The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-06-27
The Marriage Law
of 1875

view to promote marriage, prevent I'M
fortunate matches and mate only
healthy persons. The court was given
power to order marriages and to refuse
applications to marry. A couple or
dered to marry must appear before the
clerk Of the court within thirty days
after the serving of the order and be
married by him In civil form Couples
marrying without or In defiance OF
permission Of the court were by virtue
OF such disobedience divorced without
process Of law.
The law was popular with all think
ing men over forty and with all elder
ly women who had not entered into
the matrimonial state. It was only OPP
posed by young people to whom appli-
cations were refused and whose appli4
cations 1t was admitted by every one
else should be refused At first 1t
seemed to be working well. No brib-
cry or corruption OF the court officials
was possible. The sentiment Of all
right minded people being in favor OF
1t, the malcontents did not lift voice
against 1t. But 1t goes without saying
that when couple comes into that
condition called 'love' they are IL OPP
posed like stream Of water seeking
an outlet Water viii not always dow
openly on firm ground. 1t Is constant
~ looking for some weak spot which It
will cover up, then proceed to soften,
bore, widen, till at last it has found
the coveted outlet, SO 1t Is with lovers.
They win always choose undetermined
means.
The beneficent law OF government
ownership OF IT'S propagators came to
grief BY means Of this yelled trIckery
of young lovers who had either been
refused certificates or were ordered 70
mate with proper persons, or both.
Many were astonished that there was
no evidence OF opposition from this
class. The fact was these young peo-
Pile OF blighted pedigree were secretly
undermining the operation OF the law.
1t was the Blythe Tomlinson. Har-
vey- Erskine cases that opened the peo-
ple's eyes and caused an investigation
which revealed more duplicity, more
subtle evasion OF the marriage law
than was discovered by our ancestors
In the management Of their life insur
ance companies.
The following order was promulgat-
ed in district No. 57,403:
First - The application OF william
Blythe to marry Rehecca Tomlinson IL
refused
Second. The application OF John Har-
vey TO marry Jane Erskine Is refused.
Third.-John Harvey is ordered to mar
~ Rebecca Tomlinson.
The records of the hereditary depart
mont show that there was excessive
temper in William Blythe's family. his
mother having fractured his fathers
skull with rolling pin. II is also re-
corded that Jane Erskines father died
while trying to win bet that he could
drink gallon OF whisky within one
hour. The hereditary records of John
Harvey and Rebecca Tomlinson were
perfect Never was a matrimonial or
der better calculated not only to pro-
mote the ultimate happiness Of the par
ties concerned, but of generations un-
born. No shrews, no sots, would re-
suit from the union of these two per
fectly healthy persons. the descendants
of perfectly healthy parents.
1t was the thirtieth day after John
Harvey had been ordered to marry
Rebecca Tomlinson, hot day In June,
that couple stepped into courtroom
No. 57.49s and passed up 10 the clerks
desk. They had evidently come to be
married, for they were dressed in their
best and the bride carried a bunch OF
violets. The clerk. an elderly man, who
had been doing in his chair, reused
himself and asked;
What names. pleasef"
"John Harvey and Rebecca Tomlin-
son, . replied the groom
who will identify you as suchf"
sour identitiers will be here In a
moment"
won't you have Whit Of my vjo-
letsr' said the bride. smiling sweetly
at the old clerk
She poked the flowers under his nose;
he drew a long draft and felt pleasur-
able sensations. Then another couple
came IN and identified the first. John
Harvey said the man voucher, point
ing with one thumb to the groom and
with the other 10 himself Then the
woman attendant repeated the process
for the bride. The clerk felt mist
coming before his eyes and, hurrying
through the simple ceremony, pro
nounced the candidates man and wife,
The party OF four left the courtroom,
but In few minutes returned to the
clerk. who was sinking into dream
land. The two vouchers stood in the
place OF bride and groom and asked to
be married
What name2"
"John Harvey Rebecca TomiInson.n
"why, I married that couple" said
the clerk. vainly trying TO Ak his eyes
on his record. The woman he had Just
married showed her vlolets under his
nose, and he felt himself near a
soporific collapse. He concluded he
must he mistaken. The first groom
vouchcd for the second groom, this
time pointing to him alone The first
bride repeated the process for the sec
ond bride
BY this nefarious trick were married,
ftrst yVilileua PIvthe and pohccca Tom.