The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-02
Try to See Which Can Marry
OFF the Most Couples.
A FIGHT FOR THE FEES
A Stafford County Judge Has
a Novel Experience
But He Proved Equal to the
OccasiOn-Pratt's Next Move.

St. John. Dec 2.-There is at present
great rivalry between the officials of
Stafford county, of which this city is
the county seat and those OF Pratt to
see which can secure the most mar
riages. Marriages are a source of rev
enue and naturally the officials who are
empowered to perform the ceremony
push this branch of the business. OF
late many couples have been getting
married, both IN Pratt and Stafford
counties
The officials of the two counties point
with great pride to their records in this
respect For some time past it has
been nip and tuck as TO which had the
most marriages one week Pratt cOun-
ty would be in the lead and the next
Stafford would forge ahead again. A
short time ago this rivalry assumed
such proportions that the people took
sides on the question and Loyalty as
sisted their respective counties in the
fight Some fOf the super loyal ones,
ii IS said, even went so far as to assist
Cupid in arranging the matches thus
swelling the returns. 1t is said also that
bets have been made on the results
when all the returns are in at the end
of this year
Things went along swimmingIy until
one day last week when the probate
judge of Stafford county was summon
ed to perform the ceremony at a home
in the country some miles from St.
John When the judge reached the
home of the bride he discovered to his
horror that she resided in Pratt coun-
". He had no right to perform the
ceremony out of his jurisdiction he
thought. and he SO informed the groom,
who fortunately was a naturaliZed cit
izen of Stafford county. The guests
were already at hand. Some We're from
Stafford and others from Pratt. The
guests did not know that the official
from Stafford could not perform the
ceremony Knowing that the groom
was Stafford county man, they
thought the case was lost to them. The
declaration made by the probate judge
opened their eyes and while that Off
cial was in earnest consultation with
the groom one of the loyal citizens of
Pratt county gallOped off pOsthaste
toward the county seat.
Meanwhile the judge and the groom
had decided on a plan of action. The
day was fine and the county line was
not many miles away A team of mules
was speedily hitched to a hayrick and
all those who could got on. The time
consumed in consultation and prepara-
tiOn was cOnSidera BILE and some delay
was experienced also, because one of
the mules got baIky. The judge and
the groom urged the animal on. but the
bride said she didn't care if they never
got into the next county Just as the
loyal animal once more decided that it
was to give up and obey. a party of
horsemen hove in sight several miles
across the prairie.
There comes the Pratt county
judge, cried the groom. and then the
mules were urged to their utmost. They
crossed the county line in a cloud of
dust with the pursuers not many hun
dred yards in the rear. and there on the
open prairie the ceremony was Der-
formed The officials Of Pratt county
threaten vengeance. They may sWOOp
down upon the unSuSpecting citizens of
Stafford county some night, kidnap
few couples and marry them on Pra tt
county soil to get even. At present the
marriage record IS still f1uctuating
from one county to the other,