The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1891-08-31
MARRIED BY SQUTRES.
JUSTICES WHO TIE THE KNOT FOR
LOVING COUPLES.

hundreds OF couples are SdCI year
united by the justices of the peace Of st.
Louis. 1t is almost surprising to what
extent people seek this form Of civil mar
rage. The two hearts that are made to
beat as one by a 8uave justice are by no
means always those Of giddy young
clippers, as the general public believes.
"What is the reason that so many peo-
pie prefer a court marriage to q religious
one?" was asked Squire Frank Spaulding.
Il think that in the majority of cases
it is because it is so free from fOrmality.
There IS no time lost in making the
couple man and wife. The form pre-
scribed by the statute does not take more
than half q minute to 20 through with.
Nearly all the people united by the
magistrates are poor and unable and
unwilling to go to the expense Of buying
an extensive wedding outfit. They need
the money to provide for their own i'm
mediate wants. Then q great number
Of people are bashful and DO not like to
stand up IN front OF a crowd and be mar
ried. They can 60 before a magistrate
and be united i'll the presence Of only
two or three persons"
"Do they always have money for the
fee?'
in nearly evosy case. When they
haven't | always make it my duty to
marry them anyway"
"Wha do they usually give to the
magistrate?"
"Oh, it varies. The law prescribes a
fee, but people give different prices.
Usually it is five dollars. About q year
o~o -c,,, rC7,~Lt a 1,C,rr f,11c,r in
here. They had a license. and he was
half scared to death, while she was calm
and businesslike. He didn't say a word
while she explained to me what was
wanted. l made them man and wife.
She then reached down into a pocket in
her dress, pulled eat = roll Of bills and
handed me five dollars. She then gave
her husband a i've dollar note, saying,
Go On out and treat the squire I've
always wondered what kind of a life
that poor mans leading now, for it was
evident that his wife was the head Of the
family.
DIDN'T VAN TO BE MARRIED.
when / was with Squire Taft at
Eleventh and Franklin avenue, we used
to have a great many ludicrOUs Incl
OCIISs W LIb' ~ iL-IIy A. lIdSCS tL1CI0
that the place got to be known as the
marriage corner One day al intelligent
looking young couple came IN. They had
heard that the place was where they
should go to get marriage licenses. They
didn't know anything about that part Of
the programme. The clerk directed
them to the recorders Office. They went
and secured the license, and probably
thinking it was necessary to go through
some additional fOrmality came back to
our office. Squire Taft was busy trying
a case, and at once got down off the
bench. He knew nothing Of the preced-
ing visit, and at once proceeded to go
through the ceremony.
Gas soon as he pronounced them man
and wife the young girl threw up her
hands and fell into a chair in dismay,
Great God! what Will lily mother say?
This is d Protestant marriage!' she cried.
She was o dcyOUt Catholic, and thought
she was only going through part Of the
forms to secure alicense. Although they
were married as tight as the law could
do it, they were married that night by a
Catholic priest
do you have many runaway couples
call upon your" was asked.
mot as many as the public generally
imagine. They are generally from out
Of the city, and are tired and weary with
the journey and excitement when they
arrive. Several years ago a couple went
into Squire Tafts office. He was out,
and they sat down on a bench to rest.
They had made a long journey, and the
first thing the groom did was to go to
sleep. The little girl at last gave in
too. She leaned her head upon his
breast, and both were in the deepest
kind of slumber when the squire came
in. No one liked to wake them, but
finally we made enough noise to arouse
them.
"a minute later they had been pro-
nounced man and wife. The groom
laughed merrily over his falling asleep,
and at the conclusion of the ceremony
said, Il don't know which refreshed me
the most, gong TO sleep or getting mar
ried.'
FUNNY INCIDENTS.
The funniest incident | know Of was
the groom that forgot his brides first
name. 1t wasn't long before we had
that fixed, however, and they went on
their way rejoicing"
Have you ever followed up the after
lives Of couples you nave married."
mo; but about half of them follow
me up. The general impression of the
poorer classes is that q man who can
marry them can also unmarry them.
should say that fully five out OF every
ten couples ! marry come around again
W