The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-12-17
WONDERS OF WEDLOCK.
some Queer Matings of People in This
Country.


The conventional idea of wedding
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 the
holy bonds of matrimony--sometimes
much to their mutual regret. This
peculiar fact. it would seem, also APP
piles to oddities of human nature. In
many of the travelling shows the freaks
who help to draw money from the pub
lie intermarry, and it is not an unusual
thing to find the fat man welded tothe
skeleton woman, and the tattooed man
to the bearded lady.
Mrs, Hannah Battersby, who at one
time toured the country as fat woman,
was married to a Pennsylvania man,
and it is stated as 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.
The contracting parties were thousands
of miles apart when the wedding was
performed, the marriage being by
proxy. The consul filed in blank
certificate, which he forwarded to 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
Tiage was perfectly binding.
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
man who at the time of the marriage
lay dying in 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 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 it is not often that portions OF
the marriage service are omitted. In
a southern town, however, little while
ago, after the party had left the church
1T was discovered that the clergyman
had forgotten the words, with this
ring [ thee we'd" etc, thus relieving
the bridegroom of the most serious
part of his obligations. and the fair
bride was minus wedding ring. In
stead of sitting down TO breakfast the
party hurried back to the church and
We're thus practically married twice in
one day.
among the old folk of Georgia town.
An old soldier, rs years of age, led to the
altar an aged damsel who had seen ~
summers. There were three brides
maides, whose ages respectively were
60, 6S and 20. They were all spinsters.
The best man, who was 70, brought
the combined ages up to 1923 years.
An unusual kind of marriage was
celebrated in New York recently. This
was between a couple both deaf and
dumb. They held prayer books while
a friend pointed out the different
passages in the service as they we're
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 phono-
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 instru-
ment. The monograph was sent to the
lady, she willingly supplying the re-
quisite Il will'' and Il do in the pres
ence of her pastor, who then pro-
nounced the pair united in matrimony.
No explanation is given of how they got
over the difficulty of the ring.
a well-knOwn anthropologist, in de-
scribing various marriage customs, re-
fers 10 strange sort of symbolical mar
riage which is supposed to have orig
mated in India. 1t is a marriage with
trees, plants, animals and inanimats
objects. If anyone proposes to enter
upon union which is not in accord
ance with traditional ideas, it is be-
Eeved that i'll luck which is sure to fol-
low may be averted by marriage OF
this kind, the evil consequences being
borne by the object chosen. In various
regions girl must not marry before
her eldest sister, but the difficulty is
overcome by the eldest daughter mar
ryinG the branch of tree. Then thu,
wedding of the younger daughter may
safely be celebrated.-But Express.
Only One Sale.
There is a pleasant little story about
Il party of drummerS sitting in the