Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-14
VERY MEAN BRIpEeRooMs.
Tricks Played on Parsons to Escape paying
the Marriage Fee.

A6lO IOTN nOFtu.
Every now and then one hears of large
fees paid TO clergymen by rejoicing
bridegrooms. One does not so often
hear of the impostions sometimes put
upon those who tie the matrimonial
knot and who suffer under the social
custom which forbidS a minister to per-
form the service of marrying lovers at a
fixed rate stipulated for by contract.
But love and marriage do not change
the nature of men, and there are mean
very acknowledgements who do not
hesitate to trick and cheat the good
pastors who bind them in the ties of
matrimony.
There is minister in Brooklyn who
told the writer a narrowing tale Of de-
ception of which he was the victim.
After he had performed the marriage
ceremony for q young couple at the
parsonage, the bridegroom slipped fat
envelope between the leaves of the
family Bible, nodding pleasantly, as if
to say: you've we'll earned it" The
clergyman nodded thankfully.
"When l opened that envelope" he
said, "what do you suppose l found
in it2"
ga goodly sum in billS?"
i''No, sir! No, sir Twenty sheets
of copy paper such as reporters use.
And on the last sheet was written;
Economy is wealth. Please don't
souander this. Wipe your razor on it. "
II think" said the dominic, "that
ministers should be empowered to de-
clared some marriages void"
DR.. Howard, whom everybody in Flat
bush, L. l., will remember, had SINH
lar experience. He was routed out at
midnight to marry a couple, and was
compelled to arouse his family to act as
witnesses. He was given fat package
by the bridegroom, upon the latter's de-
parture. The good Doctor spent half
an hour or so unwinding paper after
paper from that package only to find at
last a silver quarter which had been
used a sleeve-button. One face had
been ground smooth and ornamented
with a monogram.
Dominic Johnson, whom old Brook
lynites well recollect, was "taken in
once much in the same way. A would
be Benedict wrote TO him to engage his
services in tying the matrimonial knot,
and limited that he was saving roll of
s. gold pieces with which 10 fee the
! Doctor.
San evening or two later" said the
clergyman, in telling the story, che
honored me with call. he was &C.
companied by one of the prettiest little
women I ever saw. l performed the
| ceremony, and he insisted upon my
kissing the bride. He made an officious
display of long thin roll well wrapped
In tin foil, and as / bowed him out he
slid it slyly into my side pocket. When
1 returned to my library examined the
roll and found"
"What?"
"a clothespin surrounded with ten
penny nails! A month or two after
ward he wrote to me from st. Louis,
saying that he had charged me the we'd
ding fee twas to have received for kiss
ing his BRIDE"
There is halter awaiting that
knave," concluded the clergyman
warmly, "and never read Of hanging
that do not wonder IL be isn't the vic-
tim travelling to glory under an alias.
A clergyman, who once held charge
near Wyaniotte, Kas., was given a
horse and carriage by couple whom he
had just married. They had driven to
his parsonage from Wichita, and they
left by train. Soon afterwards the par.
son drove his new horse to Wichita.
II didn't get back for a week." said
the clergyman, shaking his head dole
fully. "Ths man not only stole the