The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-12-06
10 MARRIAGES
IN NOVEMBER
High Average Ages Of
Brides and GrOOmS
ALSO SOMETHING ABOUT THE
TRYING ART OF TAKING OUT
LICENSE PAPERS IN PRO-
THONOTARY HANLAN'S OFFICE

LICENSE PAPERS IN PRO
THONOTARY HANLAN'S OFFICE
Face to face with the high cost O
living, or the cost of high living
whichever way you want to put it
fronting the dull and bleak DAYS O.
Winter; frenzied with the daily breaC
and butter problem; for any one ol
for all of these good and sufficient
reasons, only fifteen strong sons anC
hfteen darling daughters of Wayne
plucked up courage enough to take
the leap into the sea of matrimony
during the month of November
hundreds choosing rather to stand
shivering on the brink, than to make
the icy plunge.
The months marriages were re-
markable for the high average age
of the contracting parties, that OF
the bridegrooms being thirty-siS
years and four months, while twenty
seven and six-fifteenths years was the
average age of the brides.
The Oldest bridegroom, by the
way, didn't come from Wayne coun-
ty, nor did his bride either. AS he
was seventy-seven and she forty-two
that combination helped consider
ably to raise the average age.
The youngest bride and groom
were only eighteen years old. Three
of the brides were under twenty
one. Four were between twenty
one and twenty-five. The Oldest
bride was forty-six. Five of the
brides were thirty past"
Among the bridegrooms, only one
was under age. Two were twenty
one; two were twenty-four; one was
tWpntV-giY and fhn
ty years old and upwards" Five of
the bridegrooms were over forty
years of age. Two were past the
Oslerized age limit of sixty. OF a
truth the older men are braver than
the younger generation.
Five farmers took upon them
selves the yoke of married life. Two
laborers decided toll would be sweet
er If shared by another. Other oc-
cupations represented included one
each of the following: Glass blower,
glass dipper, fireman, retired, knit
ter, butcher, clerk, cattle dealer.
The brides represented six differ
ent callings. There were ten "at
homes" one teacher, one laborer,
one housekeeper, one housemaid,
and one who gave her occupation as
none" 1t is devoutly to be hoped
that not one of them will ever be
compelled to tell the census man"
her occupation has become that of
household drudge"
The County Seat and Hawley
shared the honors for brides. with
two blushing representatives each.
The grooms came from all over crea-
ton. One came from New York;
another from Dunmore; one from
Honesdale, and the rest came strag-
Cling in from the suburban districts.
The ages of the contracting par
ties follow, with those of the bride
grooms given first:
44-34; 77-42; 24-21; 54-46;
26-19; 34-26; 63-31; 17-1S;
30-25; 21-19; 24-24; 3O-24;
45-S6; 21-1S; 34-2S.
The reporter happened being pres
ent one day in Prothonotary M. ].
Hanlan's inner Office when an elderly
looking man walked in and inquir-
ed:
What does a man have to do
when he wants to get hitched up?"
Bring the woman around" smil-
ingly replied the Prothonotary, who
thought the man was only in Jest.
well, let's fix 1t up" continued
the stranger.
II thought you were only Joking"
answered Mr.. Hanlan, rising to his
feet in twinkling and accompanying
the applicant to his outer office,
where the bride-elect was patiently
waiting.
Mr.. Hanlan catechised both of the
parties at length, and as the law
provides. The bridegroom began to
think the Prothonotary was overly
inquisitive and finally plucked upI
courage enough to say:
You are asking a lot of ques-
tions."
Mr.. Hanlan admitted it, but ex-
planned to the prospective husband
that he was only doing his duty.
Making out the papers he handed
them to the bridegroom, who took
hold of them rather gingerly.
81 suppose a fellow can use that
whenever he has a mind to?" ques-
toned the applicant.
YES" obligingly answered Mr..
Hanlan.
Following a moments pause, and
as if he had being weighing a diff
ficult problem in his mind, and at
last found happy solution of it, the
bridegroom-elect turning to the bride
to be, said:
Here, I'll let you take care of
that"
She took the precious bit of paper
and put it in silver mesh bag which |
she carried.
And, by the bye, that is the pi, sr
thing to do. The beautifully engrav-
ed certificates handed out by the
clergymen have precious little legal
value. But the duplicate certificate,
which the minister fills out and |
hands to the man after the ceremony,
should be kept by the bride at all |
hazards as a legal attestation of her
marriage.
The man and the woman rose to
go.
How much do you want?" he
asked the Prothonotary, almost for