The record-union., 1894-02-07
4 STAGE WEDDING.
An Immense Audience Gather to
Witness 1t.
Judge Henry's Ceremonial-Manager
Todd's Wrath-The We'd
ding Presents.
A STAGE WEDDING.


be witnesses to it.
1t was a wedding on the stage, and
very formal, pretty and well-ordered
wedding it was.
Such jam of people! An hour before
the doors opened the great hall leading to
the entrance was a seething mass OF
sweating humanity, and the crowd flowed
over and spread out up and down K
street, blocking the walk-ways, despite
the efforts of the police and the frantic
cries of "Gangwayw
When the doors did open the great
crowd of people rushed and jammed in.
OF these fully 800 had engaged their seats,
and little later all the others holding re-
serve checks arrived, and by dint OF push
ing and appealing managed TO get into
the theater. Long before O'Clock every
Beat was occupied and all the standing
room packed, and still the people came,
until the order to admit no more had to
be made, and so it was that some 600 dis
appointed ones went away, enyying the
thousand and a hundred more who were
inside.
OF course, some came only to see the
play; but it is touching elbow with the
truth to say that seven out of ten fixed on
last night especially to visit the opera
house because of the wedding annex to
the play.
So it is that novelty draws. But we'd
ding is not novelty-it is an everyday
affair. A wedding on the stage IN the
midst Of drama, however, Is novel.
Inasmuch as two young people Of the
stage had accepted the challenge to be
married on the stage, and thus make an
exhibition of themselves, the public con-
cluded TO make the most OF 1t and see who
the couple were and what they looked
like.
1t is safe to say that every body was sat
is1ied; the bridegroom looked as II he
was, and the petite woman who became
his wife did not manifest any regrets
but an exception must be made. Mama
ger Todd was dissatisfied. He ragged in
the outer lobby like a bear just out of
winter quarters; his usually smiling
cOuntenance was like Green Bay thun-
der-Storm; all and only because there
could be but one night of this attraction.
He kicked himself soundly, too, because
the idea of having stage weddings had
not before entered his noddle, especially
about the time when Daley was spring
ing bouncing Arab attractions at Armory
Hall in opposition to his show at the
Opera-house.
When the curtain went up on the third
act of the play Andrew Waldron had the
scene all to himself and he proceeded to
gag the performance by announcing that
a runaway couple had arrived at his
ranch in the noun tains (of the play, and
had asked leave to be married there, and
as he was alway ready for wedding or
frolic, he had summoned the Justice and
bade the couple come up and be sacri-
feed.
As the orchestra struck up the w ed
ding March the entire Opera-house Stock
Company marched upon the stage, Jennie
Calef hanging heavy on the arm OF Carl
RoQnn q
lady who made on this occasion her first
and only appearance.
After them came Miss Mifflin (smiIing),
Miss Weidman (quizzicaD, Josie Sea-
brooke tcurious). McCurdy, Fairbanks,
Sambrook. Muller and all the others
(anxious), with all the members OF the
stage hands and Stage Machinists' Union
and other attaches of the house follow
ing, until the stage was well filled.
Then came the best man, William +.
Schmidt, apparently half scared out of
his wits, but he wasn't, supporting the
bridesmaid, selt-possessed and pretty
Miss Lillian Smith. Then wee bit of a
girl came tripping and scattering
mowers, and then the bride and bride
groom, Carleton NJ. Taylor, property
man OF the theater, and Miss Lulu B.
Clark of San Francisco, also related To
the theatrical calling.
The bride wore a very rich dress Of
en- train and heavily adorned or hung
over with lace and flashing ornaments
(the fashion editor of the RECORD y MON
is Just now out OF the city, and she
looked as modest and comely as any
bride need to. The bridesmaid, too,
wore a handsome silken robe of virgin
white, and was as handsome figure,
youthful and blushing, as an artist could
demand.
A beautiful floral piece was passed up,
the gift of the Stage Hands Union, and
about this the group assembled as Judge
w. a. Henry came on clothed as if it
were his own wedding; robed like an
eagar youth going to meet his bride. but
just as courtly and dignitied as the
Judge well knows how 10 be.
He gave his well-polished tile to a
looker-on 10 hold, bowed his thanks to
the audience, marched upon the couple at
once and examined the license credentials
and proceeded to work.
He pronounced a brief, eloquent and
charmingly sentimental eXordium upon
matrlmony and lauded the molly estate
with solemnity and feeling. 1t was
model for ministers, and If the Judge has
not copyrighted it he ought to bless man
kind by letting it loose upon them for the
free use of whoever will.
Turning to the couple he proceeded
to marry them according to a cere-
monial original and all his own. 1t
is like nothing in or out of church but
itself-it is its own and only rival. 1t is
as pretty and impressive a ceremony as
ever a clergyman conducted in robes or
reverend father called the blessing of
heaven upon. 1t had in it the ring, the
exchange of vows, the eXhortatiOn and
the benedlctlon.
True one was haunted by vague and
dishonorable suspicion that there was
familiarity about 1t smacking of the beau
81 III
copal Church, the impressive suggestive
ness of the Masonic burial service, and
the romantic ritualism of the hunters de-
gree in Redmanship. But this is all un-
worthy of the poetic and pretty cere-
monial plastered all over with good ad :
vice and GOD bless yous. Only one thing
troubled the audience-about this cere
mony-the Judge declared that he mar
ried the couple by authority vested in
him by the Commonwealth of California,
and also by that higher authority that
rules the universe and takes note OF how
the bride and groom keep their vows.
This was the first knowledge the public
had that the Judge has taken orders, and
is entitled hereafter to be addressed
Reverend"
When the two were made one finally
and adjured to SO bemean themselves
that that world would not think them a
thousand, Andrew Waidron stepped for
WdTu dHQ III u WHY SpC6Cu VI lew NOAQS
presented the bridegroom with a purse
in behalf of the people of the stage and
the house. To the couple he presented
from the Stage Hands Union a full,
handsome china dinner service. There
were also on table 10 which he directed
attention other gifts; silver forks from L.
Egar, silver butter dish from Duran
q Corbett, and some handsome cups and
saucers from Mrs. Ackerson. Manager
Todd on his part gave the bridegroom a
nurse paid for the license and sawed the