The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-06-05
FUN AT THE ALTAR.
How Hymen Sometimes Makes
Sport Of His Votaries.
Ludlcrous Mistakes and Awkward Blun
ders in the Performance of the
Marriage Ceremony Amusing
Stories Told by Clergymen-
Their Fees.

One Sunday afternoon in midwinter.
said Boston pastor to the writer, two
sleighs drove to my door in a snow
storm and two couples came in. stamp-
ing off the snow. After the ceremony I
asked the young man who had ''stood
up" with the bridegroom to come up to
my study to sign the certificate as wit
ness With an eye to future opportuni-
ties / said to him as I was writing:
Well, sir, l suppose your turn will
come next" "Well," he replied, 'I
supposed this one was going to be mine.
had been keeping company with her.
But to-day she paired off with the other
fellow, and | didn't know what they
stopped here for till we got in the house.
lexpected to marry her myself" /" ''Wen, !"
said !, "as he wrote his name to the GER
tifcate of his girls marriage to another
man, you had good grit to stand up there
with them" ''Yes, it rather took me
back; but perhaps her sister, the girl
who stood up with me, is just as good. L
shan't cry about il" he said, as he tried
to swallow the evident lump in his
throat and went downstairs to meet the
other fellows" smiling bride.
Another Boston clergyman tells the
following story; "a friend of mine was
seated in his study one day when hack
aroye up in which couple were seated
dressed in the latest style-and appar-
emily In good circumstances. Of course
me minister expected a good square fee.
After the ceremony was over the couple
took their departure, but the groom did
not forget to hand the parson the custo-
mary envelope. When the party had
driven away the minister or his wife
opened the envelope, expecting, of
course, to find a generous fee. They
we're Just little disappointed and an
gerad to find simply a piece of paper
Win this writing on it: ''We request
your prayers"
Z Boston minister who has now gone
abroad, told the writer that couple
enee came to his house to be married
ana had no marriage license. The
groom said to the bride: so, yes, gave
you the license just before we started "
Inc lady admitted this, and said it was |
n ner cloak pocket. Search was made. |
0ut no license could be found. The
groom reprimanded her and more search
vas made, but no license was forth.
0oning' Then followed a sharper rep
slnand and further search, but no paper
sas revealed. The groom raved, de-
o'Ared the bride to be "exasperatingIy
sareiess, " and wondered ''why in thun-
asf she could not take care of the pa
pei Then the lady wept. The groom
aasafed the minister sit was all right"
aau mat he should marry them without
permit. The minister remained firm,
ano the couple departed, the groom
wearing and the bride weeping. The
yman said he hoped the lady would
DaSA out before new permit was Sc
.ussu' and vowed that 81, 900 would not
'1.uce MIN to marry the man.
,.,, south Boston pastor narrated the
incident which came under
= observation in St. John, n. B.: Two
sogpie IN middle life sought out an aged
- Well-known clergyman to tie the
'sl,aa DIAL knot. His advanced years
IS 4. brought him treacherous memory,
,4s' va With this uncertain quantity to deal
..sl' ne began the ceremony. There
80 lnckily no witnesses to the anus
= !, scene but the clergyman's daughter
.,lsW and grandson. The preliminaries
80 the ring was asked for. The
.ssn .'.ss was exceedingly nervous and
n sa'o not find it. He searched in all
u pockets, shook his sleeve, ran his
~ y. uown the side of his right leg in /
y. n. y u hole in his pantaloons pocket,
.. =. :. ms lock, and repeated the pro-
81, 49, increasing in nervousness as he
- sssalnly did in bushes and awkward /
80 80 Finally, the old gentleman sat !
~, 49, While both witnesses assisted the !
s;..,lly ;ally married couple to find the /
\ symbol of their union. Down !
49, .asl knees they got, and turned up
IS .0sner OF the rug, and peered under /
=, : SOFA and altogether made a most :
80, ~s,1Oas sight. Meantime the clergy /
80. : mennonite faculty failed him. He j
!. 80 Maere he was, and could not be |
Y understand the mission Of the !