Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-02-01
BELLOWS FALLS NEWS
Matrimonial Alliance Arranged by
Mail Not Consummated
"Prof." Pierce Not at the Train to Meet
the Lady But Men Wearing Red Rib.
bons Were Numerous.


\ large portion Of the people i'm the
business part Of the village were much in
tcrestod Thursday. Friday and Saturday
of last week i'm proposed matrimonial
alliance and it became the principal
theme Of conversation.
Thursday morning a man. between 80
and 60 years old, named Warren c.
Pierce Of Lebanon, y. H., appeared i'm
Bellows Falls and made large amount
of talk regarding his expected marriage to
lady from Port Huron. Mich, who had
agreed to meet him here. Pierce is "a
well-Nnown character in Lebanon ana has
been given the title Of prof" because
of sundry vagarics. and because of having
been connected with some entertainments
given at various points in the Connecticut
valley He was not Of "a very progresses
ing appearance but had evidently invest
ed in a new suit and pair of light gloves
for the trip. His story. which he told to
every one he met was that he had an
swered "A matrimonial advertisement of
"A widow from Port Huron. Mich, named
Mrs May Cooper. and that correspond
ence had resulted i'm an agreement be
tween them to meet here and marry. She
had represented herself to be Of comcly
appearance and possessed Of "A fortune of
$50. 900 and the arrangement had been
made that she was to take him to Port
Huron for their future home
the boys" all knew Of it and decided to
take a hand i'm the matter watching the
developments. The bride -to-be was OK
pected at 3 o'clock that afternoon and had
sent the Professor a strip OF red ribbon
that he was to wear SO she might know
him. and she was to wear another piece
Of the same color, so that there should he
no mistake. The matter became SO public
that a large crowd gathered at the rail
road station to meet the 3 o'clock train
and watch the Professor as he anXiouslY
noted the arrivals. but none answering
the description or wearing the red ribbon
alighted
The Professor" had with him picture
Of the woman and some Of the reporters
Of the city papers secured this as we'll as
the picture of the man himself. and they
appeared in the evening papers Of that
day with graphic story Of tho romance
Although Visibly disappointed tho PRO
fcssor" was confident the lady would
appear by the next train. \ cotorie Of
the boys entertained the Professor
during the afternoon with numerous
treats and before time for the evening
train he was in condition rather too
muddlcd to meet it. \ large number
were at the station, however, and many
men of all ages had red ribbons in their
buttonholes. Sure enough. when tho
train drew in, the lady wearing the red
ribbon alighted and was evidently much
surprised to find that all men seemed to
be wearing red ribbons that night.
The porter Of the Central House. where
the Professor was stopping. at once
acted the good samaritan by taxing her in
charge and showing her to the hotel and
there presenting the Professor to her.
Ciuzens of Lebanon. who had heard from
the papers i'm relation to the matter. had
communicated with Bellows Falls people
and asked that they inform the woman
as to the character and standing OF Pierce
at his home before any marriage should
take place This was done. and the I'M
inviting condition Of the Professor" from
the effects Of celebrating when she first
saw him evidently decided her not 10
make the matrimonial plunge. and al
though Pierce had made arrangements
for a license and FOR a Justice Of the peace
10 tie the knot. none was Tied. After "A
long discussion Of the matter Friday
morning. when Pierce was more in a
condition to be coherent than the evening
before, the woman told him she should
have nothing further to do with him and
that she should go to Montreal by the
night train thar evening, which she did.
Pierce returned to his home i'm Lebanon
on the O'CLOCK express that afternoon.
not having had an opportunity to use all
Of his capital Of S. which he had for the
occasion when he left Lebanon. The
woman seemed like an Intelligent person
and had plenty Of money to all appear
ances. Her story agreed fully with that
of the Professors as to how the meet
ing had been arranged and as 10 the eN-
pectation Of marriage. She said that she
had been widow five years her hus-
band having been a wholesale merchant
in Port Huron.