Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-04-07
WITHOUT DISPLAY
Is Marriage Of Pres. Harri-
son and MIS-. Dimmick.
Ceremony Performed in St. Thomas
Church Before Small Party.
The Bridal Party WillI Go to Philadelphia.
Thence 10 Indianapolis.


pie a wedding as ever been witnessed
within the walls of St. Thomas church
was solemnized shortly before 6, this
| evening. when eX- President Benjamin
| Harrison entered into the holy bonds
wedlock. with Mrs. Mary Scott Lord
| Dimmick. Not one of the SO favored
witnesses of the ceremony could fail to
have been impressed with it's singular
| unpretentiousness.
| The crowd assembled outside the
| church showed the interest the public
| took in the affair. Owing to the fact
| that secrecy as to the exact hour Of the
| ceremony has been carefully main
! tanned, and the fact that the weather
was not inviting, the crowd was not as
large as had been feared.
The morning was ushered in with Il
| heavy snow storm which later turned
| into rain. There Was a cessation Of
| the rainfall about boon, but the day
| continued cloudy AMI threatening. The
crowds about the church were not the
city's fashionables The work "a day
| people We're there III force.
The guests began to arrive at the
church shortly before > O'Clock As
they entered they were received by the
two ushcrs The private secretary Of
the ex-President. L.. f. Tibet. ana
Daniel NJ. Ramsdell. a hero of the civil
war. Mrs. John f. Parker, the brides
sister occupied front pew on the left
and Mr.. and Mrs. Pnchot the one on
the right.
Behind Mrs PARKER sat Gov Morton
and Col. Marvin, lbs military private
sccrctay. In the succeeding pews were
Senator and Mrs. Stephen Il. .t,lkins.
exSecretary of State John ". Foster
ana Mrs. Foster, eS-Attorncy General
W. II. Miller and Mrs. Miller and
George w. Boyd Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad.
In the pews back of Mr.. and Mrs.
Pinchot sat the relatives and friends
IF the bride. They were Major and
Mrs. Richard Parker. Chancellor and
Mrs. McGiil, the Misses Dimmick and
Mrs. Briggs, Mr.. and Mrs. Leeds. Mr.
Norman Leeds, and the Misses Leeds
Mr.. and Mrs. Broughton and Miss
Lambert Gen. and Mrs. Fitz John
Porter and the Misses Fitz John Por-
ter. In all, rs people were present The
admission was by card
Every precaution was taken to pre-
vent intrusion and each arrival at the
church was closely scrutinized BY Mir
Tibbett before being seated The fol-
lowing members of Gen. liarrisonS
cabinet We're unable to be present: E,x-
Postmaster General Wanamaker, tx
Secretary of the Treasury Charles
Foster. eX- Secretary Of War Reddeld
Proctor. and ex-Seeretary of the In
terror John w Noble
For some time after the guests had
arrived, deep silence prevailed in tho
church. With two or three exceptions
the costumes of the women were sub
dued in color. and only an occasional
Easter bonnet lent life to the scene.
Prof. VIM. w Warren. the church
organist. rendered a few preliminary
selectiops from the great masters
Still the scene seemed cold and almost
gloomy. one could hardly realize that
a wedding of national Importance was
about to be solemnized.
Gen. Harrison and Gen. benjamin +.
Tracy his best man, arrived in car
riages at the church at so. and went
to the vestry. where they awaited the
arrival of the bride. Gen. Harrison
wore a long frock coat. dark trousers
and white gloves. In the lapel of his |
coat was a houtonnierre of lilies of the |
valley.
Mrs. Dimmick and her brother-in-
law. Lieut.. John T. Parker. t. S. n
reached the church at SIC O'Clock anC |
went to the tower room to the left OF |
the vestibule. where wraps and coats |
We're discarded
At 5.32 o'clock, the two large doors |
leading to the center aisle were thrown |
open and the ushers. side by side |
stood in the passageway. At NE |
same moment, Rev. DR. j. Wesley |
Brown. the officiating clergyman. robed |
in white cassock, appeared from the
Vestry, followed by the sexton
DR.. Brown knelt in. prayer a few
moments, and then the strains of
'Lohengrin' burst forth. Then the
door leading to the vestry on the left |
of the altar opened and Generals Har-
rison and Tracy were seen. At $50
O'Clock, the bride appeared and fell il
behind the ushers. At the same time
the minister nodded his head, signal
ing the groom to step forward.
Gen. Harrison and his best man at
once came forward and stood unon the
tb{) tlldHcel step. Immediately the
bridal procession was begun. The two
ushers walked well forward and took q
position on the second chancel step
The bride. leaning upon the arm of
Lieut.. Parker. With head erect and
thoroughly self-composed. followed
As the bridal party approached the
Gen. Harrison came down
the STEPS to the floor to receive his
bride With frank movement she
extended her right hand. which the
groom clasped in his left. Then the
couple marched up the step to the CEN
ter of the altar. where they knelt a
moment in prayer.
The reading of the Protestant Epis-
opal ceremony was at once begun
Both Gen. Harrison and Mrs. Dimmick
'aced the minister and listened in
emily to his words. When the ques-
ion was propounded to the groom;
Wilt thou have this woman to he thy
Welded wife, etc, the genera, re-
'ponded in subdued. almost inaudible
ones When the same question was |