The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-14

this in a little time was so oyercroWded that
other accommodations had to be provided.
The Kings Arms across the way from the
Maxwelrs Arms, in which am writing, Dy
1900 had become the most famous posting
establishment in the two kingdoms. From
PAIsLEY's MARRIAGE
OF the Cumberland England couple in
1771, as chrOnieled in my last article, TO the
time of his death, in 1914, it is computed that
the traffic brought annually to Gretna and
Springfield $4,000 In fees, ext enses of those
who pursued runaway English couples, out
lay of barristerS who visited the places to
establish proof of marriage, other barri>ters
who came for clients who hoped to find lack
OF proof, the curious who were attracted by
the extraordinary character of the place.
and from the general reckleSSneSS and eX-
trayagance on every hand where marriage
ices from runaway English common folk.
gentry and nobility ranged from to 100
euineaS, as they did, with any amount of the
'''yello" stuff for the hordes of ''wi nesses,"
handy men and satraps who lived perma-
nently at tne INNS, hlied the rude cottages,
or swarmed ike harpieS about the then busy
stable-yards. The present owner of the
estate on which Springfield stands is
Sir John Maxwell, the third Sir John
of the descendants of Sir William Max
well. He lives in London, renting the
estate demesne at SfriDgkell. some seven
miles distant. to Lord Antrim, now here for
his fourth year, as Shooting box for grouse
shooting aud summer residence, at 1000
per y ar. The wretched Indications Of the
now w0ebegone village, originally parceled
out on 99-year leases which are inst now ex-
piring, at the present time are based at an
average annual rental of but 70 per year,
and house most miserable population. s,
much for the village, whose eastern end is
bur few rods from the boundary limo be-
tween England and Scotland. at the old
stone bridge across the Sark, where the
olden Gretna marriages we're consummated.
many times in less than thirty seconds and
indeed where they were often performed at
the bridge-end itself, with old Paisley run
ming alongside the laundering eOa"h with
its foaming horses. so close had been pur-
suit.
Tracing the successors of Paisley, Gad
that their line was established in this vi =.
high living and frequent debauches brought
Paisley, mass If tat and corruption wei h
ing 400 pounds, to his grave in 1914. For
some little time before his death his physi-
cal joys and Affections compelled him to
delegate his offices 10 other and younger
HANDS. The fortunate man was one David
LANG. pack-peddler, who had married
Paisley's granddaughter. No one disputed
the legitmaey.of the sueceosion, as David
Laing had both hard fist and character,
and though rivals occasionally Intercepted
triae If the traffic, he controlled it as effectii.
ally and
GAVE IT SUCH ECLAT
That on his death in 1S27-haVing previously
caught fatal cold on his visit 10 Lancaster,
England, to give evidence at the tlial OF
Lord Wakefield, who was indicted, convicted
and punished by two years Imprisonment
for the abduction Of his betrothed, their
marriage having been celebrated At Gretua
his memory was thus perpetuated by
Thomas Hood:
Sleep. David Laingl sleep
In peace though angry goyernesses spurn thee;
over tiny grave a thousand lndluenS weep
And honest post boys mourn thee.
Sleep, David safely and serenely sleep,
Bewept by many learned legal eye.
To see the mold above thee in a heap
browns many lid that heretofore dry,
Especially of those that, plunging deep
In love, would " ride and tie."
Had command thou shoUdst have gone thy ways
In chaise and pair-and lain in Pere Ia Chaise!
The third "Bi,hop of Gretna," Simon
Laing, son of "auld Davie," indicted him
self into Office Immediately after his fathers
death, and continued the Gretna marriage
business until his own death in 1871, a fact
not generally known, with a constant III
crease of the traffic until 1856. In this year.
by permission of Scottish representatives IN
the British Parliament an act waS passed
making civil-ccntract marriage impossible
in Scotland unless one of the contracting
parties became resident of Scotland for u
days Immediately preceding marriage
With this modification the old law stands
intact. But the prevailing idea, which eX-
lists even in Scotland, that Gretna marriages
were thus abolished is totally incorrect, as
to my amazement was discovered on my Wis
it to the old postman. There | found not
the ogre in blue and red, but venerable old
fellow of IS years, with white locks, great
horned specIacles half-hidden beneath that
wonderful nose, and his weakened form
clad in thTeadcaTe suit Of clerical black,
whose name vas William Lung. This man
is the fourth Bishop Of GTetna," having
succeeded his father On the death OF the lat
ter in 1871, and who, Ia addition to bis sery-
ices to her Majesty rs postman OF spring
field and GTetGa Green al 'seveu shillu'
saXpence the week. isc1ntlnning tle 1ret-
ma service 10 runaway English coitpiae who
overcome the twenty lrst day residence rs-
. Strction without difficulty, TO this very day,
rs,.SiEing, as he himself informed ne as
little 49, billings and as much a. el0 As
marriage fee. G - aaIaisiIe character sat u
sacredotal state by a greasy 9eat . taDle i oe-
side the one little window OF hfSeSt iaSfs lnl.
patiently awaiting my arrival for was
there not "siller ahint t?' One arm rested
upon a pile of ancient leather covered
record books. AT his feet was stout oaken
box with tremendous paddock. Standing.
or rather lettering about the middle of the
room, was the old mans wife, deaf for
thiTty-eight years. her voice faded to
PATHETIC FALsETTo
gurgle. and her face and thin old form sug-
costing some ghostly white field flow, T.
trembling in the wind-whipped autumn of
its life. The old man was tiercely grave and
dignified. The old woman was all feeble
smiles, swaying saaams soft and pit
e0us caeklings. For four hours time l was
busted in examination of the musty records
of this marital curiosity shop. First, the
oaken box was opened. This contained the
original records, now scarcely more than
a mass of shreds, but still legibe, and.
on innumerable occasions, worth in Scottish
and English courts far more than their
NC in unll TlpO fba
record books were examined. These place
at a glance IN chronological order every
marriage recorded as performed by Pals
ley and the three Laings, down to the
present time. The first marriage was
that OF John Edgar with Jean Scott, in
I'LL. The last one, celebrated in this very
cottage by William Laing, Nav - 1890,
was of Thomas Beattie, Parish OF
Bewcastle, County Cumberland, England.
with Mary McGregor, Parish of iretna,
Dumfries-shire, Scotland, involving certih-
cation of the Scottish Twenty-one-day rest
dence. The records comprise nearly 5000
marriages, including such noted members of
the English aristocracy and nobility as
Thomas, Lord Erskine, with Sarah Buck;
Edward Conroy with Lady Alicia Parsons,
daughter of the Earl of Ross; John George
hampton, grandfather of the present
Lord Durham, with Miss Cholmuudley;
Edwin Gibbon, Lord Wakefield with
Ellen Tuner, for which Lord Wake
utlu SuutlCQ wv NtdlS
and Lord George William Coventry
with Mary Beauclaire. OF these Joseph
Paisley, in forty-three years time, performed
about $500; David Laing, during the next
thirteen years, 1900; Simon Laing, between
1927 and 1871, about 31C0, and William
Lang, postman, during the past nineteen
years between 600 and 700. 1t was stlange
and weird experience this, Mt the cottage of
William Laing. poSman and "meenester,"
at Gretna Green. But give fair warning
to all who come after me that they will not
only find the genuine records attesting
Gretna's fame, but that while enjoying the
studies of one of the most extraordinary
characters in Scotland, they will also eX-
perienee at departure from the rapaCiuuS
and almost flemish levy Of "siler ahint lis"
an illustration of the apotheosis of thrift,
savage ignorance and aggressive avarire,
such as the pen of the greatest master of de-
lineation in fiction and fact has never yet
been wholly able TO depict.
sCopyri0hL 1890. EDGAR L. WAKESIAN.
z A new ''eure" has been invented in Ger
many, which may be adopted as a greater
nOValtV than the mind re or the faith purp