The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-02-16
CURIOUS MARRIAGES.
Cupid's Disdain for the Consist
emit" Actions of His Victims.

v
According to some of the novels of
Che present day, it is only the lovely
nymphs of seventeen or eighteen, and
The fascinating SWANS of three or four
and twenty, who have any business to
think of matrimony. The poor plain
ones or those who have passed the me-
ridian of life, are looked upon as COM
pletely shelved; the hymeneal torch is
not to be lit for them, and the little
god of Love passes them over with
contempt. But is this really the factP
On the contrary, there were never
more extraordinary contradictions than
we find in the history of marriages; we
See women marrying men young
enough to be their grandsons; Grabbed
Age and Youth often live together in
perfect harmony; and May and Decem-,
Der are constantly united with the hap
piest results. Almost every marriage is
q nine-days' wonder, and creates
much establishment, speculation and
Hitting up of hands. Quite recently,
Dorsetshire clergyman of eighty years
of age electrified his congregation by
publishing his own banns in the parish
church. 1t is always necessary to be
prepared for these surprises. The
blind, deaf, halt and MANNED are not
exempt from the contagion of matri-
mony; and so far from youth and love-
Illness being the only victims of Hymen,
we find some of the loveliest women
consigned to single-blessedness while
their less favored sisters are happy
wives and mothers. The particulars of
many curious marriages are not re-
vealed to the public; but during the
last century less reticence was observed
In the matter; the ages of the respective
parties were frequently put down with
out reserve, and the fortunes of the
ladies were mentioned with much unc-
tion and gusto.
Among these announcements few
of the more remarkable are worth Sc
lecting. Here is one from an old mag
.azine for June, 1878: "a few days
ago, was married at ST. Bridget's
Church, in Chester, Mr.. George Hard
ing, aged one hundred and seven, to
Mrs. Catherine Woodward, aged
eighty-three. So singular q union
could not fail of exciting the admira-
fion and Surprise of a numerous con-
zregation, before whom the ceremony
was performed. The bridegroom
served in the army thirty-nine years,
during the reigns of Queen Anne,
George l., and part of George III. He
Is now particularly hearty, in great
spirits, and retains all his faculties to
Nh extraordinary perfection. This Is
his fifth wife; the last one he married
In his one hundred and fifth year; and
he is Mrs. Woodward fourth husband.
1t is also worthy of observation that
the above old mans diet has been for
che last thirty years past chiefly butter
milk boiled with a little -four, and
bread and cheese" As a pendant
20 this, we come across another an
nouncement few years later: "Mr.
Thomas Dawson, of Northallerton,
aged ninety, to Mise Golightly, q
bouncing damsel of sixty-four. The
anxious bridegroom had been q wild
over almost six weeks"
As instances of youth and age going
together, we may give the case Of
ssMrs. Horn, an agreeable widow with
o genteel fortune, aged seventy-nine,
who married Mr.. William Steptoe,
aged about thirty" We are again
startled by the following announce
ment in the month of January, 1905:
'.At Tynemouth Church, young man
about twenty-three to q woman aged
eighty-six, who had been the mother
of seventeen children. Notwithstand-
ing the banns had been but twice pub
lished, the experienced lady repaired
20 the church, where she was soon
Joined by her lover, and declared
she would not leave it without her
errand. She waited till the forenoon
service was over, during which time
she was frequently requested to leave
che vestry, but all to no effect. She
complained bitterly at her negligence
In having forgotten to bring her pocket
bottle and tobacco-pipe with her. The
groom apologized for not being &C
Quainted with the forms of the church,
as he had never been In one since he
was christened; and If appearances
could be believed, water did not seem
20 have been upon his face since that
period"
We find another curious marriage,
which is announced in the following
terms: Lately, at Newcastle, MIR.
Silvertop to Mrs. Pearson This is the
<hird time that the lady hiss been be-
sore the altar in the character of
bride, and there has been something
remarkable ia each of her three connu-
Dial engagements. Her first husband
was . Quaker; her second. . Roman
Catholic; and her third is Protestant Of
1he established church. Each husband
Was twice her age. At sixteen, she
narried 4 gentleman Of thirty-two; as
shirtY, she took one Of sixsy: and now.