The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-01-30
WTTHOUT CAKE CAIRNS
odd Experiences of Clergyman in Deal.
Ing with Couples in Hurry to be Mar.
riAh. - 80 moi
Iron the Syracuse standardI

| Fate ceremonies in the cOursa of 9,
year, SAID one Of the prominent cler-
gymen OF Syracuse to q renortaT
line parties are all sorts ard of ev-
cry condition, and no two weddings
are exactly alike. As usual thine
the pride Is the more self-possessed of
the couple during the service. I re-
member once, early in the summer. T
tnlnk 1t was, young couple came to
the fectory, and the young man bash
July asked for the minister Mem
bers OF my family We're called in as
witnesses, but Notwithstanding the
extreme simplicity of the affair. the
young man was so embarrassed that
he qua not know what to do with his
hat, and held it between his knees
during the whole performance. Some
times neither one OF the candidates
FOR connubial bliss possess a RING and
have before now used a door-kav in
steao. L keep a plain gold ring now
TO meet emergencies OF this kind. The
groom presents it to the bride and if
Is afterWard returned to me. Soue-
times Chey, especially the men, don't
seem able to follow the service and
make all sorts of absurd blunders
The women occasionally try to leave
out the word obey where it occurs
IN the service, and have known them
to refuse point blank to say it until
informed that the ceremony wOuIi
not becOncluded unless they did, One
rather elderly Englishwoman, who
was evidently familiar with the Church
OF England catechism, when asked.
wit thou have this man to be your
| husband?' replied: Yes, verify, by
Gods help so | will, and | heartily
thank our Heavenly Father that He
hath brought me to this state of sal
vation,' She had been a spinster for
many years"
You are obliged to ascertain GER
tam facts about the contracting par
Ties before marrying them, are you
not?' inquired the reporter.
Eyes, replied the clergyman, "min-
/ listers are furnished with blanks, which
/ nave to be filled out and returned to
| the city bureau OF records OF vital sta
| tlstlcs. Besides that we take pains to
! see that the parties are free to marry,
| not only In the eyes OF the law, but of
the church as well. For instance, |
would not marry man whom | had
reason to think had wife living from
whom he had been divorced for any OF
the minor pretexts. Sometimes, in
! deed, men legally free to marry in 9th
er states find that thelaw OF this state,
lax as 1t Is, does not hold the grounds
Of their divorces sufficient. A great
deal can be found out bV the pre-
scrlbed questions, and frequently still
more can be told by the manner in
] MI Hh h3lyr T.
uncommon for parties to prevaricate
IN Their statements, and it is necessary
TOR the minister to exercise all his pow
ers OF discrimination. OF course, with
the utmost carefulness, mistakes are
occasionally made. but the contract
ing parties can have only themselves
TO blame if trouble arises as the result
OF their deception"
when you refuse to marry couple,
what is their usual course? ?" was
asked.
con, they usually manage it in some
way. A few days ago Twas summoned
to one OF the hotels to marry a couple.
They were apparently very respectable
people, but in the course of the prelimi-
nary inquiries Hound that theman had
a wife living in Illinois, whom he had
been separated from for five years,
and refused to perform the ceremony
The next mornings paper announced
the marriage, and | take it for granted
the man must have made some differ
ent answers to another minister"
ga while ago a couple came to
be married, accompanied by the brides
parents and one or two other rela-
tives," continued the clergyman, land
| at first refused to perform the cere-
mOny because OF the extreme youth
fulness OF the BRIDE. She was a pretty
little girl, with light faxen hair ana
blue, innocent eyes, and did not APP
pear to be more than u or 10 years
Of age. Her parents, however, insist |
ed that she was 10, and were very anX-
ious that | should marry her to the
groom, a tine-lOOking young German
OF 81. The girl was more than willing,
and / finally consented. The mother
remarked as the knot was tied |
There! I'm glad it's done. She
mightn't a had another chance in !
many year / nope the poor little |
thing is happy. 4 fine, healthy-lOok, |
ing young farmer came in one night |
with a large female of uncertain age
and apparently decided strength of |
mind and desired the usual service. |
Witnesses were summoned and the
ceremony was about to begin when |
the door-bell rang twice in quick sue
cessiOn, and a moment after a DOrtly, |
well-dressed lady rushed breathless !
into the room and shouted with her |
last breath before sinking exhausted |
into a chair: Don't you marry him, |
YOU can have itn The explanation |
was that the woman about to get |
married was the others cook, and had |
left her mistress in a fit OF piq-e be
cause she would not raise her wages"
"Well, | am no lawyer" replied the
clergyman, laughing, in answer to the |
question what constitutes q, legal mar
riage. "That is something [ havenev-
er troubled myself about. Almost |
ANYTHING constitutes legal marriage
nowadays. OF course, there Is the
minister and the Justice of the peace |
Ii a ceremony is performed by anyone
styling himself a minister or q Justice |
Ofthe peace. and either one of the cOu-
tracing parties falls a victim OF the
deception and believes that she or he
is really married, the marriages. bind |
ing. If a mock ceremony Is performed |
and it is known to be such by both
parties they are not legally married, |
but promise to beman and wife, with |
no ceremony, in the presence OF wit
nessess. now constitutes legal mar
riage, provided either afterward claims
the rights of husband or wife, and chill
dren OF such q union are recognized by
law. If two persons OF opposite sex
publicly call themselves husband and
wife and live together as such | sup
pose they are legally married, for the
courts have in a contested case al
lowed children OF such a couple TO IN
herit to the exclusion of other heirs"
Philadelphia Paradise.
IR J. Burdette.l
1t was one OF the pastors best ser
mons. and he was describing heaven.
It was a place OF marvellous, match
loss TRANSCEND ant bpautV ne said All