Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-31
LoNDoN's GRETNA GREEN.
Where Lovers May Quickly Become
Husband and Wife.

From London Answers.
Gone is Gretna Green as a goal for
clippers and others bent on marrying
clandestinely But there is in London
many people will be amazed to hear, an
area to which Cupids victims fee. much
as of old they flew to the blacksmith
parsons home on the other side of the
| border. and many lovers hasten to it from
all points of the compass.
The couples who repair TO London's
Gretna Green number. on an average, one
thousand a year. and are with few ex-
ceptions. aliens. One lovelorn swain was
a Constaptinople pasha: while only about
two years ago a German princess came
to the romantic region to be espoused.
So large is the inflow of lovers. indeed
that several men specially lay themselves
out to accommodate Them and arrange
all the details of their marriage. The
biggest of these enterprising gentry. who
maintains three large houses. not only
advertises in continental newspapers. but
publishes pamphlet. which is largely
circulated through solicitors. etc, in
Austria. Belgium. Russia. Germany and
other countries
Another of these guides to matrimony.
who also does a fiourishing business Is
sues similar pamphlet. 1t contains the
Questions dnQ answers Oh our marriage
service in English. that bride and BRIDE
groom may learn them parrot fashion.
Why do SO many foreign couples flock
to London's Gretna Green? Briefly. be-
cause of our comparatively lax marriage
laws. Some travel to England because
it is impossible for them to get married
in their own country. on account Of their
having been divorced. This was so In
the case of the manager of a Dutch
factory. who reached London with the
n yIrifn nf nf Ia III
1t so. too. in an instance which
happened only fortnight later The
director arrived with the managers di-
vOrced wifei
from the publicity absolutely indispensa-
BILE in some countries. In Germany for
instance. banns must< be published, not
only on the church doors. but In the
local newspapers. and in them the con-
tracing parties must be fully described.
Picture. then. the feelings of the poor
bride and bridegroom elect when there
is great disparity of age. or when-as
happened recently-the one is cook and
the other a wealthy. cultured merchant, |
whose father died in prison.
The weddings OF the couples usually |
take place at certain churches. a good |
many being celebrated by a German pas |
tor and some of the agents have pro- |
fessiOnal witnesses. Nowadays every |
thing is carefully arranged. but only a |
few years ago there was a good deal of |
the haphazard in such events. When |
one couple from the fatherland was about |
to be married the clerk had to dash of |
for some prayer books in German. He |
obtained them in a neighboring institu- |
ton. and everything passed of satisfac- |
torily-juSt az satisfactorily as II the COW
ers of the books had not been boldly |
III. M. Prison, Newgate"!
Many are the strange Incidents in the |
rush to the international Gretna Green |
The most remarkable perhaps was one |
of lady bringing with her a whole |
retinue of relatives These were nine in |
number. and they came for only one pur-