The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-04-08
HE HAS UNITED
10000 HEARTS

We have heard Of marrying par
sons" and aldermen who have a goodly
number Of knots tied to their credit.
Now, over on Ellis Island, the doorway
to the promised land" which Uncle
Samuel guards so jealousy is a. man
named Lawrence p. Lee, whose official
position is that of treasurer, but who
has also found occasion in the past
eight years to make 10000 hearts beat
as 5000, in pairs, says New York ex-
change.
The sons and daughters of nearly
every land on which the sun shines
have stood before Mr.. Lee and been
made husband and wife Moreover.
1t is safe to say that Cupid is in the
work, and that these are true mar
riages, for not one of the said cou-
pies has ever become public charge.
While the service performed here is
as simple as a legal form can be, there
are some very gay and festive affairs.
This is true especially of many of the
Italians. The blushing maiden is often
attired In all the splendor she would
be were the ceremony taking place in
the church of her own little parish,
The bridegroom. IL he has first come to
this country and has sent for 'the one
girl" adds his share to the display by
bringing flowers.
Yes" said Mr.. Lee, I'VE get all kinds
here, the curious, the gay, and some
times the sad.
OF all the thousands of marriages
have performed, one stands out in my
minds eye as the most remarkable
About four years ago a young Mag
var was passed through the island. He
was tall, well set UP, and very intelli-
gent. Also, might state, he wore the
native Magyar costume, which is very
picturesque, and was possessed of some
5000 or $500. Altogether, he was
first rate specimen, the kind we are
glad to see come in.
well, time went on, and one day
something like year and half or
two years later, the door of the Office
opened and there stood my Magyar
with as handsome woman as have
ever seen; she had just arrived from
the old country, and they had come to
be married
The woman was Respondent In all
the glories of her native country. but
the man was dressed in plain garb-
and right here was the trouble. And
let me tell you there was plenty of it.
1t was easy to see who would rule that
roost, and what do you suppose 1t was
all about? Why, simply because he
had not come to meet her wearing the
same costume he wore when he left
her! She was sure he had ceased to
love her, and she was game, too. She
held out and made him go over to New
York again and put on his Magyar
clothes and come back here before she
would say the yes he wanted her to,
and she wanted to say, but we finally
got them fixed up and they went away
as happy as a young married pair can
be
while there is a good deal of pathos
to be found over here on the Island,
we naturally see very little of 1t in
this Office. But / do recall one case
that was pretty tough.
"A young Italian had come over here
and prospered aT after a time he sent
back to the old country for his sweet
heart and they were to be married.
When the girl arrived she was ill-too
Ill to be married, and her case was
diagnosed as appendicitis. An opera
ton was at once decided upon, in hopes
Of saving her life. Well, during the
time that girl was on the table I never
saw wilder man than her intended
husband. He would pace up and down
the hall, then up and down in fronr
of the hospital, then he would rush over
here and in the Office and beg me to
come, saying that he knew she would
soon be out of the ether. and they
could be married.
Finally to pacify him I went over
to the hospital, and as soon as the girl
was conscious / married them. But IT
was not for long The poor little wom-
an died that night. pray God 1 may
never again be called upon to witness
such grief as that poor young Italian
suffered.
Perhaps as happy marriage as
ever took place here was that OF James
Mulcahey to Mrs. Mary Londregan,
both of Limerick. Ireland.
They had been sweethearts in child
hood when they romped in the same
schoolyard. James had migrated TO
America when a lad to make a fortune
for his fiancee Another sutton was
forced upon the lass by her parents
shortly after her lovers departure, and
James found balm for his wounded
heart in young American girl Years
passed and not very long before they
came to be recorded here, found both
approaching the four score mark. James
was 10 and Mary gave her age as rs.
James had lost his wife and Mary her
husband. knowledge OF the circum-
stances was carried from one to the
other and correspondence followed
which eliminated in James sending for
the sweetheart of his youth and coming
on from his home In eastern Oregon
to claim his aged bride and take her to
comfortable ranch which he owns in
the far western state.''
And this First Aid to Cupid smiled
as though the uniting Of 10000 lives
was mere holiday pastime.
A ErnpsgrYYa vUmu< a xxY3fI m.1n So.