The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-12-11
ODD WEDDINGS.
Freaks Who Have Been Joined
Together In Wedlock.
Oas csspss Nasx1ea By Rsuv WAAas
TAeasands of N1les ApAxs- oono
of tie Q1sss Psoahs -
CuYia

Cupid.
The conventional idea of . weddina
does not agree with the tastes of some
people, and occasionally very eccentric
and sometimes romantic marriage
ceremonies are solemnized. Men and
women entirely opposite in disposition
and character frequently unite in tho
holy bonds of matrimony-sometim
much to their mutual regret. This
peculiar fact, il would seem, also ap-
piles to oddities of humsn nature. In
many of the travelling shows the freaks
who help to draw money from the pub
lie internarry. and it is not an unusual
thing to find the fat man welded tothe
skeleton wo.aan, and the tattooed man
to the bearded lady.
Mrs, Hannah Batsersby, who at one
time toured the country as fat woman,
was married to q Pennsylvania man,
and it is stated as q curious fact that no
sooner were they married than she be-
gan to lose flesh and he TO gain it. His
weight increased SO rapidly that he soon
took to exhibiting himself as fat man.
An exception to this rule of contrast,
however, was Col. Glover. the giant.
who stood six feet seven inches. He was
welded to Martha Peabody, the Ameri-
can giantess. Several years ago, when
they appeared in public together. they
used to receive as much as $3.50 . week.
The italian consular agent at Gin
cinnati performed the most peculiar
marriage ceremony on record. The
groom was a well-to-do resident of the
Ohio city and his bride lived in Italy.
Tho contracting parties were thousands
of miles apart when the wedding was
performed, the marriage being by
proxy. The consul filled in q blank
certificate. which he forwarded 10 au-
thorities in Italy. who in the presence
of the parish priest exhibited it before
the bride. who affixed her signature.
accepting it as her action. The mar
riage was perfectly binding.
A very similar ceremony was per-
formed some time ago. The affair took
place by proxy, and Miss Maple was
married by clergyman in New York to
a man who at the time Of the marriage
lay dying in a Texas town. The bride
groom was represented in the cere-
mony by the brides cousin, who made
the necessary responses and signatures
as mis- proxy. The two lovers had been
engaged for a long time. and Miss Maple
wished to bear the name of her be-
trothed even though she could do so
only as widow.
The all-important ring is sometimes
forgotten, and in more than one case
the door key of the church has had to do
duty. but il is not often that portions OF
the marriage service are omitted. In
a southern town, however, little while
ego, after the party had left the church
it was discovered that the clergyman
had forgotten the words, with this
ring I thee we'd" ETC., thus relieving
the bridegroom of tho most serious
part of his obligations. and the fair
bride was minus q wedding ring. In
stead of sitting down to a breakfast the
party hurried back to the church and
were thus practically married twice in
Cupid ran afnuck some time ago
among the old folk OF a Georgia town.
An old soldier, 7s years of age, led to the
altar an aged dansel who had seen 70
summers. There were three brides
whose ages respectively wers
GO, 6s and 20. They were al spinsters.
The best man, who was IS, brought
the combined ages up to 423 years.
An unusual kind of marriage was
celebrated in New York recently. This
was between couple both deaf and
dumb. They held prayer books while
, friend pointed out. the different
passages in the service as they yere
spoken by the clergyman. and they
made the customary responses in the
deaf and dumb alphabet. -
An ingenious couple once conceived
the idea of being married by pheno-
graph. In the place where the bride
groom resided he and the minister went |
over the marriage service. and he recited |
the proper responses into the iDstru- |
nent. The photograph was sent to the |
ady, she willingly supplying the re-
luiSte II will and Il do" in tho pres |
nee of her pastor. who then pro-
1ounced the pair united in mstrimopy.
No explanation 10 given Of how they got
over the difficulty of the ring.
A welI-known authropoloeist, In de-
icribing various marriage customs. re-
ers to strange sort of symboiical mar
iage which is supposed TO have orig
mated in India 1t is . marriage with
rees. plants. animals and inaninsts
,bjects. If anyone proposes TO enter
ipon a union which II not In accord
nee with traditional ideas, IL y be-
ieved that Ill luck which II sure 70 fol-
ow may be averted by marriage Of
his kind, the evil consequences being
'orne by the object chosen. In various
egiors a girl must not marry before
Ier eldest sister. but the difficulty IL
vercome By the eldest daughter mar
wing the branch OF q tree. Then .as
sedding Of the younger laughter may
afeiy b ceIebrsted.-Bufsle Express.