Democratic messenger., 1889-04-13
Welded IN CHILDHOOD.
A Bride of Thirteen and o Groom
of Fifteen in Delaware.

n
PHILADELPHIA, April 1.-The little vii
lage Of Zoar. way down In Sussex county,
In Southern Delaware. has sensation that
is NIL out of proportion To town of such
diminniivc size. What Is 80 absorbing the
attention of the scant populaiion Il a run
away marriage. the parties To which are
John Rodgers. the fiftccn.year. old son ot
Farmer Samuel Rodgers. and Annie Law
son. n miss Of thirteen summers. who lives
in farm house distant about n stones
throw from her youthful husbands home.
Annie Is n black haired. rosy.cheekcd miss,
wiilia ,limplel chin and determined spirit.
She is very sclfposscssed. and passes
among strangers rs young Southern lady
just emerging from her teens. The Young
bridegroom is exactly her counterpart so
far ms physique and spirits go.
The life Of both has been like that of
Paul and Virginia on modlernizcd basis.
Living in n remote village, they have hccn
constant companions both at the district
school and nj home. Their tcmpcramcnts
were So suited Ia each other that from in
fancy up 10 the present period oi their
lives the one has found in the other an in.
dispensablc companion. During the past
two years the daily companionship has
emerged into an ardent attachment, which
was brought To crisis about two weeks
ago. when Johnnie swOrc beneath South.
crn pine with all the icrvor of true love
that he would hc faithful Ia Annie forever
il she would only give herself 10 him. 10
u trOthplight he gave hcra pretty wild
rose. and urged that if she would he his,
the old pine should he their trysiing place.
Annie consented 10 become his beirothed,
and said that the tree should always be II
mark of her constancy.
Thus rnmaniically bound for life. the two
departed To their paicrnal domiciles AZ
ter reaching home the young miss was
asked hy her mother Ia explain where she
got tho rose that graced her bosom. Amid
bushes came the answer: From .I0nnie."
This aroused the suspicious ofthc mother.
and the news was committed forthwith to
Annie's father who demanded nm cXplana
tion. The story being toll. the father burst
out with laugh: "lIumph, Calf love"
The temper in the young miss immcdi
ately rose In rebellion. and Father Lawson
was informed that there was more in it
than he might think.
The next ,lav Annie told Johnnie nj
their trysting. place Of the slight passed
npon their love. aud quick measures were
decided upon Ia show the strength ofihcir
VOW. So on Monday they turned their
backs on the district school and started in
the direction of Georgetown, where they
purpnsrd Ia bc united for life, The Meth
odist clergyman refused nj first Ia marry
them. but .Iohnnie proved equal To the nc.
caSion. lie drew from his pocket what
he asserted 10 be u permit from his pa
rents. and the ceremony was performed
Ill.
cicnt of this worlds goods io set up for
themselves, they rctracc,i their steps home.
ward. They marched hohly into the house
of the youthful brides father and ac-
quainted him with what they had done.
Father Lawson's face went through all
the cOlorS al the rainbow while he was
hearing the story lnt sn,ldcnly thinking
that il might hc joke. he said "Oh. you
youngsters can't fool with me
The "yOungsicrs" reiterated the story of
their cscapadc and marriage with especial
emphasis. and showed their marriage Ger.
iiiicaic. To satisfy himself. the father
hiichcd up his horse and drove 10 the
Methodist clergyman near Georgetown.
The parson convinced him of the marriage.
and. Ia yindicaic himself. showed him the
permit The fathers wrath arose nj first.
hut he could do nothing more than accept
the inevitable.
Upon his return home he pai,cd the
vnung husband and wifc upon their heads
in admiration OF their courage and told
them that they were proper chips of the
old block. Farmer Lawson. the brides
father, has hot yc, decided whether To
keep the children NJ his home until they
shall be- of age. ar set them up honsekeep.
ing and hire nurse Ia care for them.
Juhnnie's father has also taken the whole
affair in good part. and wished the yomng
uns u happy married life"