The Winslow mail., 1897-09-11
AGE AND AGE UNITED
TWO ODD OLD PEOPLE MARRIED AT
THREEScORE AND TEN.

The Bridegroom Has Lived seventy-eight
Years and Yet LIS Swift of Foot and Full
of vigor-His Wife Is Only a Few Years
Younger.
There was much wonder in st. Ag-
nes' Roman Catholic church, Paterson,
n. j., at the principal service on a re-
cent Sunday morning, when aged Will
liam Hill walked down the center aisle
with venerable Katharine McGinty, a
widow OF some means, and it became
! known that they had been married on
the preceding day.
Hill admits that he is 78 years old,
and although he claims that his bride
is a dozen years younger her crown Of
snow white hair makes her seem the
older Of the pair. He is tall and erect,
although not in the most robust of
health, while she is short and inclined
to stoutness.
Hill has been widower for about
two years. He spent all his life's saw
ings in trying to nurse his wife and
their daughter back to health Their
deaths left him poor and almost friend
less, without relative in the United
States. He has since managed to make
ends meet, although his age prevented
him from working at his trade of engi-
neer and locomotive blacksmith
Occasionally he was engaged to do
little work by aged Widow McGinty,
who owned some property and was, like
himself, without children or relatives.
They had known each other fer nearly
half a century, and the similarity i'll the
| lonely circumstances of their old age
seemed to draw them together. The
friendship was noticed by the widow 9
neighbors and there were some who
shrewdly guessed the truth when the
couple started out arm in arm and ar
rayed in their best clothes. They pro-
ceeded to the rectory Of st. Agnes Ro-
man Catholic church and gave the pas
tor. Rev. Father Corrigan, surprise
when they asked to be married.
But both were in earnest, and their
requests had to be granted. They had
brought no witnesses or bridal party,
and the clergyman called in his house
keeper. The latter was determined to
have the ceremony conducted with all
proper formality, SO she brought the
butcher from over the way to attend the
bridegroom while she acted as brides
maid. Both of the contracting parties
had been married before, and all went
smoothly. They left the rectory as hus.
band and wife.
Hill, when seen at his new home,
was surprised to learn that his marriage
had been much discussed, as he saw lit
tie to remark about it. He declared that
he was easily sprier than most men Of
60 and was willing TO run foot race to
prove it. He talked freely of the reasons
for the union, remarking that, of course,
marriage at his age was different from
weddings of youth. His wife and he
would be companions for each other, and
that was what they wanted. Besides,
each had some of this world goods,
and now that their possessions are Joined
both can live in comfort. Mrs. McGinty
needed protector, be companion, and
now both needs are filled. Then they
could take care of each other in the event
of sickness.
And those are some of the reasons
why we hitched up" concluded Mr.
Hill.
The couple have unusual mental and
physical vigor for such advanced age,
and no one could talk with them with
out realizing the wisdom of their union.
Exchange.