The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-30
Welded ONLY YESTERDAY.
Queer Romance of Well-Known
People.
1T WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING.
Thought Themselves Married-Start-
ling Discovery After the Lapse
of Many Years.

Sixteen years ago Pietro Alberigi. a
hopeful. ambitious young man of % years,
came down from Sonoma County 10 San
Francisco with his pulses beating warmly
for the love of Maria Ursu, a beautiful
young girl, then 10 years of age, standing
fairly upon the threshold Of womanhood.
She had promised to be his wife, and
the promise had set 8 rainbow in the sky
for Pletro whatever direction he might
look and without regard to the clouds that
might hang there to obscure Tor other
people the everyday sun. He was sure
that the air was balmy and filed with the
fragrance of flowers, although be did not
stop to note the fact, for his mind was
absorbed and intoxicated with, not the
thought. for he was too happy for such
prosy business as thinking. but the con-
sciousness that Maria Ursu had promised
to be his wife.
The girl lived near his own home at
Healdsburg, Sonoma County, and the pair
had come together to the city to take out a
license and be married. But the purpose
was only half realized.
The records IN Cupid Haley's books
show that license was issued September
80, 1878. to Pietro Alberigi, aged 90. to
marry Maria Ursu. aged 10. And with
that the young couple stepped out Of the
story, for the records 60 no further, leav-
ing it unfinished for sixteen years.
Yesterday man well along in years, his
hair streaked slightly with gray, stepped
up 10 the record clerk in the Office of Re.
corder Giynn with the firm bearing of
mature man of affairs and of the world
and handed him paper brown with age,
its creases worn with long contact and
friction with an INSIDE pocket evidently.
1t was The marriage license of Pietro
Alberig, aged %, and Maria Ursu, aged
10. both of Sonoma County-the ink which
told the story on the cleaner inside sheet
being badly faded.
But the spaces on the brown and worn
outer sheet had just been filled in with
fresh, new ink and formed the record of
the marriage, just performed, of Pietro
Aiberigi. aged 10, and Maria Ursu. aged
35-both, still, of Sonoma County.
Sixteen years had dragged by since the
taking out of the license.
And what was the story of those years?
Not the romance that one has the right
to expect, but simply a blunder, a very
For all of these sixteen years the hand
some young couple that came to San Fran
cisco for the marriage license have been
known in Healdsburg and Sonoma
County as Mr.. and Mrs. Pietro A lberigi.
Having taken out the license they went
back to their home under the impression
that that was all there was to be done to
make them man aud wife-that they were
married.
Mr.. Alberigi has prospered in his bust
ness. Some days ago their marriage license
CHANGED to come under the eye of friend
who knew more about these things than
did Pieir0, and he was astonished at dis
covering that the marriage blank had not
been filled out-there was no evidence of
having been held.
de inquired of PieIro and learned that
they had gone to housekeeping satisfied
with license alone.
'Then," said the friend, you had bet
ter get to magistrate before another day
passes. for you are not married at ALL"
So PierO Alberigi and Maria Ursu
came to town yesterday upon the same
mission which called them here aud which
they thought they had accomplished six
teen years ago.
Whether the surrounding conditions
were the same--whether tho air was frag-
rant with unseen flowers, and balmy de-
spite that it was charged with rheumatism
and came off the sea; whether there was a
rainbow in the sky at all points of the
compass, Notwithstanding that clouds
lowered and were burdened with rain, is
altogether personal and family matter
which it is the part of good breeding to
accept without question.
But at any rate they went before JUS
lice OF the Peace Barry and were married
n conventional form. each, afaer these
sixteen years, promising to take this
nan" and this woman" to be their lawful
wife and husband, which fact Is good
ieal more substantial evidence in their
behalf than any mere story of rain bow.
They returned at once to their home in |
where MIR. Alberigi is q promi- |
lent and well-to-do citizen.
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