The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-06-26
A Secret Marriage.

The average American citizen has
sense of humor which carries him into
anv extravaganza or loss of time for
the sake of joke Thomas F. E.
Pagan druggist OF 3.003 Fulton Street,
Brooklyn. realizes this great truth. $
Last Saturday week, Mr.. Pagan
who is quite wealthy man with ideas
of his own, slipped away to Rockville
Centre. L. T., and was married to
Miss Maude Shaw. They planned for
a surprise and had one: The idea was
to 60 on a wedding trip of few days
and then to return Brooklyn, drive
quietly to the drug store over which
apartments had been arranged, and
from thence astonish their friends
with official announcement OF their
Somebody learned of the plan and
proceeded to stir up all that end of
Brooklyn, the population of which re-
sponded with remarkable alacrity.
Money was spent and time was given
freely.
Last Thursday evening the Fagans
got home They noticed as their car
riage approached the Fagan drug store
that some unusual excitement and de-
monstration was in progress, but they
took little notice of it. They were
happy with the usual happiness of
such occasions and more than usually
hilarious with the thought of how
cleverly they had tricked their friends
and with speculations on the astonish-
ment with which the news of their
marriage would be received.
AS they turned in their own street
they found crowd Of 3, 600 people who
greeted them with wild cheers while a
fully manned and equipped brass band
struck up:
Hes up against the Real Thing
now"
The drug store was decorated from
roof to pavement with flags and rib
bons and was brilliantly Illuminated.
A huge banner over the door bore the
inscription ''Behold the Bridegroom
Cometh. - The show windows were full
of elaborate floral emblems suggestive
of matrimonial and family events and
conditions. A committee thrust into
the hands of the suddenly wrecked and
bewildered Pagan another large banner
conveying the dismal fallacy.
81 was married on the Q. T.
Fireworks began to whirl and fzz
showers of sparks and to rush into the
air and explode. Tin horns beloved
and blared, a couple Of bonfres and
blaze of red light developed suddenly
and bells rang. AS secret wedding
the affair was the most dismal failure
in all the history of weddings.
The crowd formed into line and
marched around the block, each process
sionist wearing a badge with the
words:
'.You can't lose US, Tommy
Somebody who did not understand
the facts rushed in a riot call and
platoon of police reserves promoted
the privacy of the affair by arriving
on the run. Mr.. Pagan was at that
time having speech extorted from
him, having been pulled from his car
riage and put on the platform. Re
spending to general and enthusiastic
demand, he had also chartered a
neighboring saloon and invited every
body to ''have something" on him.
The police learning the facts, became
so much interested that they Joined
the fun and assisted in keeping up the
celebration until midnight. The bride
from Rockville Centre was meanwhile
wondering if that was the Brooklyn
idea of quiet and secret wedding Just
what would happen in case Of public
ceremony.
If either or both of the Fagans
should have occasion to wed again
and nearly anything is likely to hap
pen on Long Islands safe to predict
that they will notify all their friends
and will not again put themselves in
position to be the objects of the great
American practical joke.-Richmond