The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1901-07-31
THIS CHURCH WEDDING A FAKE.
The Best Man Forgot tho License, and
the Preacher Did what Seemed Hest.

the Preacher Did what Seemed Hest.
81 was one of 1890 persons who wit.
messed what we all thought was n
wedding in n fashionable church a
few weeks ago." remarked a gentle
man yesterday, and 1t was evident
from the way he started out that he
had story TO tell. 1T was one OF
the principal church weddings of May.
and nearly all society was gathered
In that church. The bride had been
very popular in New Orleans society
and the groom was one of the best
known of the successful younger busi
ness men in the city. There was a
matron of honor, several bridesmaids,
flower bearers, groomsmen and ushers.
music and all that sort of thing, and
many people went to the church sim
ply to see the frills that were to be
put to the old ceremony of giving and
taking in marriage. The groom's
brother was his best man, and he was
as proud as was his principal-until
after the wedding No. he did not
forget to pass the ring to the BRIDE
groom.
after the final VOWS were ex-
changed and the minister had pro-
nounced the young couple man and
wife, we in the front seats noticed the
minister whispering to the bridegroom,
and the look of worry and annoyance
that came over the face of the man
who should have been so happy. We
wondered what the mysterious whis-
pering meant, but we were not en-
enlightened. AS the minister turned
away the groom gave his arm to the
bride, the organ pealed out Mendel-
ssohn's joyous wedding march, but the
groom did not seem very joyous, and
few Of us later discovered why and
the reason for the whispered CONVEX
sation between the minister AMI the
bridegroom In the chancel.
After pronouncing them man and
wife, the minister whispered to the
man that In reality he and his bride
were not married; that no license had
been obtained and that the reason
why the minister had followed the
ritual was that no scandal might be
created. The best man had been in
trusted with all the commissions ap-
pertaining to the wedding. and he had
forgotten the most important item of
all. the marriage license. The minis
ter knew that at that time of night
there would be no chance to obtain
the license without long delay, and he
knew that the best way to smooth
over the matter was to go on with his
part of the program, and then tell
the bridegroom that he was no bride.
groom, but only bridegroom to be.
The man in the case had made all his
arrangements for wedding tour West,
and had bought the stateroom in the
sleeper of that nights train and had
bought his tickets. He went to his
home that night, and the bride re-
mained at hers.
EARLY the next morning the license
marry was obtained from the board
of health, and the genuine marriage
ceremony was then performed at the
home of the brides parents and with
no witnesses save the members of
her family. The bridegroom. after
considerable trouble got the dates of
his railroad tickets changed, but he
lost the slS he had paid when he re-
served the stateroom in the sleeper
from New Orleans to Chicago. The
story only got out to a few persons
who were at the church for what they
thought was the wedding, and noticed
in the papers later the date of the
marriage license. New Orleans
Times Democrat.