The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-15
ODD WEDDINGS AND FEES.
INTERESTING POINTS F0B Ph0sfEC-
TIVE BRIDEGROOMa .

IyTEREsJINa POINTS FOE PR0sfEc-
TIVE BRIDEGRoOMS.
Cuttsne Down the Marriage serviee-How
the Clersys~es Sometimes Lose-Toe
Drunk to be Msrrfea-A BRIDAL Couple
Ordered 0.t OF the Parsons House.
Among the $4,000 persons. 10000 couples.
who are married In this city every year. to say
nothing OF the 5000 couples who are mar
fied ever year across the Brooklyn Bridge.
there are man odd scenes and odd expert
eaoes when the couples stand before the
minister or the magistrate to be tied with
silken cords or bound with heavy chains. as
the case may be. Not only the ceremony. but
tho subsequent fee. furnishes food for thought
and often for merriment. though the subject
10 an exceedingly solemn one. as the minister
himself says at the time. and as the couples
sometimes ind out later. These odd experi-
snces are not often to be found among the
marriages Of tho wealthy. for with them the
whole marriage business IL reduced to as
much OF Q science as the starting Of trains
from the Grand Central Station. Fashion has
dscreed what they must do. and her laws are
not to DO disobeyed. II the milllonaire's son
gives the clergyman o fee Of $1,000. or oven
$1,000. a. sometimes happens. there is moth
ing wonderful about that, for papa pays the
bills. It 10 among those people who are not
hampersd through life with great sums OF
money to care for that unusual experiences
must be looked for. They are free to do as
they please 40 long as they do not Interfere
with other people. and their widely differing
fanoies som stim % lead to strange results.
The marriage fee 10 one Of the most delicate
subjects that . clergyman can be asked to
talk upon. It 10 o peculiar form Of donation
party. 20 sacred that IL must be mentioned
only In whispers, yet somehow so humorous
that Il II seldom spoken OF without q smile.
The bridegroom usually considers It improper
10 attend to this important part Of the cers-
mony himself, and ~intrusts the money to his
best man. who slips II into the clergyman's
hand IS slyly as though he were picking his
pocket instead Of giving him o fee. This
middleman In the payment Of fees is both a
good thing and . bad thing for the clergymen.
II IL q stimulant to generosity on the part OF
the bridegroom. for not only do the bride and
The minister know how freely he has opened
his heart and pocket. but the best man knows.
too. and he Is pretty sure to tell their mutual
friends. On the other hand such things have
tsen known as the best mans quietly Slipping
the fee into his own pocket instead OF the
ciergyman's. or his substituting q S. note for
go. and pocHeting the difference. Almost any
clergyman can tell Of several cases in which
no has suspected this rank treason. but 1t
must always be q mere suspicion. There Is
no way to get positive facts. for the minister
cannot ask the BRIDEGROOM how much his fee
Mss hand + Elm to a 81 fG not ans Or T q si.Soo. ' tSor Ssf Is
nothing for him to do but bow and look
There Is no place In the world where matri-
mony y more nearly absolutely free than on
Manhattan Island, No iicensei Is required. and
subject. at least. the clsraymsn arc AZ agreed;
II the poorest young couple In the city should
mjnister and cay that they desired to be
%.rriea. 5qt could no: afford t. give any fee.
"fhat makes AZ difference" would the
Not SnlEyw would be marry them. but he would
yithout price; No such gorgeous certificate;
siefgymsn leave those gorgeous autographs
Il sSS cam be Bought Bought from the American Tract
Society. glorious, works Of art In bright rcd
n msn s siSss a.: : Sss aIaSa en 81 t the p Sxsnss ' p9.sI.
bic sortIasometimes . blsck-pripted FLANK
: si mere % q s stst; L." Sr assss on ma q half Z sheet Of note
paper. There is only one execution TO this
sSSis; eo shis Z im EssD' !. At f s hGRss su. xssaat ana
SaSs.Gsl 3 SSsS.% On WISH asfet al YH shS s = :ass viz q
; vSioh e sss sle. : H,:a'fnfifS : out az tho e s sss iSs :.
Ar Sdd story .P99ut = %srsiags 9 certificate Is
what I am going TO- tell you about Q unique
ss1.Dsp.s eG mae. On. :h g, T tss d.nfEe % e Esu "a:
!: :..s si Ss :: "a : 4 ssf e S $Ss 3 n 4s:iss s5$ r. 4 : !:
: y. Sas e I'll sSr e. q e4u sSu I vas I s 6 I'LL. i] Sssssa:
a nsss Il |. E sSa = w WA. IL %sH oeHs msaS'S %s. 70 Gn s.
performed With 4 ring. and our presbyterian
S!Ru FORM i iea s Snailisssn But w sh ssTs sa II tho aH,s ioln
Cared %sffs or Sc s eenSsni Is @s 81 eIe = sSF%".e wien StSi
t Hsld % All fS 81 tSe g Su sG = Is . thsyi Ih %sfi' bsa
Episcopal service. 10 which the ring is always
s sh sSssno g; Inn %sd Sssn da ! w Ga t0 I'd; II, nex sne
Das HiI s .alsaa w L does sss.I nat n %s sss any any difference
% 81 $s E 3; 81: : :jif e! + ~ ~ ", $ Is Sis;s ne s' rs+sa a.n.
R Ri 81 ssS" because saH sf / & slG The Shortest. Du But
se'ilas e sAi ssH'SSt sxu. to: / k Ss2s fSn lSasRe s ssSr s
: :: sS:s ! i SsSs ssS AS !. III ;Ss siA i is xs; IL !. e. &:
':' With that he left me. and opened tho book
Ting. copy. had actually edited the marriage
Il fsr az least sn sw nea fnEso II IL OUT It a sa e. sn shssssa
me 4t fisst to- see a prayer book SO mutilat tsS
full compositor. and the whole ceremony did
not take more than thrce minutes. He WAS
SSs sd & ilstls ~ bana ,e 70 p SEsyi Viz 81 m It. P sho th had 9T has
= hand in the editing. l imagine. for In the
promise. to love. honor. and obey, the word
msnt Of the moment I left 1t in.
DO you know" tho clergyman continued.
THAT young man taught me q lesson about
using gorgeous Autographed. marriage certi.
dcstss, had.never had occasion before to deal
est certificate / could get. and carried It with
me. oiled Out, and eli ready. When l hahdedit
I" hl% o ne iossss sa st II b and sd@ IN ysa think I'm an
art storer' and he tore a blank leaf from a gift
book on the psrloqr table and wrote upon it
This ~certiaes that at Flushing. Long
Island, on. Tuesday, the 18th day OF March.