The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-14

When the little God of Love shoots
hts hymeneal dart into the heart u
the average Richmond couple, be they
old. young, or middle aged. the nat
ural inclination is to take running
hop. skip and Jump to the nearest par
sonage. There are some people. too
who are Just naive enough TO believe
that such course liz all that is nects-
sary When they arrive at the nome
Of the particular parson Whoh theH
have chosen to tie the knot however
they find they have made grleNous
Oh, Very grievous mistake
For scarcely have they set 1907
across the ministerial threshhold be
fore the black clothed person. smiling
gently. kindly, tolerantly sometimes
il would almost seem pityinsly, ad-
want es, and calling the prospective
groom to one side asks, IN stage
" hlspcr. All, you-ah. that is 70 say.
here is the license
Nine times out OF every ten, the
male person about lose nIS-IGerIl-
~" being very much ratified and III
at-ease at best. Will tremhlin2IE m
cure What license ! don't under~
stand. What ia this anyhow Dye
think ] want 10 take out a TAX lot
m dos" ."
4 And then the WlnlRtE captains So
tlv-oh so gently. that before entering
into that happy state. where so many
who are outside want 10 get in, ana
where II would seem, from certain
court records there are almost as many
on the inside who want to get out
/ II Ia necessary TO visit the clerk Of the
Hastings court and obtain neatly
/ printed and written piece OF eeautitui
paper, on which is set forth that John
E =. ~ 1fSsN-
the names of the couple may be, are
duly authorized to enter into the holy
bond OF wedlock--and lot more 10
the same effect.
/ Not infrequently, this information
/ is in the nature of facer to the
near bridegroom, Strange to relate,
the bride usually doesn't seem To be
particularly nettied. Eut the former
He had planned on pulling OF this
marriage thing quietly you know
he merely intended to take THE GIRL
OFF, have the know knot tied and then
tell 'em ali to amuse themselves by
: jumping backward, or IN any other
! fashion they pleased
And now he must go into the City
/ Hall through the long corrtdors-and
] ask any man who has been through
I II, IL they do not seem most mlghtliy
! long on such occasions--snto the
! a crowd-and he the cynosure Of a
/ bunch of eyes, all smiling in fash
/ ion which he imagines to be one OF
| rtdicuIe. but which in reality Is one
/ of sympathy.
But there is nothing TO ii. It's
/ case OF of to the clerks office or no
wedding bells this merry day-and
! in most cases the bridegroom. after
| looking the lady Of his choice over
| and deciding that she is worth H.
! summons his fast waning courage
! and hastens to his destination. al
! most running in order TO get TO ms
/ destination before his nerve dese-,s
| him.
Usually they come In whistiing,"
said Clerk Walter Christian, in relat-
| ing a few of his experiences with
/ those who are happy IN the thought
! of having some dainty little person,
standing four feet-nothing. take ms
name and all of his salary.
Then they stand around for a
few minutes trying TO look bored
hoping all the time that the other
people In the room will leave In a
minute ! never pay much attention
! to them---what's the use of adding
to their misery. ] watch them when
they don't know 1t. though. and when
&
see their hands tremble when they
try to light it, then I paraphrase Mr.
Omar Khayam, and remark Il know
] know"
Il have some funny experiences
with them--particularly with the al
most brides. Most of them don't like
! 10 tell their ages l don't like 70
press them on such a point either
,Remember, I'm Virginia gentleman
sah' But the law is the law. Con-
sequently. l am just naturally Obliged
| TO find out the lady's age.
"'Tisn't always the girls who make
life less dreary. however. For In
stance. had a man In here the other
day-and II was his fourth visit to
me on the same mission--different girl
each time. too. Somehow they all
seemed to have backed out at the
last minute. for each time he told me