Arizona republican., 1904-02-09
BEAUTIES OF MARRIAGE
Revealed to Some Men Only After
 Strenuous Experiences.

An incident in the New York career of J. w. Benham related in yesterdays issue was the means of throwing his friend w. C. Barnes into a reminis- cent mood. AS a result of 1t he gave up chapter of ancient history. some thing that has never been published. proving again that if everybody would tell everything he knows there would be great deal more in the newspapers.
 It was many years ago. when such decrepit old men as Mir. Barnes. Irving Andrews, J. W. Benham and H. F. leighton, now of Tucson. were young and innocent, their veins full of rich. red blood, and their hearts swelling with sentiment. Truth to tell. none of them had dared to approach the matri- mOnial altar except MT. Heighton, and he hadn't got very far beyond it-just far enough to act as a chaperon for his more timid friends
 They were all singers, and are vet but anybody could sing at that time of life; even a crow sings in the spring time. And while they made no boasts about it, it is only fair to suppose they were in love, judging by events that have happened since. When love and music meet on a moonlight night-such nights as are found in the June chap tel of the Arizona almanac-a conspir- acy fs bound to follow.
 These gentlemen decided that the proper thing to do would be to serenade some of their lady friends. While they were all singers. none of them knew how to rob a guitar of it's sweetness or coax the melody cut Of a mandolin, and a serenade without instrumental ac- compartment is like an office without salary; there's nothing to it. But they did have an old organ down at the Phoenix woodward where Mes=rs. Ben ham and Barnes resided, and they had a wood wagon just big enough to carry it. They put the organ in the wagon, and hitching up old Dobbin drove to the residence of Walter Talbot. Who later consented to become MT. Barnes father-in-law. Driving around the house and half way back again as quietly as possible they halted the pro- cession. The quartette lighted their b. cycle lamps, which they had brought along to read the music by for they proposed to spring some new songs. Mir. Barnes touched the keys to get the chord. Dobbin in his time had heard a great variety of sounds emanate from ke wood wagon. but he never heard anything just like that organ What was more, he didn't propose 10 if he could get away. and he thought he could. And he did. He left MT. An
 irews spinning around on the back of his neck where the wagon had recently stood, and Messrs. Leighton and Ben ham were yet in the upper branches of the peach trees when Dobbin went through the gate. MT. Barnes was reaching for the ribbons, and 1t seemed to him for ling time that he, could find everything but leather. But final " he got the reins. brought the horse to a stop and drove pack to pick up the crowd. By this time the family was aroused, and the horse was uCi-itched so he couldn't run. when the serenad ? was pulled of in proper style, except that cn,y four bars of music could be rendered between laughs.
 The next stop was at the residence of D. L. Murray, where MT. Andrews did stunt on Q later occasion with 1 preacher and a marriage license. It was MT. Barnes turn to afford the amusement this time. Dobbin had got next to his joo and offered no trouble, but MT. Barnes was acting as path finder. and somewhere in the rear of the house the procession was held up by dog about the size of an elephant. MT. Barnes sounded a retreat, and was tSe irst to obey his own order. His movements, in fact, were precipitate.