Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-10-09
ORANGE BLOSSOMS.
The Garner-kerns Wedding
at Ottumwa, Iowa,
Wednesday.
A BRILLIANT NUPrIAL EVENT.


Iowa's FAirest Daughters to One Of
Rock I-lsnd's Foremost and Rising
Young Professional Mem Brings . BE ght
Acquisition to the City.
HHE Ottumwa Oowa) Courie. of
Jl Thursday evening contains
Il 2-column account of the Gar
ner-Kerns wedding there the
preceding night and from which the
following is'taken:
''Miss Edaa E. Garner. daughter
Of Mr.. aud Mrs. j. W. Garner, of
this city, uas united in marriage to
George Martin Kerns, OF Rock
Island. ILL.,. at Trinity Episcopal
church last evening at 8 o'clock. the
wedding being one Of the most bril-
liant and beautiful ever witnessed in
Ottumwa. The rector Of the parish,
Rev. j. Hollister Lynch. and DR.. A.
c. Stilson, of Des Moines, former
pastor Of this parish. performed the
wedding service. a large number
OF invitations had been issued, and
early the guests began to gather az
the beautiful church home of Trinity
parish. A few minutes before the
bridal party arrived the organ
poured forth the notes Of the must
cal numbers, the audience waiting
the while with very apparent interest
for the arrival of the bridal party.
Promptly at s o'clock the choir pro-
ceeded up the aisle singing the pro-
cessionsl, The Voice That Breathed
Der Eden,' which was written by
Mrs. Rudd, of St. Mary's school at
Knoxville. ILL.,, where the bride was
formerly student. Tho audience
arose AS the choir approached the
chancel, the notes of the organ
sweltfd with the beautiful Wagner
wedding march, and the bridal party
follow the choir by in procession p
the aisle. The ushers were Ed Stiles,
cousin Of the bride, Of Kansas City;
Lawrence Garner. brother Of the
bride; Win c. Nye, of Moline, and
Warren Guthrie, OF Atchison, Kas
The bridesmaids were Misses Lucy
Pardee, of Chicago; Florence Mahin,
of Muscatine; Dorothy Stiles, of
Kansas City. and Margaret Mahon,
Of shis-city. Then came the maid OF
honor, Miss Laura Garner. Follow.
ing her came the bride alone. She
was richly gowned in white satin,
cut en- train with a veil of white
tulle. held in place by e beautiful
brooch Of diamonds and pearls, the
gift of the groom, and carried bou-
quot OF brides roses. She made o
beautiful picture. The maid of
honor was gowned in white muslin
de sole over pink tafsia, Misses Par
dee and Mshin in white silk null
over blue taffeta aud Misses Stiles
and Mahon in W hite over pink taffeta
The procession moved under arches
of green, which spanned the aisle.
ending with = larger arch at the
chancel steps. rhe choir rail was
slso completely covered With green,
pink roses in quantity heightening
The effect of she decorations at the
rail and on the numerous arches.
Bouquets of beautiful pink roses
were used on the altar and elsewhere.
The sides of the altar were banked
with palms. The decorations of the
church, which were artistic. were
the work CT the Fortnigh3ly club,
under the direction of the president.
Mrs. Catherine Taylor, the bride be-
ing "A member of the club. At the
chancel steps, the groom and best
man, Alexander Stewart, of Rock ISL
and, awaited the bride. Just before
reaching them, she was joined BY
her father, who accompanied her to
the steps Of the chsucel. DR.. Still
son said the betrothal part of the
service. the brides father giving her
away, Immediately alter which the
bride and groom, best man end maid
Of honor advanced 70 the altar rhil,
preceded by the clergynen, and
took their places inside the rail,
where Rector Lynch proceeded with
the marriage service. After the
marriage service, DR.. Stilson pro-
uounced the blessing, after which he
presented the bride with q hand
somely bound prayer book in white
and silver, from which he had read
the service. and which she carried
from the church.
Returning from the sltar rail the
bride and groom were followed by
the bridal party and marched down
the aisle. the organ playing Mendels-
sohn's wedding march. They en-
tered their carriages in front Of the
church and were whirled away to
the Garner home, and the fitting
lights OF the carriages. the shadows
of the soft moonlight made the scene
one OF beauty and fessivity. An i'm.
mense crowd of people was congre-
gated outside Of the church door, and
remained there until the sound OF
the horses Gathering hoofs died
away and the guests began to emerge
from the church. Oae hundred and
seventy guests, relatives and init
mate friends, were received by the
party ut the residence OF Mr.. and
Mrs. j. W. Garner. The parents of
the bride. Mr.. and Mrs. j. w.
Garner. the parents Of the groom,
Mr.. and Mrs. S.. Kefns, Of Rock ISL
and; Judge and Mrs. Stiles, of Kan
sss City; Mrs. Lingo. sister Of Mrs.
Garner. OF Keokuk, and Mrs. Stilson,
NJ nas MoSDoa UrootoH Tho cneafc IN