Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-09-05

Here in Brooklyn" said the min
lister. land Ia 81 large cities. the
marriage fee form DO mean part Of
a ministers income. We receive al
the way from g. to 500 per marriage
generally, although 10 many IN.
stances we are 'beaten clean out Of
the fee. In She first pace, there's
the envelope dodge One night 3.
haopy. loving couple aw0ke me IN
the middle Of the night and wanted
me 20 marry them arose, dressed
myself. and performed The cfre-
m0ny. As the parties turned 70 leave,
the groom hunted through his coat
tail pocket, aud when the brides
head was turned he rePiitiously
handed me q well flied envelope.
howed them out. thinking ! had been
gel, maid for nv trouble / hurried
IN nav room aud told my vife she
nonId have the new bonnet she had
been plaguing me about ! tore open
the envelope, and what do you sup
pose was in il''
"A hundred dollars or so
"Ten sheets Of reporters copy
paper. think that fellow was
member of the press.
Then there's the marriage-cer-
tIfleate dodge. It's good one. I've
had 1t played 90 me and ] know OF
number OF others who have suffered.
Here Is my case An apparently
well.to- do couple came 70 my house
and married them. After the con
summation Of the ceremony the
groom said be wanted a handsome
certificate with q costly frame.
LET IL be nice; anything below
$25 will suit. Call il s25, said he,
strok.ng his mustachc pompously
When can ] have it,
II told him il he'd call in In the
latter DART of the week Ia have a
nice one for bIm. The certificate and
frame cost me $l7. They were
gorgeous. That's The frame up there
around nv grandmother, said the
minister. signing. The certificate
can be purchased at cost price.
another case Is fresh In my
memory. as ii Il Of recent date.
After / had married couple, the
groom iingled the contents OF his
pockets and then withdrew bis closed
hand. As bowed him from the
front door he got between me and the
bride, and shaking my hand warmly,
placed q large coin in IL ~ be babe
me q hearty goodbye. ! have that
coin vet. Here II is" And the
dominic produced leaden sinker
that had been beautifully rounded
and sand .papered 10 make II resem
Bile q $50 gold piece.
Checks drawn on broken banks
or banks that never had any exist
enee, or banks where they never
heard Of the drawer, cannot be class
ell under that head. The ministers
of our cities could furnish q fac col
lection of these II they were called
upon 10 do 40. The effrontery OF
these dcpraved beings always takes
the form OF bashfulness. They make
believe that they are too bashful To
offer the money 10 the presence of the
bride. Whenever hear q bashful
man Iingling In his pockets. am not
certain that his pocket does not con
tain nails or keys until he produces a
coin, and | am not certain OF the
genuineness Of the coin until | have
tested IL with my teeth. An honest,
God-fearing man comes out boldly,
aud In presenting bis offering makes
a little Joke about his bride being
worth IL, or something of that kind
That makes us oil happy, and there
Is no need OF fracturing ones teeth
However, was fooled once by
man who did this very same thing.
He had neglected TO provide ring
and loaned him one ! always have
on hand. After the ceremony he re
turned IL. asking me what my charge
was told him we made no charge.
but IL he felt inclined to remunerate
me he could do so. lie loosely re-
marked that he guessed his bride
was worth $2o, and IL she proved
good he'd send me So on every auni.
vefsary OF the Wedding lie called
for pen and ink and flied out check
lie insisted upon my praying for
their welfare before they left, and
did so. They had never heard OF
him at the bank where the check was
drawn"
And you were a prayer outr"
zone minutel | really felt like
amending that petition. for il was a
fcrvent SO one. trust the way.
ward youth was benefited by IT, He
needed all the prayers he could
obtain by false pretenses The ring
be handed back to me was not nine
When he felt in his pocket for the
check he exchanged Il for five. cent
brass one. have used II ever since
when occaaian reuutred