, 1889-12-20
DR.. SMITHS WEDDING.
Had Considerable Difficulty APP
preaching the Altar.
The Disinterested Efforts of a Dis
eliminating Kind Friend.
Novel Manner in Which a Witness
Was Secured.

The professional card of DR.. DeInis f.
Smith has appeared in the Rock Springs
papers and the Miner announces that he
is known to many ex-Pennsylvanians at
that place, that he anne from Plymouth.
Pa, where he practiced eight years after
graduating from the Jefferson Medical
college of Philadelphia.
DR.. Smith and his bride are auartered
at the st. James hotel in Rock Springs.
The physician had quite a time in sccur-
ing his wife. The story is fully told in
this telegram from Pittson, Pa:
A marriage ceremony was performed
here on Thursday, which, from the at
tendant circumstances, was quite ro-
mantle. The groom, DR.. d. f. Smith,
until recently a successful physician of
Plymouth, has sold out his practice and
arranged to remove to Wyoming territory,
DR.. Smith is a Catholic. For some
months past he has been engaged to Miss
Jeanette Weir, a lady of Protestant pa
rentage. All arrangements for their
wedding had been completed, and the GER
emony was to have been performed by the
Rev. Henry L. Jones. pastor OF st. Ste
phen's Episcopal church, Wilkesbarre, in
time for the bride and groom to catch the
2:SO western train on the Leigh Valley,
but a friend interviewed and persuaded
Smith not to have the service celebrated
by a Protestant. The Catholic clergyman
of Plymouth refused to sanction the
union except under dispensation from the
bishop. DR.. Smith was in a quandary.
He had agreed not to let the ceremony
be performed by a Protestant. 1t could
not apparently be done by a Catholic,
How was he to be married at all?
At this iuncture a friend suggested that
a justice of the peace be called in to off,
ciate, the sanction of the church being
secured afterward. This experiment
was eagerly hailed. and Squire Donohue
of Wilkesbarre was engaged to tie the
knot, IL o'clock being the hour deter
mined upon. This arrangement, upon
reflection, failed to satisfy DR.. Smiths
friend. The latter wanted a Catholic to
oficiate. At the last momen he applied
to Father John Finnen Of this place for
assistance. Father Finnen replied that if
he could receive the consent of Bisbop
O'Hara of Scranton. he would readily
oficiate. Bishop O'Hara was telephoned
to and a reply received that the wedding
could be solemnized under the sanction OF
the church, provided two members of that
church were present as witnesses. Hence.
instead of going to the squire's office, the
couple took the first train to Pittston,
drove to the parochial residence and pre-
scented themselves before the priest.
Here another difficulty was encountered.
Only one Catholic witness could be OBJ
tanned. The friend who had twice helped
the room out, a third time volunteered.
He went into the street, hailed every
passer-by with the question, Are you a
Catholic" and finding one of that faith,
ran back in triumph. and the wedding
was solemnized. The service had lust
been completed when the west bound
Lehigh Valley train was heard approach
ing. Quickly the bride and groom slipped
into a waiting coach and were driven to
the station and were soon whirling to
THEN home in wild Wyoming.