The evening times., 1896-10-23
She LAUGHED TOO SOON
But for That Katie Would Now Be
Charley's Wife.
baltimore Girl About to Wed a Chi
nese Laundryman, Angered
the Minister.

Baltimore, Nd, oct. 23.-Ifhis prospective
| bride had not laughed at the critical mo-
| ment in the ceremony, Charles Hum, n Chi
! nese laundr yman. would no w have an Ameri
can girl for bis wife The girl is Miss Katie
| NJ. Fulton, well known in tie southwestern
section OF the city. She met Hum about
| four months ago, and fell in love with him,
| she says.
She is a rather preposscssing blonde OF
twent y-one summers, and it IS no wonder the
| laundryman fell in love with her. She fire.
| quently visited her lovers place or bss-
| ness, and Churlie finally summoned up
enough courage to ask her to become Mrs.
Hum and share tie profits of his good Iaun-
dry trade.
Last night was the time set for the nup-
tlais. Charlie procured the license through
a customer, who agreed 10 be the grooTs-
| man. Tie license was secured yesterday
morning, and Charlie bought nioe new
Mclean suit OF black wOrsted, a new
| derby hat and had his ''pigtaiI'' nicely
fixed up IN knot.
After supper Charlie put on his new
clothes and sent a messenger for his Mel
ican'' sweetheart, and waited her arrival
with face all wrinkled up with SMILES.
She came. dressed in neatly-fitting black
dress, with linen collar, through which
was drawn bright red ribbon bow.
The nearest clergyman was Rev. Henry
W. Kemp, of Gross Street Baptist Church.
He rather enjoyed the distinction of mar
rylng a Chinaman, and readily consented
When he reached the home OF the happy
groom elect he found him thoroughly in
tONicated with JOY. while the bride-elect
sat quietly ConverSing with her best girl,
Mrs Fannie Norton, and a host of anX-
iouS friends.
Rev. Mr.. Kemp did not exactly fancy the
looks ofthings,' as the disappointed bride
puU il last night, and proceeded very eau
tiously. He asked Charlie Hum several
times If he fully understood the step in life
he was about TO take, and every time Char
lie said yes Yes When Mr.. Kemp asked
the girl If she would accept this man as
her lawful husband" etc, she answered
yes in a fit Of laughter and fastened her
eyes on the pictures about the wall.
The ring had already been placed on her
finger but Mr.. Kemp, not considering
the young woman sincere enough to rev
erence such sacred ceremony, decided
to stop the service short, and refused TO
continue it. He folded up the license,
placed it in his pocket and told the half
way groom to call at the parsonage in the
morning, when the matter would be again
considered.
Charlies feathers dropped, and his ex-
alted spirits fell, crushed to the earth.
His indignant sweeth cart immediately
left the room to consult some friends.
At O'Clock Miss Fulton returned TO the
laundry and revived Charles dropping
spirits by assuring him that all would soon
be ell, and that before long she would be
his little wifey,' in spite of the misun-
derstanding. Miss Fulton said last night
that she was in earnest, and would marry
her Celestial sweetheart.
1T is all my tault,' she said, land
I am sorry laughed, but 1 couldn't help
it. As the preacher was coming up the
stairway some one in the room said 1t
was Charlie with an armful of wash, and
that started me to laughing, and l could
not stop. / did not mean to make Iun
of the ceremony. / think anyone Would
have laughed under those circum stances.
I will go to the minister's house tomorrow,
and if he Won't complete the marriage III
get some one who will marry us"
To this Charlie nodded his assent, ana
looked happy once more.