The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-02
ELOPERS' MECCA
IN OLD KAINTUCK
Blue Grass Bellies Make Great
Haste to Dodge Old
Maid S Title.

shelbyville, KY, Jan. 2.-Twenty-
woods county in Kentucky in two DAYS
is the record set for clandestine mar
rlages by the lasses and swains of the
Blue Grass country. If Steubenville
and Youngstown were transferred south
OF the Ohio they would lose all their
prestige as local Gretna Greens. Never
has there been such wild stampede to
matrimony.
In the country districts of Bourbon
land girl is an old maid at %. At
80 she is passe and relegated to tea
cups and CATS, She is supposed to wear
corkscrew curls and couldn't even of
flc1ate as humble chaperon. All this
makes the race to conjugai happiness
one OF almost maddening haste-in Ken
lucky.
The old people, however, raise peren-
NAL objections-they always do The
old people are matchmakers who follow
all the traditions of the south and the
plication of being called an old maid
will take no risks. Down there in Ken
lucky there is no dearth of suitors and
the average Blue Grass belle does not
have long to wait. She has sweethearts
before she is out of short skirts, and it
is no uncommon thing for her to be en-
gagged while she still wears her hair in
long plait down her back and tops her
curls with jaunty tam o shanter.
shelbyville Elopers' Mecca.
Here in Shelbyville clipping couples
| find a Mecca. It is a quiet little place
with lots of churches and no end of
the rush within the last two months
| that it is declared that the preachers
have been overworked and prospective
| brides and bridegrooms have been
obliged to call upon the local magis-
trates.. Not only from Shelby county,
from Henry, Anderson, Franklin, Jessa-
mine, Fayette, Scott and the other coun-
ties in the Blue Grass region they come
in throngs.
Shelbyville is stop for all trains,
but the clippers do not take the rail
I road route if they are in fear of being
discovered-not in Kentucky. These
stopper from the stable and start down
the pike in good rig: Then they feel
assured that they will clear all pur-
suers and get the knot tied before the
irate father can interrupt their plans
by appearing upon the scene with boot
jack or gun.
In some counties in Kentucky last
fall the number of Opponents is said
: to have been as great as that of or
binary, unrOmantic premeditated mar
riages. There are instances where three
girls and three young men have formed
a party and eloped together. The
method of procedure sometimes is
unique. The belle wants none of the
traditions lacking-not in Kentucky.
Her wardrobe may be slight, because
she is in a hurry, but she Is sure to
take along
Something old. something new.
Something borrowed and something blue
Il Fond Fathers Surprise.
There are numerous elopements with
a best man and bridesmaid, and q
Bible college student says that when
his sister ran away on last Thanksgiv-
ing Day that she took a flower girl
along. It is not surprising. This is
the way they do things in Kentucky.
A Lawrenceburg farmer heard that his
) daughter was clearing out with the son
, of a neighbor. There were no very
strenuous objections and the father
{. bought some wedding presents and with
some of his friends started out in pux.
suit. They arrived in town about an
hour after the ceremony had been per-
formed and were told that the happy
pair had gone to the hotel for dinner.
The whole party, headed by the new
brides father, rushed into the dining
4 room and formally presented the. gifts,
:. afterwards buying tickets for honey.
T. moon trip to Cincinnati.
;. Several marriages have been per-
q formed ON railroad trains. and one
couple sought refuge by taking their
minister on board boat which was
nlying on the Kentucky river below
Frankfort. It is the universal opinion
' that marriage is no failure-in Ken.
= tucky.