Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-04-16
MARRY IN GERMANY.
BUT If you ARE AMERICANS BE PRE-
PARED FOR A SIEGE.

Of Americans In Berlin.
It is often almost impossible for an
American to secure the papers necessary
to make European marriage valid, es-
pecially in Germany. The lovers are fire.
quently obliged TO wait until they can
repair to some less inquisitive land,
where priest or legal functionary will
consent to unite them without asking
superfluous questions. When the con-
tracting parties are themselves Euro
peans. the formalities are probably for
midable enough, for besides the actual
marriage papers there are settlement
papers and various preliminary docu-
ments to bo drawn up. But il you are an
American Of course you are suspicious
character, and you will find it even
doubly difficult to marry the girl of
your choice. You must first prove your
right to live and breathe and have your
being, and your bride must prove her
right to live and breathe and have her
being, and your father, and your moth
or, and your BRIDES father, and your
brides mother must also prove that they
were born in due time and have lived
irreproachably ever after, and in case
they no longer exercise the functions Of
living, breathing and having their be-
ing it must be shown that they ceased
to do 80 in a sober and godlike manner.
All this and much more must be set
forth in 1uod erat demon strandum
fashion by means Of documents before
you will be allowed to bend your neck
to the conjugal yoke.
The truth Of these remarks was illus
trated few weeks ago in Berlin, when
the happiness of two young Americans
hung for long time in the balance un-
til German authorities finally consented
to let them Join hands and hearts. The
young man was an Psychologist and
found it necessary to be in Egypt at
certain time. He hoped to take his bride
with him, but almost up to the last mo-
ment he was uncertain whether he
should have bride to take. For months
he had been trying to bring>about this
marriage, but the requirements Of the
German law were enough to drive even
a man accustomed to the complications
of the Tel-el .eh. Manah tablets to de-
spair. The bride had lived formerly on
the other side Of tho world, and as there
existed in the cautious German mind
the possibility that she might have gone
through the marriage ceremony on some
previous occasion 1t was necessary to
publish the banns weeks beforehand, not
only in the Berlin papers, but also in
,aIa 90 haE YnafiRyn ApnaVfnan
town. Both parties were Obliged TO Sc
cure certificates of the birth and bap-
tism Of themselves and their parents
and to furnish an epitome OF the family
histories down to date. There IL ru-
NOR that testimony was even demanded
as to the number Of times certain rela'
tiVes had been yAocinatad and the sue
cess OF tho operation. The young wom
ans father had died when away from
home, and IL was rather difficult to sat
isfy German authorities as to the man
ner Of his taking of Finally all the
papers arrived, and tho couple repaired
one day with their friends and witnesses
20 tho office OF the legal funotionary Ia
whose hands their happiness Teposed.
The legal funotionary, Of course, had
witnesses on his side, The Germans
never transact any business except IN
the presence Of witnesses, II you quar-
rel with tbs guard on railway train,
he Immediately summons another guard
not 10 settle the dispute, but % witness
II. They put their two solemn heads 20
getlHF shake them nc each Other aud VI
you, make oOpious notes of tho fAots
aud finally take themselves on This
bridal couple aud friends were silently
surveyed by the band ~ witnesses
Then tho bride was plaaad Ia one chair
aud tho bridegroom Ia another ~ Fe'
spaotful distance, The papers were pro-
duosd The bride told OIL aboH herheh,
aud tho bfidsgr0om told all about hin
self and the friends apd witnesses iola
ali about both ~ them, The molheT ol
tbs bride assured tho assembled com
paDy dat this man was pol lhpielopsl) ,
dofTaudinR hos ~ hos daughter lh'
company began % breathe nloFp freely
Tho hdd0gg00n hesYod . sigh ~ fallel
Tho tired bride moved ~ has "Asll
wsarily Rui ths legal iunoliopnly VA
NOT R0luK 81 loi theip 90 ~ easily ~
sAo9 his hsad OgeT tho papers, ppfpa'
sp hip lips sna thsp tpIHea ep ga
whole crowd And asked lheia nsIesly NJ
il,sig passpolis ~ eoulas ~ ops hs'
saob ! tllps Abopi hiin, ~ lhe laan'
bridegroom haa ~ lpsA ~ w ai'ssl
~ asapTs ~ papy ~ ssls nsesssalg
MpaniiBs . German couple sppesi..a
Thelg pspags " p9pIse. neis All llhh'
1As anImap hFiaaal Vlia i4lb p'iss'ss''l
N ihe AmsFiNap LItdtRleqn's laesp
ohalr ald lle AmeIleaH glas phn y
ibis iiAe. sAs allnlsi w lssls llrlas'
heg scat ~ fhe oeImsp hIias ~ ~
| iims ihfy had henp safely iavnolea pF'I
,he ssA u lsaIglea ilfs ihs passports ha
lssn iuppd, ana ihs AmslloaNe hKslI
iaak ihe ohalls sna ssls hHallg lAsl
men and slis ~ ihs fsllsfaesieH n ~
hsal iaHollsnalg ihsmsslgsf s9a iisl
friends
Thai sassi eil ~ eDNlsf 1hef ~
Az lnsh ~ hfiaI ihr lHaal ipnellHliail
~ hsa lfsn paii, ~ aq h'ain ~ u
,lalnRlg riait fnii NHHliiifF HfiRf il'ti
/ II. 1901 t.I..a alIH "a NIIHII NJ