Tombstone epitaph., 1891-02-15
QUEER WEDDING RING.
An Hunb,o Couple Married by t.
 Key of @ Church.
A Rural Doan Who Carried Gu: t:," Church of England Rituli Uaier D.Cira tcs Tho Departure ot Fri @ and
 Groom and the p..rsou', Tee.

hour, Myra. A couple arc to be !. ried then. It nGy cmuac you ;o sec of our provincial cerc,no.i ic3
 My grandfather was a rural dcHn r' Petit Zodiac, or as they called it iN vernacular, petticoat'ard-j jacket, Mrs. NJ. L. Rayne, in tho Detroit Press, and it would be hard to ina; a simpler life, or one more rclnotA !' the fashion which passcth away. little stone church was old and pi esuue, and tho people who worsh there were as quaint and original t they had stepped out of another cent'
 When reached the church tho ding party had already arrived. 1tco sisted of the party themselves. as mu alone as were Adam and Eve at tn bridal in Eden. They had arrived horseback, and the unhitched anima -each saddlcd over a flowing whit sheet, which made them look lilic equine ghosts in the twilight-wcr' browsing about among the gravo stones disturbing nothing but the long tangled grass and the sweetbriar roses that grov wild there. hurried past them int tho vestry, where tho dean was strug- gling into his white gown.
 "You can be my curate for this occa' sion," he said, as 1 peeped in at tn door. "You will be needed for VI, ness and bridesmaid, to assist with the ring"
 I walked up the aisle of tho littlo chapel and sat down in one of the high ,~I u;o fo l,ot ner of folk they were who had such queer bridal customs.
 Not young. And both were hard, of the humblest rustic type. The woman, brown as Gypsy, wore lowered mus lin dress that was coarse and badly made. A string of beads and whito cotton vail were her ornaments. Both wore white cotton gloves, and as their hands were immense the effect was all most grotesque. Their faces expressed bashfulness and certain rude disdain of what other people might think. They clutched hands as if they were deter- mined that no power on earth should separate them at this crisis.
 After they had been instructed wherc to stand, they took their places, the bride eying me with some disfavor as a possible intruder.
 "Wha giveth this woman to be mar ried to this man2"
 At this moment stepped forward to make that part of the ceremony com plete.
 "I don't know she," said the bride, edging away, but the dean paid no at tention to her and repeated the sacred formula for them to follow with him.
 q will now take the ring" said my grandfather in low voice.
 "Reeng?" echoed the groom, 'I know nobbut a reeng. Hast any like reeng, Mathilde?"
 The rafters rung with his "Whoa! Dobbin," tone.
 'I never thocht O the like. Happen we'll ne'er mind sech leetle thing a that" said the bride, with a look of genuine terror in her eyes, as if she might lose her gallant at the very altar.
 "Take of your ring, Myra, we can use that for the ceremony" said the dean, who carried out the Church of England ritual to the letter.
 Alas, held up my gloveless hands as destitute of rings as those of the bride herself.
 What was to be done? The dean would not have considered those good people properly married if the ceremony of the ring were omitted. He glanced down at his own white hands, holding the sacred book, then he turned hurriedly to me:
 'Go and bring me the key of the church, he said.
 "What in the world is he going to do with itP" I queried to myself, as l obeyed.
 Taking the large, brass key in his hand, he gave it to the man, designating the loop at the end of the handle. He then instructed him to slip the ring over the brides finger. Inearly laughed aloud as 1 saw the expression of sur. prise on the poor things face, as the key dangled on her finger, while the bridegroom lumberingly repeated after the dean: With this ring, thee wed," etc.
 As soon as they were married re- stored the key to the door and the groom handed a rude parcel to my grandfather.
 its the pay t weddin'," he said, briskly.
 The dean thanked him courteously without having an idea as to what the parcel might contain.
 There was a horse block at the door, on which the bride mounted with her dress tucked up about her. Only one horse with it's Tapping bridal accoutre- ments was in sight.
 "Richardr' screamed the new wife, 'whcre's my beast?"
 Richard had taken off his white gloves and was cantering round among tho gravestones looking for the "beast." 1t was soon found, and after we had shaken hands with the two and wished them joy, the queer pair rode off in fine style.
 When my grandfather opened the parcel he found the soft, silky skins of dozen musk-rats-a princely fee from such source.
 Great Australian Estates.
 Amonn thu 1arpa oototoc tbraa od