The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-10-07

1t may be as we'll To say ut once tn,
in the modern contests all the ancien
forms are carefully disregarded. Fo
example, it is no longer the marrie
couple who have been married for
yenr and II day who ask for the fitch
instead of this presentation being mad
by the prio,y at Little Dunmow or b
the lord of Duninow, it is made by
firm of city bacon curers; and in tn
ceremonial that attends the award
Still more important changes have beel
made. Long ago anybody might put il
u claim. All that was required wa
that the husband and wife should de
clare that
You never male any nuptial transgrcssion,
| Since you were married man and WIFE,
Or since the parish clerk sail "Amen,"
| Wished yourselves unmarried again;
| Or In twelve month and Il dav
| Repented not in thought any way
| .,
| For this is our custom at Dun,now we'll known
| Though the sport be our own the bacon's vouy
=. own
Of old the claimants had to kneel OF
sharp flints at the priory Of Little Dun
NOW and VOW that these things were
true All is changed now, as the fol.
lowing account will show:
Monday the sport followed show of
pony-raciny and other rural diversions.
1t was under. the patronage of Lord and
Lady Brooks, and did not begin until
they arrived on the scene. The tent
whcrc the award took place WINS then
transformed into au excellent burlssuue
of court of justice.
lawyers clerk acted Us Judge; the
local cora merchant, in appropriate
dress, was counsel for the claimants; an
auctioncer conducted the case for the
donors. Six naidens and as many
bachelors formed the jury. The crowds
that thronged the tent proved that the
monumental jest that has amused En-.
gland for seven hundred years or more
Is still as Interesting Us ever To the gen.
eral public.
Upon the platform there were two
couples who claimed the fitch, one be-
ing old, the other young; and the BEGIN
ners We're taken first. Certainly the
corn merchant, who acted ns blrrster,
made out an excellent case for his
youthful clients. BY examination he
showed that they had known one
another for ten or twelve years before
marriage, and that the husband was fond
OF children and not at oil quarrelsome.
These two (the man was thirty-six and
the wife yonnger) avowel that their
advice to all spinsters and bachelors
would be to get married, aud they could
In oil honesty "tlke' the bacon; at
which there was a laugh that sounded
incredulous.
Yet the auctioncer or opposing coun-
sel'could not break down the evidence.
For the husband swore that he had no
club and never went to the theater
without his wife; that she never grum-
bled when he came home late and never
discovered will contrary to his. The
wife on her part swore that her hus.
band always got up most cheerfully in
the middle of the night if baby was
crying, aud TINT neither cold dinners
nor washing day reused his temper. No
cross-cSamination was able to shake
this evidence.
Although the counsel for the donors
suggested all kinds of offense, it was
stout'y denied that any trouble had
arisen in the matrimonial affairs of the
two, and though the jury retired to
consider their verdict the facts were
not to he gainsaid, and the ditch was
awarded. Yet it was easy TO see that q,
good-humored cynicism was mingled
with the cheers that greeted the award.
But, indeed, cdriously frank out
spokenness sss was the most obvious
char icteristic of the audience.
When the herald opened the proceed.
ings with his 80, yes! o, yesl All ye
who have complaints approach his lord.
ship. o, yes! o, yes!' there were peals
OF laughter. Shouts of "Speak up,
Grynor! let's hear what you're SAYING,
old mani" interrupted the Judges sum.
ming up; and when the first ditch was
awarded, ''For the biggest lie--what
do you thinlsP' was cried by the back
seats.
The second applicants were an old
couple whom even the opposing barris.
ter blushed to oppose. United their
ages amounted to one hundred and,fifty.
and for TWENTY-FIVE years the husband
had been in her majesty's service. He
was compared to the old Adam of "As
Yon Like IT," and vowed that in his
hottest youth he had never been false
to his Mary Jane. In this case opposi.
tion TO the granting of the bacon. gas
purely matter of form, and, indeed,
The discussion served no other purpose.
as far as one could see. except to allow
the introduction OF certain very obvious
jokes.
lt goes without saying that both OF
the sham lawyers were accused of try
ing to save their bacon" of talking
"gammon," and of other ccccntricities
connected with hogs flesh. Evidently
the judge was quite unable to see the
slightest force in the opposition, for he
not only gave the applicant the benefit
OF his advice, but on the verdict of the
jury having been returned he congrat,
plated the happy couple ON having
taken the bacon
30 thus the two hitches were award.
cd. What remained to be done was To
mount the recipients on chairs provided
for the occasion, and while the band |
played "See the Conquering Hero
Comes" carry them around the field
Thus ended the ceremony of awardi,g
the fitch of bacon. 1t Is the third con.
secutive year in which the fitch has
been awarded. Some time about 1850
Mr.. Harrison Ainsworth, whose novel.
''Ihe Fitch of Bacon" is well Known.
to get itreyived. much ay,ins
The will of the landed prJInieter.o.
who were pajuf,'I.