Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-26
ONE WEDDING POSTPONED
THF STRANGE STORY TOLD BY
A CLEEG YMAN'S WIFE.
Her Husband Internationally Marrying
Lad TO his Fathers Intended Young
Brids-Ths Would-be BrIdegrOOms
Sore Distress.

=
/ a Lad to his Fathers Intended Young
Brids-The WOuId-be bridegroom &
Sore Distress.
Prom the Mem Yoy5 sun.
/ CHICAGO, Jan 23.-rhe wife Of the Rev.
! DR.. Locke declares the following story
/ true:
"Ton days ago a fne-looking man, 45
/ years Of age, called on the doctor, and told
him that he would like to have him per-
| form marriage ceremony at the church
the following Saturday evening, when he,
! whom we will call Mr.. Willis. for / would
/ prefer not to give their true names, and
his intended would be present. The
/ doctor fixed the hour at 7 30, and Mr..
Willis departed. At O'clock last satur-
/ day, the day fixed for the ceremony, the
doctor was seated in his study when a
young couple presented themselves, and
asked 10 be united.
"'GOu are rather young to be united in
marriage, are you not ?' asked the Doctor.
"'No; my intended is nearly Is, and |
am Of age. Here is our license said the
young man, producing the document.
"'What is your business position ~ the
Doctor asked while he examined the
license.
"'Well, ] would rather not say, and
don't know was the young mans an
swer.
"'You should know If you expect to
take yourself wife. How do you expect
to support herP
"'With my two hands, answered the
young fellow confidently
"'And you, miss; do your parents APP
prove OF this marrIageP
"gIbpV know | am IN no married and
would have been here, hut my mother is
sick, and my father would not come with
out her.
This was enough for the Doctor. The
young couple had their license. / heard
him perform the ceremony, and the young
couple left. After supper the Doctor lett
the house TO perform the other marriage
at the church. When he came back | saw
that he was troubled over something, and
on my asking the cause he told me what
mad happened at church
81 arrived at the church a little after
O'Clock said he, and found il lighted and
ready for the expected bride and groom.
well-dressed, gentlemanly-appea
man was seated in one OF the pews when
| entered, and, upon inquiry, | learned
that he was the head Of large mercantile
house in the city, and the employer Of the
man at whose wedding had expected to
present at Willis wedding" Itoccurred
to me then that | had not asked
Mr.. Willis name when he applied
to me at my study a week before.
What name did you say" | asked.
willis, John Willis he replied. Why,
iU is very singular. but | married
man of that name an hour ago. said |,
only IL was John Willis. Jr. What was
the name OF the lady Mr.. Willis expects to
marry" the name was given me, and l
knew il to be the same as that of the
young lady who had stood before me that
afternoon. AT 1880 O'Clock MIR. Willis ar
rived at the church alone. 4 am sorry,
Doctor said he, but / called at my in
tended's home half an hour ago. and
learned that she had suddenly been taken
very i'll. Our marriage will have TO be
postponed Your intended is not Ill,
Mr.. Willis SAID L. now convinced that
my suspicious were correct. i this after
noon performed the ceremony that made
her the wife of young man bearing your
name II was hard blow to deliver,
but l knew l was right, and it had to be
done. The pleasant face before me turned
very white as / told him the truth, and he
sank into the pew beside him and covered
his eyes with his hands. Then he looked
up and said: 'Oh, you must be mistaken,
Doctor that cannot be. When | arrived
al the house few minutes ago | found
the wedding supper ready, and carriage
a the door, which | presumed was the
physicians. 1t cannot be as you
say. What was the couple likeY
| described both 10 him-the girl
first and then the groom. As l pro
ceeded the mans face betOkened first sur
prise and then horror and pain, and when
he finally burts forth with My son nv
son, what have you done" | knew that
it was as | had suspected. Then 1t
was your son whom | married to your in
tended? ] asked. y es,' replied Willis.
Did you know that your son and the
young woman had formed an attachment
tor each other" l questioned further.
4 never dreamed Of it, replied the
father. L did not even know that he
had been in the habit of visiting her.
| We'll, then, Mr.. Willis said |, 1T is bet
ter that you should know it now than to
have discovered it after your marriage.
! although the present blow is a hard one
For tive minutes the man sat alone in the
pew, bis employer and myself choosing to
leave him alone with his own thoughts.
/ Then he arose and passed out ofthe build
ing The lights were put out, and | lett
the church without having performed the
ceremony that had called me there"