Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-06
A Sensational Marriage.


When Mr.. Jesse Hardee and Miss Lila
Bass stood up before II. NJ. Cook, j. p,
last Tuesday in ValdOsta, and were made
man and wife the little group of specta-
tors who gathered to see the ceremony
performed did not know that a wldOwer
66 years old was at that very hour adjust
ing his wedding garments with view of
claiming the same lady for his bride.
Miss Lila Bass is the daughter of Mr..
James Bass, one of our best citizens, who
lives near Starling's ferry, in LoWndes.
Mr.. Jesse Hardee is a worthy young man
VINO lives across the river in Madison
county, and Mr.. Jake Wetherington is a
well-tO-dO farmer and neighbor of Mr..
Hardee. Mr.. Hardee had been visiting
Miss Bass for four years, and about one
year ago he asked her parents for the hand
of his lady love, but times were hard
and Jesse was poor, and he
thought they were young and
could wait, so the plghted vows we're not
cOnsummated then. The young lady, as
is often the case, could not see the pro-
priety Of such long delays and began to
doubt the sincerity of her lover. With
these doubts came the offer from Mr..
WetheringtOn, and he was accepted. The
day and hour for their marriage was ap-
pointed. The spring chicken and the
young shOat had been slaughtered, and
were cooked at Wetherington's, for age
had not taken away his sweet tooth, nor
had IL changed his idea of how such
things ought to be done. He was deter
mined TO give a reception worthy of the
name TO his young bride. These active
preparations set the gOssips to wagging
their tongues across the river, and the
tact OF his approaching marriage leaked
out and got to the ears of Mr.. Jesse
Hardee the night before the appointed
time.
When the first faint suspicion Of the
approaching day was manifest on the
eastern skies Mr.. Hardee shouted for fer
ryman James Arnold at the river which
ran between his home and his lady loves,
but the heavy sleep that hangs over all
nature at that sweet hour had deadened
his sensIbIlities and mutfled the drums Of
his ears, and he responded not. In vain
the young man shouted. But he was on
journey that brooked no obstacles, and he
hitched his horse and ''cooned it' across
on the stringers on the unfinished Florida
Midland and Georgia railroad bridge just
below the ferry. IL was perllous under
taking, but he made a safe passage. Once
over he captured the fiat and ferried his
horse and buggy over.
He was not long en- route then to the
home of his loved one. An interview was
sought ana granted. Inc lmpaS6lOned
appeals Of the young lover were not with
out avail. They stirred TO the depths Of the
young maiden's heart, and her love, which
she had sought, but not willingly, to
smother, broke out afresb, and she con-
sented without much ado. Ii was not
long before they we're on the road to
ValdOsta, where they were married as
stated above.
At the appointed hour, later in the da
Mr.. Wetherington shouted at the ferry
and Mr.. Arnold put him across. The old
gentleman had been 10 Madison and was
''rigged out" His cOmplacent smile and
general good looks evoked sundry tests
from the ferryman, but he was in a hui
NOR 70 submit to the like. But before he
arrived at bis destination he met a runner
who informed him that the young lady
had fled with young Hardee and was
doubtless his wife at that moment.
Mr.. WetheringtOn received the shock
composedly and returned to his home.
The young couple left ValdOsta about
three O'Clock, and on their return 10 her
fathers they found a splendid wedding
supper waiting for them.