The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-01-14
FROM SERENA.
A Double wedding and Reception.

Double Wedding and Reception.
A loving couple, welded IA they ought,
Combine 1.-TWO souls, with but single
thought;"
And when the happy ceremony's done,
The tie hath bound 1.-Two souls that beat as
one!"
But in double wedding, you'll agree,
Pour hearts and souls need stronger poetry,
-Four souls must have just twice the thoughts
Four hearts beat four times more than one
can do!
Tho game Of love is difficult and hard,
Unless you hold the ''little joker" card.
But this was Cupid's game his fav'rite, best;
He slyly stocked the cards, then made MS p pets'
And some he took on Blink, and some on fetz
He held too pairs, (below you'll learn the rest)
OF course you'll see. or If you don't you'd
ought to,
Advantages in "a hand to draw to-"
The game was short and sweet and quickly
And when the hands were "called,"
Twas Cupid won!
The social world around Serena, last
Wednesday, was treated to a small earth
quake in the shape of a double wedding.
The happy parties most deeply interested
in the affair were Mr.. Joseph Retz and his
sister, Sophia c., children of MIR. and Mrs.
Edward Retz, of that town, and Mr., Louis
Blink and his sister Anna, children of
Joseph Blink, of Rhodes, Marshall Co.,
Iowa; the two young men exchanging sis
tiers for wives, and the girls getting rid of
their respective brothers, and In their stead
only better: finding husband each.
At 10 o'clock on that morning, at Somo-
nauk, Joseph Retz and Anna Blink, and
Louis Blink and Sophia G. Retz, were
united in matrimony by Rev. Father Err
hard, Catholic priest.
In the evening, at the hospitable home
of Mr.. Edward Retz the friends OF that
family around Serena, and others from
Iowa, Somonauk, Worthwhile, Ottawa, and
about, in divers and sundry directions as
sembled, to the full number of 200, and the
occasion was as joyous and as jolly as pos
sible. Music was furnished by the Serena
Brass Band, composed of a dozen instru-
ments, led by E. c. Beardsley, solo cornet'
of which organization r. II. Pooler, the
p NJ, has long been the president and the
only member who has been slayer from
the start This band, under the instructor
ship of Prof Bibbins, has acquired most
excellent proficiency. There were plenty
of cigars for the gentlemen who smoked,
and perhaps glass Of liquid and foaming
comfort for those who felt serious, or ex-
pected to, or had been chilled by the
weather. And there was chatting for the
old folks, and whispered sweetness be-
tween the young, out of which latter con-
fabs may grow other weddings, double or
single The ladies distinguished them
selves by many pretty and graceful cos
tunes, and proved to the strangers eye
exceedingly attractive and pretty. They
we're, as to colors In blue, and brown, and
white, and glossy black, and every shade
between, and some we're fat and others
thin; some slow and stately. and others as
gay and lively as butterflies. In short, Il
was varied assembly of welldressed
ladies', who were quite lovable, and the
proper assortment of gentlemen Of al
sizes, shapes, length of limb and expansion
of chest, and other conditions of previous
ness, 30 to speak; and the reception was II
every respect a complete success from frs
to last, from the hospitable and warm re-
ception by the host and his good sons ant
amisble daughters, to the goodbye" late
in the early morning, to correctly express
our going home.
Above all, the supper was just superb
and notch or two above II. There were
mountains Of cake-cake qualified by ever!
adjective as to variety, from what maj
would call plain business cake up through
every delicate distinction, to the superla
tive of dainties-the BRIDES cake. TIL
sweetness and delightfulness of any we'll
managed wedding reception depends not
little, besides good cookery, upon thu
beauty of the bride,--a bride-but whel
two pretty girls are the brides. everything
has a double quantity of the dulcet and de
licious.
Supper over, u dance was organized, Il
which the brides led, and then came othe
dances, till the little hours of morning, an
most excellent music by Elwell, Beardsle
and Bibbins, on violin, cornet and organ.
THE WEDDING PRESENTS
were numerous, and OF course, mainly dr
plicates, starting off with fine fancy tabl
and $50 in cash to each couple, from Nj
Joseph Blink, of Marshall Co., Iowa, fathe
Of one of the grooms and one of tn
brides; following these came rockin
chairs of willow and straw, gents cas-
chairs, fancy vases, stands, bed spreads an
blankets, stand and bureau covers, albums
PLAGUE paintings, silverware of all sort
towels, rugs, parlor tables, hanging lamp
clocks. and lots of pretty little remembrar
CAS- from willing hands. the promptings G