Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1888-10-27
RUNAWAY LOVERS
Harpers Ferry a Haven Of Bliss
to Them.
A Minister RecOunts His Personal Experi-
ence with Those IA haste to Wed-The
Bridge a Favored Place-OutwItting
Stern Father,


Two things tended to make this place
popular with young couples In The past.
There was some romance in having tho
ceremony performed amid sueh wild
scenery, II was the most convenient
spot runaways could reach. The mar
riage laws of Virginia are very strict;
and ten years ago the laws Of Martiand
were correspondihslv lax On pay
ment Of the fee, license would be
granted the applicant, and the contract
ing parties themselves might be abso-
lutely non-existent Harper's Ferry
is connected with the upper valley by
a railroad, branch Of the Baltimore &
Ohio. As Maryland was Just across
the Potomac, this was the most access
sible point for lovers whose parents
looked too coldly upon their wooing.
The building Of parallel road has Wis
IDLY lessened Harper's Ferry's import
ance as a Gretna, so that its glory in
this respect has probably departed.
My first charge of church was in this
place, and as my house was convenient
to the depot was very often called
upon to marry these runaways. The
bridge crossing the Potomac was the
spot generally selected, and for the rea-
son that the ceremony must be- per-
formed in Maryland. 1t was in the CEN
ter of this great iron structure and
amid surroundings as romantic as can
be found anywhere that the knot was
usually tied.
The early morning train from the
upper valley usually brought the rum
aways. Sometimes they had ridden all
night to escape and catch the early
train. They were easily spotted on the
train by the conductor or the train
hands, and as kind of agreement ex-
listed between these and the telegraph
operators, an offer would soon be made
to procure the license and insure its ar
rival in time to allow them to return on
the next train. The bargain was soon
struck, and as the insurance was the
important part, the fee charged was
generally gauged by the size of the
prospective groom's purse. The license
arranged for, the next step was to find
a preacher
Even the street urchins had learned
to know the status Of these couples,
who arm in arm wandered listlessly
about the street, and offered to find the
preacher for them. Sometimes the de-
nominational preferences would prevail,
but this was not often, and most of the
work came to me.
Occasionally the dress and manner of
the parties would indicate wealth and
but this was not often the
case. More frequently the language
and dress indicated the low position
they held in the social strata. Imagine |
a big, raw-boned fellow dressed in store
a paper collar, an insignificant |
and unblaekened boots, and you !
have the makeup of the individual be-
fore you. You mentally wonder as you
look upon the groom: "What must the
bride look liker' If she is
pretty and attractive, we are not sur
prised at opposition. Sometimes in
luired why they had come so far to be
married, and particularly why they had |
run off. The reason was likely to be
no decided objection, but mere captious-
ness upon the part of parent, who re-
fused to comply with the requirements
Of the law. / once asked young fell
low why he had come so far, and espe-
,ially since the cost was so great. His
-eply was: 'The gals father never tux
40 count Nv her, an when asked him
20 give me letter to the clerk, sayin'
ne was willin', he lowed that he hadn'
luver give it to none the yuther gals
In he want goin' to give it to her, an
10 | had to come here or not get mar
ried for some time" / felt sorry for
he poor fellow and married him. The
irst couple l married was from the
northern part of Pennsylvania. They
lad come to Virginia to hive. could
lever understand why they had not
been married before they left home, as
both seemed to be very nice people. In
ignorance Of the stringency of Virginia
avs they had gone to Winchester, ex-
1ecting to be married there, but not be-
ng able to procure license they re-
5urned to Harper's Ferry and ordered
me sent from Hagerstown. AS they
'ould not receive this in time to allow
hem to return on the evening train,
he license was ordered to Weverton,
hree miles below the Berry, and we
vent there and l married them in the
abroad waiting-room. AS a canal boat
vas then in the lock, we all got aboard
nd rode back to the Ferry to the train.