Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1894-07-19

pose OF study ana In the course or time
became the object Of an Italian gentle
mans affections. His love was returned,
and then their troubles began.
When the marriage was broached, the
birth certificate was asked for, but there
was none. The lady had been born in a
little village in Michigan, and no record
In writing has ever been made Of the
event. What was to be done? Detectives
were set to work, old church records
were examined, musty, faded letters
brought to the light from old chests and
boxes and reread, but no announce
ment of the important event of the birth
Of this young lady could be found. The
mother had long since passed from NOR
tai life to life eternal, and the doctor,
too, who had oficiated, was resting with
a slab Of marble at his head. In such
case it was absolutely impossible to pro-
cure certificate. But, as substitute,
two men, one an old resident and one
her younger brother, certified as to the
time the young lady had been born, and
then the paper was taken before notary,
who testified that the men were men of
character and veracity. The paper was
sent to Italy and found to be worthless.
These negotiations had occupied much
time, and in the meantime the young
man had slowly been gaining some po-
htical influence Using this influence
with discretion, the permission was at
last given for a legal marriage.
The young lady, although a Protes-
tant, acceded to the wishes of the young
mans relatives and consented to the
double contract of being welded in the
church also But here new difficulty
arose-the pope's consent and certifi-
cate Of baptism! The first might be OBJ
tanned, but not the latter, for the young
lady had never been baptized. The priest
informed them afterward the certificates
would have done no good any way, as
all Protestants were baptized in rose
water, and that would prohibit marriage
in the Catholic church. So the church
ceremony was dispensed with, and the
couple were married according to law,
but it had taken two years to accom-
plish the fact.
A young English doctor was more
fortunate in his courtship and marriage.
He was sent to Monza to study and in
two weeks time had obtained such COM
plete mastery Of the language that he
was able to propose marriage to dark
eyed Italian damsel. He had never
spoken to her, but had seen her on the
veranda on the opposite side OF the
courtyard, and Cupid had sent a dart,
with unerring precision, straight at his
heart. The proposal was written to the
mother, but she was little coy about
permitting her daughter to accept it.
The maiden herself, however, was de-
cided. She thought the young man
capable looking, and after a three
months engagement they were married
There was no trouble about the Italian
girls birth certificate. There never is.
A young lady in Boston conceived
the idea that it would be very romantic
to be married in Italy. She confided
the idea to her fance, and he agreed
with her. After arriving In Milan a
i've minute conversation with the con-
sui took all the romance out of the
question, and the parties, wiser and
sadder, went back to foggy London,
where only q residence Of IA days was
necessary ere the nuptial knot could be
tied.
The American sometimes finds him
self In a ludicrous position by his ig-
norance Of Italian customs. A young
gentleman from st. Louis came to Ma
pies to study, and being Of sociable
disposition he presented letters Of intro
duction and soon found himself on Wis
iting terms with several families. On
calling one evening ON family whose
acquaintance he had made he was con-
fronted in the drawing room by the
mother Of three pretty daughters She
wished to know which daughter he pre-
ferredl In another family where there
was daughter the brother called him
aside one day and asked him what his
intentions were Afterward, being
somewhat ashamed of his haste, the
brother told him it was the custom of
the country, and begging his pardon
told him to continue his visits as be-
fore. The young man called again, but
as he entered the room the stately moth
er glided out, the daughter was not
visible, and the father was SO deeply
absorbed in his newspaper that he did
not even see him. The young man from