, 1890-09-04


ascertaining the exact date of tho
first Irregular marriage at Gretna,
or OF discovering the degrees through
which Its humble priest of Hymen
reached his zenith flame. But by
dint of perseverance, and good fort
une / at last set eyes on The record
of the first marriage of which any
record Is preserved ut Gretna. The
date Is III, or hut seventeen years
subsequent to the passage of Lord
Chancellor Hardwicke's English
marriage act, and IL IL not unlikely
that this one was the first; the
heralding of the ludicrous adven-
lures of the parties 70 the same be-
ing quite sufficient for directing at
tention to u new way of escape from
the rigors of English marriage laws.
The young man and woman who at
this date attained bliss by the Gret-
ma route Were John Edgar, st.
Mary's parish, and Jean Scott, OF
the parish Of Hetherel, both In the
adjoining English county of Cum
berland. These two, tradition hath
1t, instead Of coming by coach-and-
four over the old post route from
Carlisle, escaped their relatives by
boat across the Solway, were upset
by storm and an incoming tide,
whose violence drowned one OF
their pursuers and caused the others
to abandon the chase, the couple
themselves barely escaping with
their lives, and, bedraggled In brine
and sand, finally made their way ON
foot from Brewhouses, where they
reached shore on the Scottish side,
to the safe haven of Gretna Green.
THE "BIsHoP OF GBETNA."
This marriage, as well as thou.
sands following, was performed by
Joseph Paisley, who from this date
to the time of his death, in 1914, u
period of forty-three years, was the
most notorious, If not noted, man In
Scotland, as well as the most exc
Grated single individual known to
the annals of English social anath'
ema. From all accounts this Joseph
Paisley was an odd character. He
was Of unusual height and frame,
and was accorded one of the strong
est men in Scotland. He was q to-
bacconist - not blacksmith, as
according to general literary tradi-
tion--and presided over the desti
nles of an Insignificant licensed de-
pot for ten, tobacco and snuff, where
also smuggled whisky was to be had
by the "muckle right sort" who
could be trusted. Gretna Green
then, us now, while the western end
of Springfield village, consisted OF
not more than half dozen houses;
little cluster Of buildings about the
olden farmstead of Meg's-hill. There
was the residence of Colonel Max
well, an extensive land owner, the
old straw-thatched kirk with Its
little kirk yard in which now find
headstones In memory of Paisley
aud his successors as Bishop OF
Gretna" as they were each styled,
the parish manse behind the kirk, q
carpenters shop. cottage or two,
and the vile little shop of Paisley.
The man was SO grossly ignorant
that he could scarcely write his
name, but was still possessed oi
much canny shrewdness and Gun
ming. Hell credited with tremend-
GUS feats of strength, and with his
two hands he could stralghten a
horseshoe in its cold state. He was
also the possessor of such
stentorian lungs that his helloa could
be heard further than any post-horIl
In use between Carlisle and Glas-
gov; while lie was the most capable
drinker then known III Scotland-a
no little tribute at any time to bibu-
lous prowess. AS his fame and in
come increased, he became tre-
mendous mass of fat, and, while
never known to be drunk, consumed
two English quarts of brandy daily.
The fact is of record that on one oc-
casion he sat down with bottle
companion ON Monday morning to
an anker of cognac, and without aid
in its drinking, or at any time being
intoxicated, they kicked the empty
cask out of the door on the succeed
ing Saturday. The outcry through
out England over the Edgar
Scott marriage in 1871, simply re-
suited ia turning the attention OF
countless other couples to Gretna,
and the insignificant hamlet in-
stantly became famous. Paisley
was threatened with ali manner OF
harm, upon which lie set Scotland
and England ut defiance, all OF
which gave him added importance
and dignity. He was canny enough
to secure highest Scotch legal adj
vice, and Immediately settled the
mode of procedure according to law,
by attesting marriages simply as q
witness. The absolute legality oi
these Gretna marriages thus estab-
lished and advertised, their renown
and that of the man Paisley com.
pleted the essentials for acquaintine
every soul in England with the ex.
traordinary opportunities offered fol-
evading English law; Paisley gave
up the selling of tea, tobacco and
snuff for the more lucrative vocation
OF self-constituted 'Bishop OF
Gretna;" the Maxwell residence was
transformed into commodious inn;
extra relays of horses and chaises
for use of pursued and pursuers were
soon In requlsition at convenient
points for 100 miles distant south
of Carlisle, in England; and a flood.
tide set in toward this little Scottish
hamlet which, in its aggregate OF
throbbing-hearted humans, far ex,
cecded the mightiest army that
Scottish or Saxon king ever hurled
against enemy across this weird old
Scottish border.
EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN.
The Value of n silver Dollar.