IcIuSeu CvCn C.i1S
kind of compromise. Further, how
ever, than this the clergyman refused to
accommodate her; but when he was
forced to dismiss them all without pro-
ceeding any further, the recalcitrant
young person consented to ''obey."
The difficulty, however, is not always
made on the side of the lady. On one
occasion the bridegroom wished to de-
liver little Grafton qualifying his vow,
and describing in what sense and to
what extent he was using the words of
the formula. He was, of course, given
to understand that nothing of this kind
could be permitted. There was one
man who accompanied the formula with
soto voce remarks, which must have
been exceedingly diSagreeable to the Of
ficiating minister. He interpolated re-
marks after the fashion of BurchelPs
"Fudge!" "With this ring l thee wed
that's superstitious. - "With my body
1 thee worship; that's idolatry."
"With all my worldly goods l thee en-
dow; that's lie." 1t is a wonder that
such being was not conducted out of
church by the beadle. This puts one in
mind of an anecdote that is told of
man who in his time was a cabinet min
lister. There was great discussion on
the question whether man can marry
on 1901 year "All can say" said
the great man, sis that when | said,
with all my worldly goods thee en-
dow so far from having 1901 l ques-
ton whether, when all my debts were
paid, had 800 pence.
"Yes, my love-" said his wife, "but
then you had your splendid intellect. "
81 don't endow you with that,
ma am" sharply retorted the right hon
orable husband.