The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-10-25
THE MARRYING PARsON AT OUR
DOORS.

Hartford Courant concefnlhe 7''
functionary at Bristol. Tenn.
This correspondent has recently visited
Bristol and gives an account Of the par
son and Lis work. lie says that II Az
gust. isss. the parson decided 70 give up
regular preaching. and move 10 Bristol
where he leased a little hotel Business
was not very brisk. however and he cat
about for some means Of experimenting
his income. lie soon discovered that
his location and his authority TO per
folm the marriage ceremony could bc put
q, a profitable use ne made an inves-
t.gation and found that the marriage
laws Of the State OF Tennessee permitted
the marriage Of any girl Of Twelve years
OF age or Over and OF any boy or four
teen years Of age or over. without the
consent Of their parents or guardian
while IN the States Of Virginia and west
Virginia me consent Of parent or Guard
ian must be obtained FOR bo.h persons
Tor all ages under twcnty-one years.
He then goes on 10 explain what read
ers Of The wimss well know that Bristol
is situated IN two States, half ia Tennes-
see ana the other half in Virginia, the
main street Of the town being the dividing
line. The union depot IS situated on the
Virginia side and The marrying PARSONS
hotel on the Tennessee side just across
the street the one from the other. When
the good parson got these conditions al
figured out. the correspondent adds lie
decided that keeping O hotel preaching on
Sunday as occasion presented Itself, and
marrying runaway couples if not wholly
consistent. would nc least De source or
profit. little judicious newspaper adj
vcrtising soon brought his business into
notice and trade began 20 come his way
The parson told the reporter that I'm
the last four months Of 1883 he married IL
COUPLES in 1850. So in 1891, g IA 1852 III
and since that hme no. IN one instance
the bride YVES only fourteen years Of age
and tine Groom was twenty one. II is
not related that a single couple was ever
turned away. and # is fair 10 presume
that IN every case the couple were Joined
and no questions ask Indeed the cor
resnonde1t saws that when the train
comes f. the parson puts on his clerical
robes and stations himself on the plat
form, 10 watch out for any suspicious
looking couples His eye is nov so wei
trained that he can spot them at once
and as soon as the couple elishts he
marches I'D and tells them that he Is the
man they are looking for, then escorts
them 10 the clerks Office where the
license is obtain "a. and finally to TIE no.
tel where the ceremony is performed.
Resides the marriage fee the parson sells
10 The couple a marriage certificate, and
more often than otherwise .ntortaias
them at the hotel for day or So thus
adding revenues TO his business.
Icrc is your t,pical marrying parson
and be stands just across the border Of
virginia ready and willing and anxious
TO marry any boy and girl from this
State who may take "a notion to runaway
and employ his services. There is am
other such parson on the Danville road
tust ACROSS tie North Carolina border
inviting the children from that section
OF Virginia TO come over and be married.
Colonel OBrien Moore who spread
eaglcd" the soldiers. may be the we'll
known Washington newspaper man, aad
accustomed TO the spread-oasle business.
The vermont papers are telling Of the
death Of a citizen Of that state who had
founded over nfty daily and weekly news
papers. 1t would seem that with oil
those chances ne might have made one
success.
The bitterest opponent to expansion
does not believe in contraction Of the
Cuban debt.
out OF 200 mules taken to Santiago
only twenty-five have iied. This seems
encouraging for the stable government
in Cuba.
A Geographic report says gold has
been found In OHIO" Somebody has
probably relieved Hanna Of part Of his
lode.
The banks in territory Of Quay and
Plat appear to be even more shaky than
| the plum trees.
one thing can truly be said Of Hon.
William A. Jones, he makes friends
wherever he speaks, and his popularity Is
growing in Virginia.
The nickel-in-the-slot machine has
gone. but dropping petition in the bank
ruptcy court and coming ont free Of debt
is destined to take its place.
A new collar trust has been establish
ed in New York. Plat must be losing
his grip.
The washington Post says: "For the
edincauon Of several misguided persons
we would state that there is no truth
in the reported engagement OF George
Francis Train to Or. Mary Walker. % OF
course not: what would Or. Mary do
with a train? She wears trousers.
|
In 1872 Chauncey Depew was the Demo
cratic candidate FOR the Lieutenant-Gov-