Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-03-23
KENTUCKIANS ELOPE.
HAVE PLEASURES OF ROMANCE,
ECONOMICAL AS WELL.
Young Couples Of the Surrounding
Districts Make the Town Of
Shelbyville a Matrimo-
NAL Mecca.

In the country districts Of Kentucky
girl is an old maid at rs, at 30 she Is
passe and relegated to teacups, cats and
knitting. Corkscrew curls are hers,
and on her hands when she goes to
church are half lace mitts, not kids. All
this. writes Shelbyville correspondent
of the Henderson Journal, makes the
race to conjugal happiness one Of almost
maddening haste-in Kentucky. Twen-
ty-seven elopements in two days is the
record Of one backwoods county this sea-
SON.
In common with all the other states
OF the union, Kentucky has more poor
families than rich ones, and 1t follows
that the preponderance Of marriages IL
among the former, whose purses are not
always equal to heavy outlays for elab-
crate wedding ceremonies. Hence it IL
that the most economical scheme OF
elopement is highly popular, with tho
added advantage Of the spirit of ro-
nance that surrounds the idea Of run
ming away and being pursued by alleged
irate parents, who, 1t should be noted,
never succeed in coming up with tho
clippers until the knot has been tied. The
whole affair Is pleasing illusion, and
may 1t always be so.
The old people, however, raise peren-
NAL objections-they always DO. The
old people are matchmakers who follow
all fho fradiffOna of tho coufh ana thn
girl who Is ambitious to dodge the I'M
plication of being called an old maid
will take no risks. Down here in Ken
lucky there is no dearth Of suitors, and
the average Blue Grass belle does not
have to wait long She has sweethearts
before she is out Of short skirts, and IL
is no uncommon thing for her to be en-
gagged while she still wears her hair
in long plat down her back and tops
her curls with q jaunty tam-o'-shanter.
Here in Shelbyville clipping couples
find mecca. 1t is a quiet little place,
with lots of churches and no end of oblig,
ing ministers. The town is a stop for all
trains, but the clippers do not take the
railroad route If they are in fear OF be-
ing discovered-not IN Kentucky.
These young Lochinvars take the best
high-stepper from the stable and start
down the pike in good rig. They then
feel assured that they will clear all pur-
suers an6 get the knot tied before the
father can interrupt their plans by APP
pearing on the scene with bootjack, gun
or glad hand.
In some counties in Kentucky last fall
the number Of Opponents is said to
have been as great as that Of ordinary
unromantic, premeditated marriages.
There are instances where three girls
and three young men have formed
party and eloped together. The method
of procedure sometimes is unique. The
belle wants none Of the traditions lack.
ing-not in Kentucky. Her wardrobe
may be slight, because she is in hurry.
but she is sure to take along
Something old. something new.
Something borrowed and something blue.
A Lawrenceburg farmer heard that hts
daughter was clearing out with the son
of neighbor. There was no very siren
uous objection and the father bought
some wedding presents and with some
of his friends started out In pursuit
They arrived In town about an hour
after the ceremony and were told that
the happy pair had gone 10 the hotel
for dinner. The whole party, headed by
the new brides father, rushed into the
dining-room and formally presented the
gifts, afterward buying tickets for
honeymoon trip to Cincinnati.
Several marriages have been per
formed on railroad trains, and one
couple sought refuge by taking theif
minister on board boat which was ply
ing on the Kentucky river below Frank
fort.