Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-09-18
HIS WEDDING "TRIP
The TRANSFORMATIONS of an Anecdote
Illustrated by a Bright Example.

There is a story about wedding trim
that has been knocking about the
country for some time. We have tried
to keep it out of the Drawer" but it
is OF no use to kick against it any
longer. 1t was first told to the Draw
er" editor in October, 1888, by a
clergyman of strict temperance prin-
ciples and high character-in fact. a
total abstainer-who had it from a
friend of his, first-hand, who had just
returned from the west. This friend,
mind you, saw and heard what he re-
lated, and he was person of undoub t-
ed veracity, though perhaps as an alb
stalner, when travelling, not so total as
the clergyman. 1t was, in brief, 70
this effect: In the car on a train from
Toledo to Chicago was man who sat
alone, looking absently out of the win
dow and appearing detected. During
the passage an accident happened to a
newsboy and the generous passengers
passed round the hat for him. The
solitary man alone of all the car full
refused to contribute anything, not
even quarter. Somebody remarked
audibly upon his stinginess. when he
turned round and said: Gentlemen,
1t may appear strange to you that |
give nothing; but l haven't cent of
money. The fact is, | was married
yesterday, and | am on my wedding
trip, and | hadn't money enough to
bring my wife along"
IN December following the editor of
the Drawer" was seated with two
n+h / NJ
York. One of them said: L heard
good story the other day from friend
of mine who has just returned from
Europe. Going down the Danube from
PeSth last summer he noticed on the
steamboat q melancholy-lookingm man,
who did not appear to care much for
the scenery, but leaned over the guards
and vacantly regarded the river. Fall
ing into conversation with him ne as
certalned that the man was q Prussian.
Remarking that the journey did not
seem to interest him, the PruSsian
said: No; I'm rather lonesome. The
truth is I'm on my wedding tour, and
| could not afford to bring my wife !"
The editor of the drawer" said
that it was a good story, and that he
confirmed by so many independent
witnesses. Ihereupon he took from
his pocket letter which he had re-
ceived that morning from Paris In it
the writer, :: gentleman of culture and
travel, said that q curious incident
happened 10 him. last summer. He
and his wife were on Rhine steamer
when they noticed 4 melancholy
passenger whom all the beauties of the
scenery failed TO rouse from his deiec-
ton. He was an object of interest TO
them all the morning, and at length
his wlte's sympathy was SO much cX-
cited that she proposed to 90 and
speak TO the melancholy stranger and
find out the cause of his sadness. The
husband said that would be q foolish
thing to do, and she might get into
trouble. But the wife insisted (for
though American women have little
curiosity, they have warm hearts), and
crossed over to where the stranger
stood, and accosted him, and they en-
gagged in conversation. In q few mo-
ments the lady returned, laughing.
what is it?" asked the husband.
"Why, the man is on his wedding trip
and couldn't afford to bring his wife,
The editor then related the original
true story as it was told him by the T.
A. clergyman. So it appeared, on I'M
impeachable testimony, that the same
strange incident happened in the expe-
rlence of three persons the same year
one near Chicago, one on the Rhine,
the other on the Danube. Did it hap
pen to any one of these veracious peo-
pie? When the editor had raised this
question, the third member of the
party, who had been silent and had not
said: Il can tell you the real original
of that story. Several years ago, in a
well known wholesale house in this
city, an old bachelor book-keeper, who
had been many years with the firm,
suddenly announced that he was to be
married. The partners gave him q
weeks holiday, and his fellow-clerks
raised q little purse and presented it to
pay the expenses of his wedding trip.
A couple of days afterward one of the
members of the firm went down to
Newport, and there. lounging about
the Ocean house, and apparently en-
Joy my HlmSelI Immensely, ne saw MS
recently-m arried old book-keeper-bu
alone. Where's your wifep' She's
at home But l thought YOU had
money given you for wedding tripP'
so did. but | didn't understand that
it was intended to include her."
Now we are not saying that this is
an unwise way of taking what is really
one of the most perilous journeys in
life-a wedding tour. But what could
have induced all these different re-
spectacle people to appropriate this
particular instance to their own person
al observation? 1t sometimes seems as
If people are not what they should be.
Magazine.
A Tricky Rat.