The Columbus journal., 1886-08-04
~MArRuHONIAL FREAKS.

MATRIMONIAL FREAKS.
Remarkable Cases THAT Have Come 70
the Notice Of . Clergyman-The Trax.
edy Of . Chorus Girl
Speaking of the many features which
enliven the matrimonial market, q we'll
known clergyman said to a Boston GLOBE
reporter: Zone of the many remark
able cases I recall is that Of a beautiful
young girl who vas married to n
wealthy man of three score years and
nine. The acquaintance WAS made at
one of our theaters, where Laura was
engaged as chorus girl. The brief &C
quaintance ripeRed into strong re-
gard, and finally they were married:
Laura after a time tired of her aged
partner and sought her old haunts, and
on any pleasant day she might be seen
upon the road behind four handsome
coal-black horses, in her barOuche, the
flashiest in town, with some half a
dozen young swells. The husband look
ed upon all these ~peccadillOes without a
word of remOnstrance. and andeavored
all the harder to 81 her from the evil
influences which surrounded her, but
without avail 1t was but a few months
after their marriage that the wife, de-
sorting husband and home, took pas
sage on a steamer for London, and. ar
irving there, occupied quarters with n
well-knOwn elocutionist. who had fig
ured prominently in the social world.
and who had sailed a week previous for
old England. The two were married
within q few days by the queens chap
lain and started for the coast for their
HONEYMOON. "On the first day the
couple retired at an early hour, but
when morning came the domestic found
the husband of q few hours stretched
cold and dead across the bed. a small
blue circle in the forehead where a bull
let had entered. He had taken his own
life. The young mans family made in
quiries regarding the character of the
widow, and when the reports came in
SO detrimental to her honor and repu-
tatiOn she was sent ont into the world
to fight its battles alone. uncared for
and unknown. The first husband be-
came a victim to grief and died. and
the bride. weakened by the forced dis
sipations. survived him but q short time.
and the remarkable career begun SO
auspiciously. so happily. ended in the
bereavement of three families.
only a few weeks ago a handsome
team drove to my door and a moment
later q lady and gentleman entered our
apartments and asked to be married.
The lady was young. beautiful, and
wealthy. The husband to he was a
common sailor, the odor of tar still
strong upon him. while every feature
showed a ~barrenness of even ordinary
ability. l led the lady to another part
of the room, when l asked an explsna-
ton. All l could get was that they
were bent on marrying and if ! didn't
do it some one else would, and at last
the knot was tied and the couple drove
away. have since learned that Jack
returned Immediately to his ship and
took passage to Liverpool. where to-day
the couple-live in contcntment
Another singular incident in my
career as q minister was the marriage
of the father of one of the most promi-
nent political officers of the state. What
makes it more interesting is that the
offspring was not ever aware that his
parents were lawful husband and wife.
While at a public reception a few weeks
ago ! was introduced to the man in
question, and remarked that years ago
I had married his father to an estima-
bic young woman. The son. after a
moments reflection. left the house, say
ing that he would investigate the mat
ter, but whether he did or not l cannot
tell 1t was years before that the hns-
band, having buried his wife. retired in
seclusiOn with only a h~Ousekeeper to
assist in the management Of the house,
and they lived As such for many years.
One afternoon a neighbor visited me
and inquired whether l had married the
couple, but I knew nothing Of their mar
riage and told him SO. but it was onlya
few weeks later that l was visited by
the husband and his hO~usekeeper, who
expressed q desire t. be welded. Have
you your certificate?' | asked. No; he
had none with him. but promised that
if l would wait a few moments he would
obtain one. rs he had made application
years previous and had been granted
his papers. He posted home and e
turned with his certificate, old and yell
low with age, but the legal instrument,
and they were married on the spot. and
the son was the legal offspring of that
marriage.
II have met couples who would not
be married with metal rings, and l have
cut circles from the groom's gloves to
satisfy them. l have known of the
church key being the substitute for the
wedding-ring, Of a clergyman's stop
ping a wedding service because the
w%edding-ring was diamond instead of
the ordinary band, and of no end of
trouble being caused by a wedding-ring
which the bride mistrusted to be brass
being placed on her finger, and l recall
an instance where a common curtain
ring answered the purpose of a more
suitable and costly one The question
of fees is a most interesting one and in
my experience as minister l have re-
ceived almost every sum-. from a silver
dollar to a check for 800. and almost
every conceivable gift, from a copy of
the church ritual, elegantly bound. to
less portable but more valuable evidences
of appreciation"
The Language Of the Train.