River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-10-15
VERY MEAN eRlpEcBooMs.
Tricks Played On Parsons to Escape Pay
ing the Marriage Fec.

Tricks Played On Parsons to Escape Pay
ing the Marriage Fee.
Every now and then one hears of
large fees paid to clergymen By rejoic-
ing bridegrooms. One does not so often
hear of the impositions sometimes put
upon those who tie the matrimonial
knot and who suffer under the social
custom which forbids a minister to
perform the service of marrying lovers
at n fixed rate stipulated for by con
tract.
But love and marriage do not change
the nature of men. and there are mean
very acknowledgement WHO do not
hesitate to trick and cheat the good pas
tors who bind them in the ties of mat
rimony.
There is minister in Brooklyn who
told the writer narrowing tale of de-
ception of which he was the victim. At
ter he had performed the marriage cere-
mony for young couple at the parson-
age, the bridegroom slipped a fat en-
velope between the leaves of the family
Bible, nodding pleasantly, as if to say:
you've well earned it." The clergy
man nodded thankfully.
"When l opened that envelope" he
said, "what do you suppose l found in
it?"
"a goodly sum in bills"
"No, sirl No, sirl Twenty sheets of
copy paper such as reporters use And
on the last sheet was written: 'Econo-
my is wealth Please don't squander
this Wipe your razor on it"
81 think" said the dominic, that
ministers should he empowered to de-
clare some marriages void"
DIR. Howard, whom everybody in
Flatbush, L. l., will remember, had a
similar experience. He was routed ont
at midnight to marry couple and was
compelled to arouse his family to act as
witnesses He was given a fat pack
age by the bridegroom, upon the lat
ter's departure The good doctor spent
half an hour or so unwinding paper af-
ter paper from that package only to
find at last silver quarter which had
been used as a sleeve-button. One face
had been ground smooth and ornament
ed with a monogram.
Dominic Johnson, whom old Brook
lynites will recollect, was taken in"
be benedict wrote to him to engage his
services in tying the matrimonial knot,
and limited that he was saving a roll of
five dollar gold pieces with which TO fee
the doctor.
IAN evening or two later" said the
clergyman, in telling the story, che
honored me with 4 call He was ac-
companied by one of the prettiest little
women / ever saw. 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 I bowed him out he
slid it slyly into my side pocket When
! returned TO nC library examined
the roll and found"
WHAT"
"A clothespin surrounded with ten
penny nailsl A month or two after
ward he wrote to me from St Louis
saying that he had charged me the
wedding fee / was to have received for
kissing his bride.
There is a halter awaiting that
knave," concluded the clergyman
warmly, land / never read of a hang
ing that do not wonder if he isn't the
victim travelling to glory under an
alias"
A clergyman who once held charge
near Wyandotte, Kan, 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 afterward 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. THE man not only stole the
woman, but the horse and wagon from
her husband. and the rig was recog-
nized and l was clapped into jail on a
charge of DEMONSTRATING. of course
every thing was finally Strengthened
out, but somehow or other l could
never make up my mind to forgive that
MANN. Y. World.