Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-07-16
MARRIAGE OF MUTES.
Responding by Means of Signs-Descrip-
ton of the Contracting Parties.

Responding by Means of Signs-Descrip
ton of the Contracting Parties.
So prompt were they that the chimes
of the Cathedral hard by unsteady
spoke the appointed hour as bride and
groom alighted in front of st. Paul's
Episcopal Church yesterday afternoon
at four o clock. But the silver-tongued
bells that seemed to ring out for their
wedding fell upon ears that had never
heard earthly sound. though the lii
faces of the affianced pair showed
plainly that their hearts were listening
to voice that reached and thrilled
the voice of human happiness.
The groom-elect was Mr. Henry c.
White, Chief Professor of the Depart
ment of Deaf Mutes in the Deseret
University, Salt Lake City. and the
bride expectant was Miss Mary Z.
Mann, daughter of Mr. Nicholas Mann,
of the Mowry Car-Wheel Works. The
gentleman is a deaf mute, the lady is
deaf only and can speak fiuently. He
wore conventional black, the Prince
Albert being close-ftting and
adorned with bright boutonniere.
She was arrayed as brides in June
should be. in one of those airy gossa-
mer-like white toilettes,. which men
can admire but can not describe, and
which seemed to be in keeping with
the glorious bouquet of natural roses
worn in the corsage. The scene in the
church was impressive, the stained
glass mellowing the rays of the sum-
mer sunlight and bathing the chancel
in what could be easily imagined to be
a religious halo.
DR.. Gallaudet, of New York, per-
formed the ceremony in the ritual of
the Church of England, translating it
as he read from the bookshelf by Rev.
A. w. Mann. the mute missionary for
Ohio and adjoining States. who stood
at his left and assSted-into the sign
language, using mainly only the right
hand. Though the Rev. Mr.. Mann
bears the same name as the bride only
through coincidence, and is no rela-
ton, there was something in his de-
meanor that told of special bond of
sympathy between him and the occa-
sion. He stood very erect and his tow
ering figure and superb presence ac-
quired additional effect from the strik
ing manner in which he, with both
hands, translated the closing prayer as
it was solemnly read by DR.. Gallaudet.
No spectator of quick apprehension
had to be told that he, too, was deaf,
almost mute.
To the usual questions the bride and
groom answered. Il do" by syllabling
the words with the lifted right hand,
which was gloved in white. Later,
when they were invited into the chan
eel and joined right hands, they made
the customary pledges of mutual love
and protection with their left hands,
DR.. Gallaudet debating, and not using
in this portion of the ritual the spoken
words. When they had been pro-
nounced man and wife, with both hand
and voice, DR.. Mann elo9uently fol-
lowed with signs the closing prayer. as
said, and then DR. Benedict, the pastor
of st. Paul's. who had stood apart in
black cassock and sash, came forward !
to congratulate his fair parishioner and
her husband.
The assembled company, many of
whom were deaf mutes and some of
whom had hearing and speech, separat-
ed deeply impressed, and the bridal par
ty proper of eleven people repaired to a
nuptial dinner at the St Nicholas, ten
dered by the father of the bride, who
lives upon the Terrence road, and who
had given the bride away at the church.
The happy couple left in the evening
for Salt Lake City, followed by many
a silent bened lotion. Cincinnati COM
,,3 Gn1offo