Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-06

So much for the village, whose eastern enc
is but few rods fronssthe boundary line be
tween England and Scotland, at the ole
stone bridge across the Sark, where the older
Gretna marriages were consummated, many
times in less than 80 seconds, and indeed
where they were often performed at thl
bridge-end itself, with old Paisley running
alongside the laundering coach with it.
foaming horses, so close had been pursuit.
Tracing the successors Of Paisley, I fnG
that their line was established in this wise
High living, half gallon OF brandy daily
and frequent debauches when gallons o.
cognac would be nightly consumed, brought
Paisley, a mass of fat and corruption weigh
ing 400 pounds. to his grave in 1914. Fol
some little time before his death his physlc.
al joys and affections compelled him tc
delegate his offices to other and younger
hands. The fortunate man was one David
Laing, a canny Ulster Irishman, and a
pack peddler, who had married Paisley's
| granddaughter. No one disputed the legIti'
macy OF the succession, as David Laing had
both hard fist and character; and though
rivals occasionally intercepted trifle of the
traffic, be controlled it so effectually and gave
irsuch eclat that on his death in 1S27-havlng
caught a fatal cold on his visit to Lancaster,
England. to give evidence at the trial OF
Lord Wakefield, who was indicted, con-
victed and punished by two years impris-
onment for the abduction of his betrothed,
their marriage having been celebrated at
Gretna-his memory was thus perpetuated
by Thomas Hood:
Sleep David Laingl-sleep
In peace, though angry governesses spurn
| theei
Over thy grave a thousand maidens weep,
And honest post-boys mourn theel
Sleep David! safely and serenely sleep,
Bewept by many learned legal eyel
To see the mold above thee in a nesp,
browns many lid that heretofore was dry;
Especially of those that, plunging deep
| in love- would ride and Iier'
HAD command, thou should'st have gone
thy ways
In ehaise and pair-and lain in Pere la Chase!
The third bishop 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, fact
not generally known, with constantlncrease
of the traffic until 1856. In this year, by
permission of Scottish Representatives in
the British Parliament, an act was passed
making civil contract marriage impossible
in Scotland unless one of the contracting
parties became a resident OF Scotland for 21
days immediately preceding marriage. With
this modification the old law stands intact.
But the prevailing idea, which exists even
in Scotland, that Gretna marriages were
thus abolished is totally incorrect, as to my
amazement was discovered on my visit to
the old postman.
THE BISHOP OF GRETNA.
There found not the ogre in blue and
red, but venerable old wretch of 6S wears.
with white locks, great horned spectacles
hali-hidden behind that wonderful nose, and
his weazened form clad in a threadbare suit
of clerical black, whose name was William
Laing. This man is the fourth ''BIshop of
Gretna," having succeeded his father on the
desth of the latter in 1871; and who, in ad-
dltlon to his services to Her Majesty as
postman Of Springfield and Gretna Green at
seven shillin' saxpence the week, is con-
tlnuing the Gretna service to runaway En-
glish couples who overcome the 21-day resi-
dence restriction without difficulty, to this
very day; receiving, as he himself informed
ME, as little as 10 shillings and as
much as e10 as marriage fee. The unique
character sat in sacerdotal state by greasy
dealtable beside the one little window OF his
cottage, impatiently awaiting my arrival;
for was there not "siller ahint it?" One
arm rested upon a pile of ancient leather
covered record books At his feet was a
stout oaken box with tremendous paddock.
Standing. or rather teetering about the
middle of the room, was the old mans wife;
deaf for 3S years, her voice faded to pathetic
falsetto gurgle, and her face and thin old
form suggesting some ghostly white field
flower trembling in the wind-whipped
autumn OF its life. The old man was fercely
grave and digniied. The old woman was
all feeble smiles, swaving salaams, soft and
piteous cacklings. For four hours time 1
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 legible, and, on |
inDumerable occasions, worth in Scottish |
and English courts far more than their |
weight in gold. Then the transcript record |
books were examined. These place at a |
glance in chronological order every marriage |
recorded as performed by Paisley and the |
three Laings, down to the present time. The |
first marriage was that of John Edgar with |
Jean Scott, in 1771. The last one. celebrated |
in this very cottage by William Laing, Nav |
29, 1890, was of Thomas Beattie, Parish of |
Bewcastle. County Cumberland, England, |
with Mary McGregor, Parish of Gretna, |
Dumfries-shire Scotland, involving certif- |
cation of the Scottish 21-day residence.
LORDS ON THE LIST.
The records comprise nearly 5000 mar
riages; 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 Cholmundley; Edward Gibbon. |
Lord Wakefield, with Ellen Turner, for
which Lord Wakefield suffered two years
and Lord George William
Coventry, with Mary Beauclaire. Of these,
Joseph Paisley, in 43 years time, performed |
about 300; David Laing, during the next
l3 years, 1,500; Simon Laing, between 1927
and 1871, about 8, 100; and William Laing.
postman, during the past 10 years, between
500 and 700.
1t was a strange and weird experience
this, at the cottage of William Laing, port
man and "meenester," at Gretna Green.
But give fair warning to all who come
alter me that they will not only find the
genuine records attesting Gretna's fame. but
thai, while enjoying the studies of one of the
most extraordinary characters in Scotland.
they will also experience at departure, from
The rapacious and almost fiendish levy of
'siller ahint it," illustration of the apothe-
osis of the drunken thrift, savage ignorance
and aggressive avarice, such as the pen OF
The greatest master of delineation in fiction
and fact has never vet been wholly able to
lepict. EDGAR L. WAKEMAN,
Canada Ice, Sc Per Ton
On track in Pittsburg. Address H. B. Hop
NJ