New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-29
An IDYL OF CAMDEN.

Mr. Tcnnyson, trained and an astutc observer
Of the manners and customs OF the males Of his
Species has remarked that in spring o young
mans fancy lightly turns to thoughts OF love.
The assertion is not without foundation. Still
the large number Of marriages which take place
every fall attest that spring is not the only season
when a young mans fancy takes that tender turn.
The fact is the Laureate. IL he will excuse us,
might better have contented himself with the
broad affirmation that at all seasons, save, posi-
bly,, during the dog days, young mans fancy
thus conducts itself. But we digress. Our in
tention was not to take issue with the great poet,
but TO refer to the interesting case of the Camden
swain whose fancy lightly but unsuccessfully
turned to thoughts of marriage n few days ago.
The wedding day had arrived; the guests, most
of them bearing presents for the bride. had assem-
bled it was about time for the twain who were
TO be made one flesh to join hands before the
minister But just then there was sudden and
quite painful interruption Of the proceedings.
The guardian Of the bride-elect arose, and, toying
significantly with large, wel-developed self
cooking pistol remarked substantially that il he
enjoyed an ~ personal acquaintance with
himself, there would be no entering the holy
estate of matrimony from his house that evening
He added gracefully borrowing hint from Lady
Macbeth, that it would be we'll if those present
standing not on the order of their going should
go at once.
Somehow little incident Of that sort takes the
bloom of festive occasion. 1t is difficult for
wedding guest who is at all sensitive to appear
at his BEST to take the gay and sympa-
thetic spirit bcfitting wedding when the man
of the house is prancng around the drawing
room f1ourishing firearms and cordially assuring
every one that his room is better than his COM
pany This Camden gathering broke up promptly
and with SO little regard for the conventionalites
of society as Mr.. McAllister has found it. that
there is reason to believe some Of the more
nervous women neglected to take formal leave
of the man with the pistol. 1t now remains to be
considered whether our ferOciOus friend did right
in prohibiting the marriage. What was the
trouble? The trouble was. he explained, that
the groom had cruelty deceived the bride "by
presenting her with q roled-gold ring, valued at
twenty-five cents, for good wedding ring and
furthermore that an effort had been made, pre-
sumably OH the part Of the groom. to secure So
as fee for the minister, but without success
1t strikes us that the majority of kind-hearted
people who love lover will agree that the man
| with the pistol ought TO be ashamed of himself:
| that he broke up the wedding and cast gloom
| over the young couples Thanksgiving without
| sufficient cause. Suppose the ring was OF rolled
| gold and cost only quarter, Wnab VI th'''F IL
il was the costliest symbol of his affection which
the Young fellow could afford TO give his sweet
| heart then he did perfectly right in not buying
her one of those rings sparkling with precious
| stones, which come higher, but which do not
| necessarily bespcal more affection. The groom's
policy in regard to the wedding fee was equally
| worthy of commendation. The girls guardian
evidently insisted that the officiating clergyman
| ought to have S. for his services. Possibly the
| groom had been in Wall Street lately. At all
| events it would seem that he did not happen to
have SIS to spare for the purpose in question.
and having the courage OF his poverty he
| frankly made known that fact. Anything I'M
manly about his conduct? Anything of which
| that eminent common-sense American, BENJAMIN
| Franklin, would not have approved? Doubtless
| if the groom had availed himself Of the much-ad-
yertised credit system" he could readily have
| provided both ring and fee which would have
| met the ideas of the fastidi0us man with the
| pistol But holding fast TO the motto. out OF
debt. out of danger" he courageously stopped at a
twenty-five cent ring and kicked at q IS wedding
| fee.
| Here's TO him He deserved a more kindly
fate and feeling sure that his marriage is merely
| postponed to more convenient season and en-
| yironment, we earnestly wish him better luck
| next time. When he and his come to furnish a
home Of their own they might inscribe over the
fireplace the legend 1t is better to begin with
roled-gold and end with diamonds, than begin
with diamonds and end with rolled-gold.