The St. Johns herald., 1891-01-08
QUEER WEDDING RING.
An Humble Couple Married by the
 Key of @ Church.
Rural Dean Who Carried Out the Church of England Ritual Under Difficulties The Departure of Bride and
 Groom and the Parsons Fee.

Groom and the Parsons Fee.
 ''Come over to the church in half an hour, Myra. A couple are to be mar ried then. It may amuse you to see one of our provincial ceremonies"
 My grandfather was a rural dean near Petit Zodiac, or as they called it in the vernacular, petticoat-and-jacket, writes Mrs. NJ. L. Rayne, in the Detroit Free Press, and it would be hard to imagine simpler life, or one more remote from the fashion which passeth away. The little stone church was old and pictur- esque, and the people who worshiped there were as quaint and original as if they had stepped out of another century.
 When I reached the church the we'd ding party had already arrived. It con- sisted of the party themselves. as much alone as were Adam and Eve at their bridal in Eden. They had arrived on horseback, and the unhitched animals each saddled over a flowing white sheet, which made them look like equine ghosts in the twilight-were browsing about among the grave stones, disturbing nothing but the long tangled grass and the sweetbriar roses that grow wild there. I hurried past them into the vestry, where the dean was strug- gling into his white gown.
 "You can be my curate for this occa- sion," he said, as I peeped in at the door. "You will be needed for wit ness and bridesmaid, to assist with the ring"
 I walked up the aisle of the little chapel and sat down in one of the high backed pews and tried to see what man. 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. string of beads and white cotton vail were her ornaments. Both wore white cotton gloves, and as their hands were immense the effect was al- 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 where to stand, they took their places, the bride eying me with some disfavor as possible intruder.
 ''Who giveth this woman to be mar ried to this man?"
 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. ''I will now take the ring" said my grandfather in low voice.
 "Reeng?" echoed the groom, II know nobbut reeng. Hast any like a 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 look of genuine terror in her eyes, as if she might lose her gallant at the very altar.
 4dhC O11 JOuA l4iAtSs J SSs "S NCbiA NA'N that for the ceremony" said the dean, who carried out the Church of England ritual to the letter.
 Alas, I held up my gloveless hands as 1estitote 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 it9" 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 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 rude parcel to my grandfather.
 Its the pay U weddin'," he said, briskly.
 The dean thanked him courteously without having an idea as to what the parcel might contain.
 There was 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.
 "Richard!' screamed the new wife, "where's my beast?"
 Richard had taken off his white gloves and was cantering round among the 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