The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-07-15
WE'D NILES APART
BRIDEGROOM WHO HAS HIS CAKE
AND Has EATfN IT TOO.

His Glove IL Graspsd BY m Operator siz
Thousand Miles Away From the Bride
| and the Word That Unites Them fol
Life 10 Flashed From Africa to Holland
and the Modest Assent Goes Back
oldest Wedding. IL IL Said. In the HIS
| tory Of the World-Romantic In the Ex.
/ IRENE.
| London, July 1.-THE oldest marriage
| in the history Of South Africa has just
| taken place at Pretoria and in Holland.
The bride and the groom were the trif1e
Of six thousand miles apart, and yet all
the clergy of the world could not make
the tie between them more strong than
it is today The circumstances surround
ing the case make il almost an inter-
national marriage. The bridegroom was
Ernest Van Trotsenburg, the head Of the
State Geographic department. The bride
was Miss E. H. Morsman. a resident OF
Amsterdam, Holland. 1t was, in fact.
marriage by proxy with the aid Of the
cable. The circumstances were so odd
that they are well worth relating in de-
tail.
All arrangements for the marriage had
been made by letter and cable, the time
having been agreed upon. the difference
in time between Pretoria and Amster-
dam being allowed for. and each party
knew at a certain moment just exactly
where the other was, and what it was
prepared to do. In the Hotel Kruger
the bridegroom and his friends met. A
wire from the cable had been run to the
room, and the arrangement had been per-
fected whereby 1t was possible TO secure
direct connection with Amsterdam, and
therefore it was almost as easy for the
bride and the groom to speak to each
other as If 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 the cable operator, and when
the proper moment came sent a message
saying that he was all ready and anx-
ious to become the husband Of the young
woman. Mr.. Van Trotsenburg knew
that IN her pleasant home in Amsterdam
Miss Morsman and party of friends
were awaiting the cable from him to be-
gin the ceremony. The bridegroom had
given friend of his in Amsterdam pow
er OF attorney to act as his proxy at the
wedding. This proxy made the respon-
ses for the bridegroom and grasped one
end Of the glove belonging to the BRIDE
groom, while the bride took hold Of the
other end.
IT is this feature Of the marriage by
proxy which gives 1t its name. ''the
glove marriage" One of the numerous
technioalities Of the Dutch marriage law
renders the holding Of the glove an alb
solute necessity. If this action IS omit
ted. the marriage is not legal. Only two
cablegrams are necessary nowadays. one
stating that the bridegroom is ready no
begin. and the other from the bride say
ing that al is over and that the change
Of name has ben successfully accom-
plished. 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 out for the land in
which her husband dwells.
In this instance, the wedding breakfast
at Amsterdam was an exceedingly elab-
crate affair, and the dinner given by the
bridegroom in Pretoria was one Of the
most notable events Of the sort that has
occurred in many a 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-
ceived and sent, and words that were
into the the ears Of the groom
and bride through the medium of cleo
tricity.
The practice Of marriage by proxy !
dates back to the old Dutch colonial
days. In those times it was quite a
ia shion for the young colonist to go 10 a |
far away land TO found a home. and |
then, when he had laid that foundation. |
TO send back 10 the old country for the |
who had promised to be his be-
fore ne left his native land.
Mr.. Van Trotsenburg had expected to |
return to Holland to be married at a cei-
tain time but business events trans |
pired which rendered such journey an |
He was in despair until |
some one suggested the proxy marriage, |
and then the way seemed smooth. So J
t is that Mr.. Van Trotsenburg has his |
,ake and has eaten ", too. He has not |
neglected his business, but ne has a |
wife. who will probably be with him be-