West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1891-03-19

oef II to marry. Ihie 10 entirely
too young for this cold country,
and should be raised at least four
years In each case. In the tropics
where people develop with hot.
house like rapidity and are mar
rsgeable age much sooner than in
the colder countries, this limit
would do, but it is too iafantile
where half the year is winter.
The clerk cannot issue license TO
parties under twenty-one unless the
consent Of the parents or guardian
is obtained, aud an applicant for a
writ to we'd must certify that both
parties are twenty-one or else bring
the written consent of the parents.
A record is kept of the ages OF both,
the place of their birth, full name
and residence. The license is al
ways issued in the county where the
bride resides. Ii makes no differ
ence where the groom comes from.
A couple residing in this county can
procure a license here aud go to any
ether county in the State and marry.
A minister has to get permit from
the County Court before he can
solcmnize the rites OF marriage. lie
shat return to the Clerks Office. in
sixty days after performing the
ceremony, the lisensc, in order that
II may be finally recorded and
placed on file. Two licenscs were
issued IN the past year that got left
and ne return was made. One man
sent his back, with q letter saying
that he had got left and asking for
his money buck He seemed TO
think he could not afford to lose
bride and money both. The Clerks
Zee for issuing the license IS 81. 90
in all cases, aud even this small fee
seems go much for some of them,
and once in a great while some fell
low will want to get it on credit.
One wanted the writ Of attachment
for fifty cents. This fellow proba-
bly failed to pay the preacher any.
thing, as there is no regular cl argo
or any amount fixed by either law
or custom. The groom paying the
minister whatever he feels like, gen.
orally about $500, and in some
cases 6fiy cents would bo money
poo ~ invested. as The couple fad
out to thsir sorrow. The Law pro-
hibits paapera or idiots marrying.
o't does not always prevent it, for
the CLERK has TO sometimes issue
license against his bcttor Judgment.
II is generally considered proper,
and in fact necss,ary, that the bride
30 the junior OF the groom, but,the
records of ages, as given in by the
brides themselves, show that at
least thirty in the past year were
older than the gtooms, while az
many more admit Themselves Of the
same age az their licgc lord and
master. There was ct loast one case
Of May and December. the bride
being twenty and the groom sixty
three. Most Of the parties were
native born Prestonidns. Some
were born in adjoining counties and
a few in other States, while one
male was from Ireland and one from
England. Three fonrths OF the
weddings were at the residence OF
the bride and most Of tho others in
church, while the return of the
minister on ono showed that the
wedding took place nzder a big oak
tree by the wayside. Another, Geo.
A. Smith and Leona Gale were
maze man and wife in the public
road. November 1st. by the Rev. j.
r. Warner. No extra flourish about
that Wedding. No cards. no how.
ers or no presents. The colibacy Of
another couple, Simon Adams and
Georganna Daff, was bridged over
by the Rev. Felix Elliott, Sr., on
the bridge at Snidsr's Station on
the T. X. & F. They we're proba-
bly, waiting for q train on this road
and we're afraid that the license
wosld run out before it would ar
rive, and 90 concluded 10 have the
ceremony performed right there.
We haven't learned the sequel yet
as to whether this is the bridge Of
Sighs" or not. The full name Of
one groom was "Mike Steve"
rather an odd name. wa think