Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-01-10
DONE in A HURRY
ENGLiSHMAN GOT SAMPLE OF
YANKEE HUSTLE.
Probably to the Day of His Death He
Will Marvel How So Much
Was Done in Such a Short
Space of Time.

English people have queer ideas
about what Americans can do. One
of them, however, regards American
hustle as phenomenal, and this is
why:
The Englishman came to this side
to marry an English girl, who, with
her people, had settled near Boston.
The young woman's relatives were not
able to go to New York with her, so
they put her in charge of a middle
aged male friend, who promised to
meet the young man, see the girl safe
ly married, after which the couple
were to return Immediately to Eng
land.
The steamer arrived, and the girl
and the family friend met the young
man. The latter, being a stranger, was
more than willing to leave all details
for the wedding in the hands of the
American, who, after temporarily in
stalling the two at a Broadway hotel,
started out to look for a minister. 1t
was in the early fall, and few of the
better known clergymen were back in
town, SO that the friend made several
calls and did not succeed in finding
anyone to tie the knot. Finally, on
his way back to the hotel, he passed
the doors of well-known church and
the street. Two men were bringing
palms out of the church and placing
them in the wogan.
Hold on a minute" said the friend
Where's your boss?"
One of the men went into the
church and fetched out the florist.
Been having a wedding?" queried
the friend, and the florist replied in
the affirmative.
'Parson here YETI" he continued.
The florist said he was.
Call off your men a minutes" said
the friend as he disappeared in the
direction of the vestry.
Time to tie another knot, parson?"
he asked, breaking in on the minister,
who was getting into his clothes.
The minister looked at his watch.
Gust Is minutes before I must go
to catch train" he announced.
"All right, I'll be back" said his
visitor.
His interview with the florist was
just as brief.
Take ten dollars to leave the
plants and flowers here half hour ?"
he asked, and almost before the for
ist could reply he found himself stand
ing with ten dollar bill in his hand,
while the energetic coat tails of the
stranger were flying out behind him
block away.
1t took eight minutes to get the cou-
pie to the church from the hotel, which
luckily was only four blocks away. In
little over Is minutes the knot was
tied. Then the Englishman looked
around the church. The big, massive
pillars were twined round with smilax,
with which roses intermingled, The
altar was a bank of flowers and plnts,
and the pews were ribbon festooned
and flowers twined.
The Englishman was surprised. He
looked at the decorations and he
looked at the American. Then he
spoke.
by George" he said, in awe-strick-
en- tones. How ever in the world did
you manage to get all this done in that
little bit of time?"
The American smiled the superior
smile of one who has done a great
thing and said: ooh, that's nothing.
We're used to doing things in a hurry
here"
And the Englishman presumably is
still telling his friends stories about
this sample of Yankee hustle"