The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1902-10-31
Ii BFide rooms Ears
Iorirnall

LNfA was ecNAt~N EA9W
there lived near Bowling Green rich
Dutchman, Geit Ten Brock, whose
daughter AaI Stas the apple Of bis
eye. Annekl ~ seventeen, and her
father thought It high time that be
should arrange a marriage for her, for
In those days girls were married much
younger than now and had very little
to say In the choice OF husband
Ten Brock was engaged IN the fur
bu moss with one Ten Eycke. Ten
Eycke buying furs IN Albany which
Ten Brock sold in New York. The
two Tens were not only partners in
business, but bosom friends, One day
Ten Brock wrote his partner;
Anneka Is now old enough TO be mar
ried. what has become OF your son
Peter7 remember him a. little boy,
and he promised to BE- hnS looking
man. except that his eara, which were
very large, stuck out sinEulariy from his
head. Hts mother was trying TO alter
their position. trust she succeeded.
However. this has nothing TO DO with
what have In mind. As said. Aunokn
10 old enough 10 be married. Whet 40
you say TO uniting our business Tor ans
other generation at least BY marrying
your son TO my dnughterG
To this Ten Eycke replied;
Your plan Of marrying my son TO
your daughter Is n very GOOD one Ihe
only trouble In the way - the detect YOU
mention. Peter Is very sentative about y,
and / fear shall not DO able to persuade
him TO marry any one. However, ! viii
see what can do In the matter.
After much coaxing Peter was won
over to the plan. A betrotlial was
made by letter, for ships sailed intre,
quentIy between New Amsterdam and
Albany In those days, and the Journey
was too troublesome to be taken when
IL could be avoided. At least this was
the reason given by the parents OF tins
contracting parties. The real reason
was 1t was feared II Anneka after see
ing her betrothed should have time e
act before tue wedding she would re
fuse to be married. Anneka was bro
ken hearted over the matter, though
her father could not find out whether
il was the deformity that troubled her
or that she had a lover Of whom nc
knew nothing.
However, he paid no attention to his
daughters repugnance to the match
and it was arranged between him and
Ten Eycke that Peter should come
down to New Amsterdam on the sloor
Katrina, leaving Albany on the 9Th Of
October, 1886. for the purpose OF beinE
married. Every preparation was made
for the wedding-the parlor swept
clean, the dining room and kitchen
(they were one) scrubbed and no end oil
cakes made. At II o'clock In the morn
ing OF Oct. "a young nan appeared a
the front door, gave a loud rap ant
when admitted announced himself al
Peter Ten Eycke.
When Gerrit Ten Brock saw his enor
nous ears, nearly the size of don
keys. and how they stuck out on eact
side, tapping when their ownel
walked, his heart misgaye him. How
could no inhlct such deformity upor
his daughteri His neighboFs would b'
forever laughing at him, In theil
sleeves II not openly. Nevertheless
Dutchman Of those days never gave NJ
a purpose. Gerrit Ind no thought Of
recedlng from his plan. but a natura
tenderness for his only child induced
him to comfort her.
.we will not hasten matters, my
dear" he said. Tomorrow VIII be
time enough for tho wedding, or. II you
ike. next week. Meanwhile you will
become accuatomed"-
III / must marry him." said Anneka,
''let It be at once"
''What-as soon as he has arTiyedY
eyes. Iamready now"
every well, my child, since You wish
IT."
II was a strange wedding procession
that walked up what Is now Broadway
70 the church. Tho ears OF the groom
aapped in the wind. and the towns
people crowded the wedding party to
get a view OF him, not scrupling e
vent their mIrth IN loud outlaws. In
the church the dominic had a hard
time to keep the people from unseemly
behavior and buried through the
service so rapidly that few heard the
words, and Il the couple had been
Hans and Mary instead Of Peter and
AnneIca no one would have known the
difference. When the twain were pro
nounced man and wife and they bad
turned and faced the people 70 leave
the church, the groom put his hands e
his ears and to the surprise Of every
one, pulled them on.
For time there was silence, aftel
which came at intervals exploaions Of
laughter as the phlsgmatiC Dutch
men one nfter another got Il into
their heads that the man had worn
false ears. Meanwhile the bridal cou.
pie started down the aisle, the groom
grinning from ear TO ear, the bride
smiling eontentsdly on bis arm.
At the door Gerrit Ten Brock came
running up 70 them to ask what e all
meant, but Vas stopped by stranger
who appeared on the scene with ears
somewhat larger than the usual size,
though mot especially noticeable. he
announced himself as Peter Ten Eycke.
And who No your asked Gerrit
Of the groom.
"aIIdshipman Jack Somersat OF bis
ma1esty's ship Terrible. have loved
your daughter Bincs cana into port
q week ago and. hearing that you
wanted q sonln-law with donkey cara
concluded 70 accommodate yoAs
Now. 0erTit Ten Brock had been
very much troubled about hs aon-an-