Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-08-05
AT LONG DISTANCE.
Bride in Holland And Bridegroom in
South Africa Made Man and Wife.


The oldest marriage in the history
of South Africa has just taken place
at Praetoria and in Holland. The
bride and groom W ,re the trifle of 5000
miles apart, and yet all the clergy OF
the v orld would not make the tie be-
tp cen them more strong than 1t is to-
day.
The circumstances surrounding the
case make it almost an international
marriage. The bridegroom was Ernest
Van Trotsenburg the head of the state
telegraphic department. The bride was
Miss T., H. Morsnan, resident OF
Amsterdam, Holland. 1t was in fact a
marriage by proxy, with the aid of the
cable. The circumstances were so odd
that they are we'll worth relating in
detail.
All arrangements for the marriage
had been made by letter and cable,
the time having been agreed upon, the
difference in time between Praetoria
and Amsterdam being allowed for, and
each party knew at certain moment
Just exactly here the other was, and
what it was prepared to do. In the
Hotel Kruger the bridegroom and his
friends met wire from the cable
had been run to the room, and the
arrangement had been perfected
whereby it was possible to secure d.
rect connection with Amsterdam and,
therefore, 1t was almost as easy for the
k,,..l t.N t1 n1t
other as If they had been in an adjoin-
ing rooms with the door open.
There we're ten friends accompany
ing the bridegroom, who sat beside the
little table of the cable operator, and
wheE the proper moment came sent
a message saying that he was ready
and anxious to become the husband Of
the young woman. Mr.. Van Trotsen
burg knew that in her pleasant home
In Amsterdam Miss Morsman and &
party of friends were awaiting the
cable from him to begin the ceremony.
The bridegroom had given friend of
his In Amsterdam power OF attorney
to act as his proxy at the wedding.
This proxy made the responses for the
bridegroom, and grasped one end of
glove belonging to the bridegroom,
while .ie bride took hold of the other.
1t Is this feature of the marriage by
proxy which gives 1t its name, 1.-The
glove marriage" One of the numerous
technicalities of the Dutch marriage
law renders the holding of the glove
an absolute necessity. If this action
Is omitted, the marriage is not legal.
Only two cablesrams are necessary
nowadays, one stating that the BRIDE
groom Is ready to 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 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 upon which
Ter husband treads.
In this instance, the wedding break
fast at Amsterdam was an exceedingly
elaborate affair. and the dinner given
enc of the most notable events of the
sort that has occurred here In many
n long day Both events were rem
dered more joyful by the constant in
terchange of cablegrams. In this way
IA regular conversation was kept up.
messages of congratulations received
and sent, and words that were relative
to future bliss were whispered into
the ears of groom and bride through
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
Flying Dutchman first began to scour
the seas. In those times 1t was quite
Il fashion for the young colonist to go
to far away land to found home,
and then, when he had laid that foun-
cation, 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 sweethearts.
In the first place, 1t often happened
| 'iol NHNH lic youhE WoultH Huu Dcci
told 1t was time for her to start, she
began 10 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 inclined towards some Of
them, Then, too these young men were
on the ground and the prospective
groom was several thousand miles
away. Therefore the young man at
home had mich better chance than
tho young man with the claim far
away. So II happened that instead Of
leaving home to get married. the
sweetheart would get married and
stay at home.
On other occasions, he 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
lcng There We're quite a number Of
passengers and generally numbered
among them were attractive members
Il ~ hos