Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-11

AND THE
rraphic Department The bride was MISS
y. II. Norsman, a resident of Amsterdam
Holland II was in fact, marriage ny
proxy. with the aid OF the caDle. Inc
circumstances were so ODD that 'heS
are well worth relating in detali.
All arrangements for the marriage mao
been made bv letter and cable. the time
having been agreed upon, the difference
in time hsiWsen Praetoria and Amster-
dam being allowed for. and each party
knew at a certain moment just eNacuy
where the other was, and what II was
prepared TO do In the Hotel Kruger the
bridegroom and his friends met. A WIRE
from tho cable had been run 10 the
room, and the arrangement mad Deeh
perfected, whereby 1t was possible 10
rocure direct connection with Amstef-
dam: and. therefore. 1t was almost as
easy for the bride and groom TO speak
10 one another as II they had been In
adjoining rooms with the door open.
There were ten friends accompanying
the bridegroom, who sat beside the lit
tie table Of tho cable operator
and when the proper moment came
cent message saying that he
was all ready and anxious to
become the husband Of tho young wo-
man. Mr.. Van Trotseaburg knew that In
her pleasant home in Amsterdam Miss
Morsman and a party OF friends were
awaiting the cable from him TO begin
the ceremony. The bridegroom had given
a friend OF his in Amsterdam power Of
attorney 10 act as his proxy at the we'd
ding This proxy made the responses for
the bridegroom. and grasped ono end or
o glove belonging TO the bridegroom,
while the bride took hold of the other end.
II Is this feature OF the marriage by
proxy which gives II us name the
glove marriage" One of the numerous
technicalities of the Dutch marriage law
renders the holding OF the glove an abso-
lutte necessity. If this action is omitted
the marriage is not legal. Only two ca
Diagrams are necessary .nowadays-one
stating that the bridegroom Is ready 10
begin and the other from the bride saying
that all is over and that the change of
name has been successfully accomplished.
Then the bride has a wedding breakfast,
at which the proxy. who is really the
best man, assists her. After that the
young wife goes aboard the steamer and
sets sail for the land OF her husband.
In this instance the wedding breakfast
1T Amsterdam was an exceedingly elabo-
rate affair, and the dinner given by the
bridegroom In Praetoria was one Of the
mos¬able events of the sort that has
occurred here IN many q long day. Both
events were rendered more joyful by the
constant interchange OF cablegrams. In
this way a regular conversation was
kept up messages Of congratulations re-
celved and sent. and words that were
relative 10 future bliss were whispered
into the ears Of groom and BRIDE -, eugh
the medium Of electricity.
The practice of marriage by proxy
dates back TO the old Dutch Colonial
days. far back OF the time when the Fly
ing Dutchman first began 10 scour the
seas. LIN those times 1t was quite fash
ion for the young colonist to 80 TO a far
away land to found home, and then.
when he had laid that foundation, TO
send back TO the old country for the
Fraulein who had promised TO be his
before he left his native soil
Now there were several drawbacks TO
this method OF uniting sweethcarts. In
the FIRST place, it often happened that
when the young woman had been told
Il was time for her to start, she began
70 think OF what leaving home meant
incidentally came thoughts OF the young
men whom she would also leave. The
chances were that she was favorably in
c1ined towards some Of them. Then too.
these young men were on the ground,
ana the prospective groom was several
thousand miles away. Therefore. the
young men at home had much better
chance than the young man with the
claim far away. So IL happened that in
stead Of leaving homo TO get married.
the sweetheart would set married and
stay At home.
on other occasions the lady would obey
the summons OF her lover TO the extent
Of taking passage and actually sailing
on some good ship. In the old Colonial
DAYS the voyages were long There were
ouite number OF passengers. and gene
rally numbered among them were at
tfactive members OF both sexes. The
oweetheart. being e woman. could no more
avoid iakins an inventory OF the attrac-
tions OF tho young male passengers than
tho average woman or to-day can pass
drugstore without desiring ice-cream
coda. n Is one OF the inevitable features
Of . loaz voyage that the passengers
aboard tho vessel become exceedingly
WelI acquainted. The limitations OF the