The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
WIDOW THUMBS MARRIAGE.
A Very Little Wedding with Fity-Six Police
men to Keep Order.
New York World.

6s
men to Keep Order.
New York World.
1t was such very little wedding and the con-
gregation that crushed it's way into the Church
of the Holy Trinity to see the ceremony was so
very big that fifty six.foot policemen wSnz-
caresses the cute midget bride and the dear lit
tie love of bridegroom. Mrs Tom Thumb, the
bride, who was married under her real name of
NJ Lavinia Stratton, is widow and had gone
for Count Primo Magri, of Bologna: Italy, it
was new experience, and he looked as happy as
a man four times his size.
AS befitted the lofty lineage Of the blue blood
ed groom, admission to the church was by card
only, and not more than 900 guests were invited.
Fifteen hundred applicants were refused cards,
and nearly as many more ladies and children
stood about on the sidewalk outside the church
waiting to catch glimpse of the fairy couple as
they descended from their carriages. From
noon until o'clock the streets about the church
were blockaded with the crowds. The Rev. DR..
Wilbus F. Watkins, rector of the Church
of the Holy Trinity, corner of Madi-
son avenue, and Forty-second street,
and chancel were profusely decorated with flow
ers. Every society lady seemed anxious to be
present, and ticket speculators were vainly offer
ing So for cards Of admission. It was an exclu-
sive congregation that began to crowd into the
church fully an hour before the time set for the
SERVICE and such leaders as Mrs. William Aston,
Mrs. Paran Stevens and Miss Jerome crushed
against the trapeze girl Of the circus and the
bareback queen of the arena" in their search
for the best seats. A white satin ribbon had
been stretched across the center aisle with a
view to reserving two or three rows of front
pews but the crowd was too eager for good
places to mind this, and swept it aside in spite of
the indignant protests of half score of big
was unable to control the crowd. 'You can't
club woman worth So, 0O0, 000" he complained,
land you can't keep back woman who looks
clear through YOU. SO they had their way.
Aud a nice way it was, too. Every pew down
stairs was more than full, the galleries had
standing-room only, and even that precinct sa-
cred to giggling. the organ loft, was given over
to sightseers. The congregation was made up
almost entirely of ladies, and they gossiped to-
gether and laughed over the struggles of few
out-of-place men trying to find a resting place.
There was shout from the hundreds of people
outside as way was made for little carriage
that set down Count Magri and the pretty brides
maid, Lucy Adams, at the door Inside the
church the shout was echoed, and everybody
stood up and craned their necks to catch
glimpse of the Bologna bridegroom as he paced
down the aisle with the midget bridesmaid on
his arm. Her dress was cut very low, revealing
pair of soft satin shoulders, whose rounded
pinkness would have shamed those Of baby
Mrs. Largtry. The couple climbed up into seats
in the front pew, and waited ten inmates for the
appearance of the bride.
The struggle to see her as she came in and
swept slowly down to the altar, escorted by
Major Newell, the best man of the Count, was
even greater than that to see the tiny Count and
she smiled, as though enjoying the sensation
she created, and walked still more slowly It
must have seemed to her that she was moving
through some deep rayine human tunnel, for
the crowd closed about her all sides, leaving
open only little lane flanked by towering forms.
AS she reached the chancel Count Magri and
Miss Adams were helped down from their seats
and joined her and her escort, and the four stood
waiting for the minister. Major Newell is the
widower Of the midget Minnie Warren, and a
brother-inlaw of the bride.
Everything was ready, and DIR. Watkins came
forward and welcomed the four midgets upon
the raised platform where the pulpit stands He
is above the medium height, and as the bridal
couple stood in front of him their heads reached
barely to his waist. He looked down upon them
in projecting way, and to the congregation it
seemed as though the solemn service was being
read before two babies. Their faces were turned
up to him. and the Count was evidently deeply
touched by the words that bound him to the
smiling little lady by his side.
AS the first words of the prayer foated out
among the congregation there was a simultane-
Gus rustic, and ever lady took occasion to change
her position. Those that were in front stood up
in their pews, the ladies who were so fortunate
as to get places halfway down stood upon the
SrSts Of the pews. and those who came in