Amador ledger., 1907-05-10
A Social Prank
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The young people of the town had
caught the spirit Of mirth and as the
season progressed gave themselves up
to it more and more. The shape it took
was social pranks. A rumor was start
| ed that Alan White had eloped with
Susie Carr. The pair kept under cover
for few days, then appeared at an
evening party together, received con-
gratulations, then laughed at their
dupes. A ball once set rolling will
roll on till 1t meets some obstruction.
No sooner had the mock elopement
succeeded In deceivlng every one than
certain boys and girls decided there
must be mock marriage.
The couple selected for principals
were George Towle and Jessie Troxell
, Sufficient ''spooning" had been noticed
| between the pair to give color to O we'd
ding. A committee of one was sent to
| Towle to sound him on the subject and
returned with the report that he would
not object. Miss Troxell took time to
| consider the matter, but when it was
announced that Coodly number of
wedding presents might be expected
and the donors would not be likely to
| take them back after having learned of
tie ''selr' she consented. Thereupon
the details of the affair were arranged
by self constituted committee of six
three young mon and three girls.
Ned Tracy and Kate Dexter consti-
tuted themselves chairman and chair
maneSs of the committee and assumed
full management. There was no op-
position to this till 1t was learned that
they were incurring the expenses of a
real wedding, but since Tracy and
Miss Dexter. who were wealthy, offer
ed to pay all bills they were permitted
to proceed at their own breakneck
pace. This was definitely settled be-
fore the bride and groom would con-
sent to such extravagant outlay for a
mere prank and for which they might
be held accountable.
Recognizing Miss Troxells sacrifice
and to keep her up to compliance with
the SCALE on which the prank was to
be played, the committee sent her ar
ticles which formed quite respectable
trousseau. This done, they ordered a
thousand invitation cards. Miss Trox-
ellis domicile being very small, the
wedding was appointed to take place
In Harmony hall, where such social
functions were held as comprised too
many people to get comfortably in q
dwelling. The cards were mo- sooner
out than wedding presents began to
pour in. A young minister who had
been brought up with the boys and
girls interested was engaged to per-
form the ceremony! OF course he was
in the secret and had declined till noti-
fed that at the proper time the bride
was to say "No" instead Of "Yes."
Then the "sell' was to come out, and
the festivities were to proceed with a
dance
For weeks even before it was known
that there was to be wedding Mr.
Tracy and Mrs. Dexter were hard at
work, Miss Dexter buying the trous-
seau and Mr.. Tracy engaging the hall,
ordering flowers-in short, attending
to the details. After the cards were out
]
that had been overlooked.
The only thing that might possibly
excite suspicion was the action Of the
bride and groom. They were never
seen together and until after the cards
were out would not acknowledge their
engagement, but from that time on
they kept in their own homes, and Miss
Troxell especially would see no one.
When the night of the mock wedding
came on, the committee, who, except
tho couple who were to be mock mar
ried and the clergyman, were the only
ones in the secret, were on tiptoe OF
excitement. Mr.. Tracy and Miss Dex-
ter figured up the expenses and con-
cluded that the prank should be very
successful to be commensurate with
the cost. When the hall was filed with
guests Tracy sent carriages for the
groom, the bride and the clergyman.
As Miss Troxell entered Miss Dex-
ter was much pleased to hear some one
say: "What an exquisite costume! I
wonder who designed it." The en-
trance Of the couple was signal for
the guests to arrange themselves In
their proper space, leaving one end Of
the hall for the bridal couple. Tracy
was a bit worried because they acted,
he said, "as If they were going to get
a divorce instead Of being married"
The groom approached the clergy
man from the left, the bride from the
right. The members of the committee
pushed forward through the crowd to
white ribbon that had been stretched
across the end of the hall in order to
catch every word and note the express
sions of surprise on the faces Of the
guests when the bride should bring out
the unexpected mo"
The clergyman began the service in
the tone usual to the solemn right of
matrimony, and when he came to the
words, "Do you take this woman to be
your welded wife?" Towle answered
In sonorous voice, YES" "And do
you take this man to be your welded
husbandT" the clergyman asked Of the
bride.
The sensation that had been ar
ranged for the guests was experienced
by the committee. In q clear, firm
voice the bride answered, "Yes."
The secret of how Mr.. and Mrs.
Towle were furnished with a wedding
which they could not possibly have af-
forded, trousseau and wedding pres
ents that would not have come in a
less pretentious affair has been we'll
knnt hv tha cOmmitfoa oSnaoialIv hv