The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-31
ErNznZYH C2zT AF-zz111R 2F7z242A5.
The Mecca Run
away Lovers.

About 10 miles northwest OF Carlisle
and just "over the border betweeI
Scotland and England, stands the village
OF Gretna Green. Railway passengers
passing at express speed hardly deign ia
notice the spot Yet the runway mar.
rlngcs which years ago made the place
notorious have affected the history OF
England, and many member OF noble
family owes the possession OF his title
and estates to the proof of validity Of
marriage at Gretna Green. The famous
names OF Villiers, Paget, Coventry, among
others, are thus associated with the little
sDumfriesshlre village. The poet Shelley
also crossed the border and made the
Scottish marriage with Harriet Vest
brook which proved so unhappy and end 9
cd SO disastrously. We do not, as a rule,
associate romance with the legal profess
sion. but both Lords Erskine availed
themselves OF the self-constitutcd priests
OF Gretnn.
Runaway marriages, however, nre quick
" becoming things OF the past. They nre
no longer fashionable. Perhaps the stern,
memorable and obdurate parent OF the
good old days has died out Maybe. tho
romance a. one time connected With
Opponents has given place to less senti-
mental notions In the present century.
Looking back. we can quite understand
tho great temptation which furious
drive OF some hundreds OF miles along
the country roads, under the protecting
! care OF an ardent lover, would OFFER to
|, maiden possessed of anything Ike a ro-
mantle Temperament. Let the reader pic.
lure It. In front the convenient smithy
| Ind the obliging blacksmith" Of Gretna
!cady at moments notice and in the
| }pace OF few minutes to make the rum
I lway couple man and wife. Behind, how
1 lar they could not often tell, but some
1 times even within sight, would come the
i offended parent, giving chase mt all the
/ speed that could be obtained from horses.
romantic enough for the most romantic
\ lovers. c5 tn n
4 OF course. the rough.and-rcady mar
| riages that made Gretna Green famous
i could have been consummated at any
convenient spoA in Scotland across the
i border. But Gre(pa, sta nding at the head
Iot the solway Firth, was in most cases
i lAfterwards Its reputation was sufficient
to make the spot, the one place to which
eloplng couples fed to be united In direct
opposition to the wishes Of their parents.
| The first man who made the Gretna
Green marriages notorious was one Jo.
seph Paisley, and several noblemen are
snid to have paid this worthy not less
than 100 guincas for his services. The
highly remuneratiye occupation naturally
brought rivals to the spot, the most sue
ccssful being David Lang, who carried on
\ the business for many years. he was
followed by his son, Simon Lang. Alto
gether, this couple played the part Of
priest for upwards OF thrce'quarters OF q
century, 6i55
The ceremony, IL such 1t could be called,
was sometimes that of the Church Of Eng
land, but the most popular was the one
rendered so easy by Scottish law aud con-
sisted simply Of the contra citing parties
declaring themselves man and wife before
witnesses and afterwards living as such.
q The fee demanded depended upon q tho
ranking OF the "A cloping couples, and
ranged from $50 down to a glass Of
Il whisky, At any rate tho officiating gen.
4 tlemep appear to- have made a fine thing
out Of the business, and sson,e OF them
II were scarcely ever sober. Generally q
certificate was given, and this proved In
valuable when the validity Of the mar
riage was questioned.
One Of tho most notable Of Gretna mar.
ringes was that OF Lord Westmoreland
with tho only daughter and heiress OF the
wellknown wealthy banker, Mr., Child
In this instance the chase was indeed a
stern one, the runaways being almost
oyerhauled within slight of tho Scottish
border The irate father could BIO seer
making desperate efforts to overtake hi,
romantic daughter. The noble lover, how
ever, rose to the occasion, and Just as car
ture appeared Inevitable drew his pisto
and shot tho leading horse of the bank
er's carringe, thus obtaining the necessary
time to complete their journey. Thu
daughter Of this romantic union event
ually Inherited the banker $ great wealth
and married Lord Jersey. Many similar
instances are narrated Of the resource
fulness Of the fugitive when the pursul
became too warm to be pleasant Ost
lers have been we'll paid to hobbies
/. the horses Of tho pursuers or to talnpe
! with the pins or bolts of the carriage II
insure Its collapse at some spot wher.
assistance would be difficult to get. Th
runaways generally had the advantage
j, for they could rely upon the assistance
], and sympathy Of tho people at the va
! rious stages on the ourney. Indeed. tn