Semi-weekly south Kentuckian., 1886-04-27
CURIOUS MARRIAGES.
Cupid's Dlsdain for the Consist
ent" Actions OF His Victims.

nymphs Of seventeen or eighteen, and
the fascinating swains of thrco or four
aud 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 hymencal torch is
not to DO 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; crnbbed
Age aud Youth often live together in
perfect harmony; and May and Decem-
Der arc constantly united with the hap
piest results. Almost every marriage Is
plne-days' wonder, aud creates
muph astOnishmcnt, speculation and
lifting up Of hands, Quite recently, q
Dorselshirc 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 matrl-
mony; and so far from youth and love-
illness being the only victims Of IIymen,
We find somc OF the loyeliest women
consigned to singlc-blcssedness; while
their less favored sisters arc happy
wives and mothers. The particulars Of
many curious marriages are not re-
vcalcd to the public; but during the
last century less reticcncc was observed
in the matter; the ages Of the respective
parties were frequently put down with
out reserve, and tho fortunes Of the
ladies were mentioned with much unc-
ton and gusto.
Among these announcements few
Of the more remarkable are worth Sc
lccting. Here is one from an old mag
azine for June, l778: IA few days
ago, was married at St. Bridgcts
Church, in Chester, Mr.. George Hard
ing, aged one hundred and seven, to
Mrs. Catherine Woodward, aged
oighty-three. So singular union
could not fail of exciting the admira.
tion and surprise Of numerous con.
gregation, before whom the ceremony
was performed. The bridegroom
served in the army thirty-nine years,
during the rcigns of Queen Anne,
George l., and part Of George II. He
is now particularly hearty, in great
spirits, and retains all his faculties to
an extraordinary perfection. This is
his fifth wife; the last one he married
in his one hundred and fifth year; and
he Is Mrs. Woodward's fourth husband.
IT Is also worthy Of observation that
the above old mans diet has been for
the last thirty years past chiefly butter.
pilk boiled with q little -four, and
bread and checse,h As a pendant
to this, we come across another an
nouncement few years later: "Mr.
Thomas Dawson, OF Northallcrton,
aged ninety, to Miss Golightly, a
bouncing damsel of sixty-four. The
anxious bridegroom had been q Wild
over almost sly weeks" .|s
As Instances OF youth and age going
together, we may give the case OF
"Mrs. Horn, an agreeable widow with
genteel fortune, aged seventy-ninc,
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, u young man
about twenty-three to a 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
to the church, whero 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
the vestry, but all to no effect She
complained bitterly at her negligence
| In having forgotten to bring her pocket
bottle and to6acco-pipe with her. The
groom apologized for not being &C.
Suaipted with the forms of the church,
us he had never been in one since he
was chrlstened; and II appearances
could be believed, water did not seem
to have been upon his face since that
period"
We find another curious marriage,
which is announced in the following
terms: Lately, at Newcastle, Mr..
Silvertop to Mrs. Pearson. This is the
third time that the lady has been be.
fore the altar In the character of Q
bride, and there has been something
remarkable in each Of her three connu.
bial engagements. Her first husband
was o Quaker; her second, Roman
Catholic; and her third is Protestant Of
the established church. Each husband
was twice her age. At sixteen, She
married gentlemen Of thirty-two; sa
thirty, she took one OF sixty; and now
at forty-two, she is united to a gcntle
man Of cighty-four." ~ts-v7|
A great sensation was created In the
year ITS by the marriage of the ther
celebrated female historian, Mrs. Cath
crime Macaulay, who was far adv ncct
in years, with a surgeons mate, undeI
age, of the name Of Graham. Mrs
Macaulay was quite literary lioness
and DR.. Wilson, an elderly and learnet
admrer of her talents, had actuall!
built house for her, called Alber
House; this he presented to her witt
furniture and valuable library. HI
went so far as to hive medals struck il
her honor. Great, therefore, was til
amazement amongst the literary an,
fashionable world Of Bath when Mrs
Macaulay, wbs had always been con