Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-02-25
WAYS OF BRIDEGROOMS.
THRIFT DISPLAYED BY SOME OF
THEM AT THE ALTAR.


THEM AT THE ALTAR.
Iiaggling About the Fee-Paying for the
Ceremony with Cordwood = The Man
Who Wanted Potato Digger-A We'd
dug Three Times Postponed.
ave ministers see many curious phases OF
human nature,n said a preacher the other
day, 'and not a little amusement is to be de-
rived from watching the behavior of people
who come to you to get married, for instance.
u remember when I had parish in the
country big rough farmer drove up TO my
house one day with a blushing, giggling dam
sci in his wagon. After had married them
the bridegroom said:
"'Money's scarce in these parts, minister,
and can't raisemoro than enough to pay my
taxes this fall, but III draw you two thump-
in big loads Of cordwood when snow comes
for this job
al told him had to take so large a part Of
NV salary already in cordwood that / didn't
care to marry people FOR it, but the job, as
he called il, couldn't be undone and cordwood
was better than nothing.
HIS rHRIFTmsT.
'There are plenty Of men, too who want
10 get the thing done as cheaply as possible,
and are prepared to haggle over the fee.
"'Is that all there is to itp they say, when
the ceremony is over. Pretty short, amt i'll
Didn't take much trouble. What's the fee,
sirl Times is hard just now and
"'Oh, just pay whatever you think your
wife Is worth, always say 10 these fellows,
with smile at the bride. That generally
stops tho hGggler and raises a laugh against
him.
"The thriftiest man who ever came TO me
for this purpose, however, was one ] met
in Canada where / had parish for a short
time just after ! came out from England, my
native land. He came alone and opened the
conversation in this way;
"'What win it cost me, minister, to get
marriedr
1.-TWO dollars for the license, / said, and
two for my fee.'
"'Wh-e-e-w,i he whistled -Four dollars
Isn't there any cheaper way than thatF
"'You can get along without the license
] said, by having the bans published by me
| for three successive Sundays in the church.
"'Won't twice dor he asked
emo replied
az can't leave them that long in the
grouAd, ho said in a troubled tone, and it
will cost me S. for to tell you about them.
"'What are you talking about, manr
said, thinking he, perhaps, was drunk.
''The potatoes, of course he said. Didn't
tell you about themF'
"'No,' said, what about themF
"'Well.' he said, there's my field Of pota-
toes. They're ripe and ready to gather /
must get 20 work at once and fork them out
Of tho hills, but / have no ono to pick them
up after me- Did you ever pick potatoesF
"No' said, i never did, but l under
stand it's hard work.
cit is that he replied, 'and I'd have to
pay man or boy at least So to pick that
| field and board him beside Now, the woman
I'm going TO marry is stout and willing girl
and she'll pick the field for nothing, il / can
only get her in time. But the three weeks of
/ bans is going to put the work of too late.
What would you DOR
"'Its case where don't feel called on to
| give any advice I answered little testify,
as could not help thinking Of the willing
bride breaking her back picking potatoes for
| such churl.
"lde considered while, and at last decided
10 spend So for license, as he would thus
save SO in cash on the potato picking and get
1 AnIfe Weeks Oh nhfQ WOIh Dul u ALc MAAAihE
bride into the bargain.
"Some bridal parties are exceedingly jol
ly,n continued the talker, $50 much SO, in
fact, that / have often had to stop in the
middle OF the service and lecture the bride
and bridesmaids for giggling, and Others
again are so solemn that feel it my duty &c
, cheer them up a little / have a few old
stock Jokes for such occasions, which never
fail 20 provoke a laugh. When give the
! bride her marriage lines as we call the Ger
tifcate, ! occasionally add that have n'
! doubt she viii hold the reins also. One bride
groom whom cheered with the observation
that this was the end Of all his troubles re
monstrated with me- saying that his mar
$ riage was really the beginning Of his woes
The only defence l could urge for making
so rash statement was;
"'My friend, did not say which end
s'But this did not seem TO console him t
:, amy great extent.
THE "D1sLrKIN'n WENT AROUND.
> IAN uncouth couple annoyed me into play
! ing a practical joke ON them once 1t haI
pened in this way. They called on me jus
i as was getting into my buggy to start on
d visiting tour. They were i'll looking, i'll maj
Il nered people, and seemed altogether lackin
4 reverence for the ceremony or its cons
! qnences. He was especially rough, not to sa
coarse, and had evidently offended the brio
ON tho way to my house, for she looked sulk!
When I said;
II Wilt thou have this woman to be Ii
N welded wifef etc, he answered;
IN "'You bet.'
lis Il reproved him, and he finally respond,
1t sullily, j wull.'
Is when / asked her, wilt thou have tn
in man to be thy welded husbandP etc, she r
be Piled;
rs "'No, / won't. I've taken disliEin'
OF him.
k. "And she would not and did not. SO Thu
TO- went away quarreling, and was glad to s
the last Of them.
About a week after that they came agai
and the woman said She had changed b
w mind and had got over her 'dislilun'' to hi
~ So they stood up again. But when put {
no critical question to the man he answer
&c, coolly:
* "'No, won't. have taken dislikin'
me her. And he turned on his heel and walk
m out Of the house without another word, lea
re- ing the woman crying with chagrin. ! "
sorry for her and angry with the man
triAing with me, but could not help thin
ing he had served her about right
~ about week after that they both ca
ia a, back again and begged me to marry them.
~ felt like setting the dog ON them, but
CLOTH if nothing else forbade that; 50 ! ste
~ them up right there on the yeranda and
W. gan;