New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-08-12
ECCENTRIC BRmEu1oolrs.
A COLLECTION Of Spicy Anecdotes Rslatins
20 Weddings.

20 Weddings.
From London Aociety.
There was q clergyman who married
acouple, and at the wedding. breakfast
one of the bridesmaids expressed wish
to see that mystic document wedding
license, which she had never beheld in
her lifetime. The request oecasioned a
fearful discovery. The clergyman had
quite forgotten to ask for the license !;
the bridegroom had left it to- his chest
man" to procure it, and this the "best
man" had forgotten to do. Ofcourse,
the marriage was no legal marriage at
all. The wedding party broke up in
aismay, and the ceremony was perform
ed again next day. The poor clergy
man, however, never got over the effects
of his blunder.
On another occasion a clergyman got
himself into considerable trouble: he
was Of the type called Ritualistic, and
persuaded a worthy couple who had
been married at non Conformist chap
81 that they had not been ecclesiastical
" married at all, and that it was neces-
sary that they should be married over
again st the parish church. This was
very much resented by the non-Con-
formist interest, and the clergyman was
put upon his trial at the Oxford AS
sizes. The Judge took a very lenient
view, and said that as the parties had
already been legally married, any fur
Their service was illusory and mere
child's play, and that she might just as
we'll have read Chevy Chase over
them"
In one of his novels Charles Reade
makes his hero, clergyman, wonder
whether be might not legally marry
himself to the heroine, especially as
they were both cast upon desolate
island. It may be as we'll that novelists
and novel readers should be aware that
for clergyman to officiate at his own
marriage is utterly Illegal
One day an elderly gentleman met
young one. II have had hard davis
work, " said the young Levite. II be-
gan at 7 o'clock this morning by mar
rying young couple" ALLOW me to
inform you," said his senior, "that a
marriage at that time of day, according
to English law, is NO marriage at ali.
Moreover, to the best of my belief, you
have made yourself liable to several
years penal servitude. Between and
II is the prescribed time. You had bet
ter go back as soon as you can and mar
ry them over again"
Ihave known brides, when the grooms
have failed to make the proper re-
sponses, prompt them immediately and
with the greatest facility. As for men,
they commit all kinds of blunders and
bunglings. have known man, at
that very nervous and trying moment,
follow tile clergyman within the COM
munion rail and prepare to take place
opposite him. Ihave known man when
the minister stretched out his hand to
unite those of the couple, take it vigor-
ously in his own and give it hearty
shake. Sometimes more serious diff
culties occur. Some ladies have had
almost unconquerable reluctance to use
the word "obey;' one or two, if their
own statements are to be accepted, have
ingeniously construed the word "no-
bey." The word, however, has still to
be formally admitted into the language.
There was one girl, who was being
married by very kind old clergyman,
who absolutely refused to utter the
word "obey" The minister suggested
chat, if she was unwilling to utter the
word aloud, she should whisper it to
him; but the young lady refused even
this kind Of compromise. Further,
however, than this the clergyman re-
fused to accommodate her; but when he
was forced to dismiss them Ill without
proceeding 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 in
what extent he was using The words of
the formula. He was, of course, given
to understand chat 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 officiating minister. He interpo-
lated remarks after the fashion of
Burchells "Fudge!" with this ring
l thee wed: that's superstition. with
my body l thee worship that's idolatry,"
with all my worldly goods I thee en-
dow: that's lie." It is a wonder that
such beng 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 minister.
There was a great discussion on the
question whether man can marry on
9300 year. Call I can say" said the
great man, lis that when said, "With
all my worldly goods thee endow,' so
far from having g3O0, Iquestion wheth-
er, when all my debts were paid, had
800 pence. eyes, my love, said his
wife, ''but then you had your splendid
intellect" II didn't endow you with
that, ma'am," sharply retorted the right
honorable
When the bridegroom has returned
thanks after the parsons speech, in
these days of feminine oratory, there is
sometimes a tendency on the part of
the bride to make little speech of her
own. II call you all to witness" said a
1,r;la o,,r sEIl-1l