The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-04-05

PRESIDENT Hyde OF Bowdotn tells 0
good story of the first marriage ceremo
ny at which he ofliciated while occupy.
Ing pulpit in Jersey City. 1t seems
that the bigger half of the interesting
couple was rather timid and nervous,
one of those men whose diffidence is in
danger of leading him into some awk-
ward blunder. The bride, on tho con-
trary, was remarkably cool and self-pos-
sessed. AS the couple presented them
selves before President Hyde there
seemed to be some misunderstanding in
regard to the side on which the lady
should stand. The groom hitched about
nervously, but the bride was equal to
the occasion. Quickly changing place
with her bashful fiance, she remarked
confidently: "There, / am sure this is
the side on which l have always been
accustomed to stand" This solved the
difficulty, and the timid groom and
the widow, who knew all about it from
experience, were speedily united
| A popular Boston clergyman related
this occurrences: "a man called at my
house one afternoon and asked: will you
be at home at eight o'clock this evening to
marry me-? replied: Yes; have you a
certificater He took one from his pocket,
but it was such as the minister makes
out and gives to married parties. said
| You can't get married with that certifi-
cate. 1t will be necessary for you to
call on the city clerk for one.' Where
upon he demonstrated, saying: 4 guess
that is all right. 1 paid twenty-five
cents for it. After remarl1ing that it
would make no difference if he paid one
dollar for it, and adding certain explain
tions, he decided to postpone his we'd
ding till the following day, when he
came with proper certificate"
/ suppose, continued the clergyman,
that you have heard of the man who,
when the minister said, pronounce
you one, asked (Which one?" And of
the man who asked the minister how
much the bill was, and upon his reply
ing that the law allowed him $1.5O, took
from his pocket fifty cents, and, handing
it to the officiating clergyman, said:
Take this and that will make two dol
lars?" The question is, How to get the
S1.50 from the law?
The following occurred in village in
the western part of Massachusetts,: A
couple came into town on the train to
be married, with evidently but fifty
cents in their possession. They went
to a grocery store and bought seven
cents worth of crackers for their din
ner. They then proceeded to the min
ister's and were married, and then the
groom passed out the remaining forty
three cents, and asked if there was to
be any change to come back. The min
lister made them wedding present of
the forty-three cents, and they went
away happy.
A well-known pastor of this city re-
lates the following: The contracting
parties of the first marriage ceremony
ever performed were young, thoroughly
educated and in excellent standing in
society. The groom was in good busi-
ness for himself, the bride the only
child of ricE parents. Her father was
somewhat peculiar and thought his
daughter too good for any man, and con-
sequently did his best to break up the
match. They were to be married at
four o'clock p. m. on a certain day
That morning he offered his daughter
$4,000 cash if she would reject her
lover. The young man, thinking he
might increase his offer tenfold and
thereby iniure the prospect of his win
ming the object of his love, persuaded
her to meet him at her aunt's home at
eleven o'clock a. M, instead of four
o'clock p. m. as was first contemplated,
and at that time in the presence of
few friends the young couple were
Joined in holy wedlock. So great was
the haste and excitement, so earnest
and profuse were the congratulations,
that they forgot to pay the Clergyman
for his services. But before sundown
friend of the groom came riding faster
than Gilpin with a large and generous
marriage fee.
One day, said popular Boston clergy
man, an aged lady called at my study and
asked if i remembered attending the
funeral of her son-in-law, Mr.. B. l
replied that l did, upon which she said
that during the service she made up her
mind thatshe would have me perform the
marriage ceremony of her youngest boy,
who was living with her at that time.
After her boy was married he handed me
a five-dollar bill, saying: This is a small
fee, but will do better the next time"
On one occasion, said a Presbyterian
pastor, married a gushing middle-aged
widow to bashful country chap, and
as they were bidding me goodbye, she
said to me in very pleasant way: as
there any thing else we can do for you,
sir?" to which / replied: Call again"
mot many men know how to behave
when they give minister his fee for
them,' said Rev. Robert Coll
yer recently. SIT seems to embarrass
them for some reason. remember
once, out in Indiana, that man whom
l had just united in marriage to very
conely young woman gave me ten dol
lars for the fee. AS he did 80 he blushed
and stammered. Then he said, with
perfect candor; Il would like to give you
more, doctor, and-and will next time.
His bride overheard him and looked at
him in queer way but he evidently did
not realize what he had said in his en-
The door-bell rang at minister's
house one evening. He answered the
call and was greeted by young couple
standing before the door. The young
man asked: "Does the Baptist pasture
live here?" The clergyman did not en-
barrass the young man by asking him
"if he wished to turn his young lady out
to grass, but politely responded "Yes,"
married them and sent them on their