The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1913-02-07

II, tnat q plcKpOcket passing through
the train before it rolled out Of the
station, seeing what he supposed to be
a bridal couple starting on q wedding
journey, saw his opportunity and
when the shoe and rice throwing was
in progress deftly slipped his hand in
Georges pocket and relieved him OF
the pocketbook.
"Tickets!" repeated the conductor in
what seemed to the couple an unsyn
pathetic. cold, harsh voice.
George wildly went through his
pockets again. though he was sure
what he wanted was not there. Not
finding it. he told the conductor of his
loss. He suspected. he said, that some
thief had taken it.
The horrid wretch exclaimed a
fat lady in the next seat behind, re-
ferring to the pickpocket.
MY orders are" said the conductor.
Ito collect all fares"
But ! have no money to pay with
George gasped.
Sorry. but l can't help it. You'll
have to get off at the next station
The conductor passed on. A sympa.
thetic murmur passed through the car.
The fat lady arose in her seat and ad
dressed the passengers. saying:
"Sone good for nothing. contempt
bic creature has robbed this young
couple. taking their money and their
tickets. It's a pity that they should
mako an Unfortunate q c+or< ~, He's
journey together. They must be help
ed out l have only S. with me, which
I'll give them if you'll make up the
rest"
How much is needed?" cried one.
Hello. c0nductor!' called another.
whats the price of two tickets to
where these pigeons are goingy"
Upon inquiry as to the couples desti.
nation the conductor said the fare
would be $12.4O.
A hat was passed around and money
dropped in it till the requisite amount
vas collected and poured into the lap
of the supposed bride. No one present
except George knew the real cause of
the scarlet flag that was unfurled in
Myra's face. 1t was embarrassing to
be thought Il bride when she was not
even engaged. but to accept of this bit
Of a wedding gift from strangers under
the circumstances was crucifying to
her sensitive nature. Turning to the
fat lady who had befriended her she
said:
"Oh, dear! We're not a bridal couple
at all; we're not even engaged. The
rice throwing and all that was a joke"
my goodness gracious!" exclaimed
the fat lady loud enough to be heard
all over the car.
whats the matter?" called q voice.
The real facts Of the case gradually
became known to the passengers. Some
laughed: some-who had not contrib
uted-grunted that there was a swim
die in the case-contidence game. The
young couple were in agony. Some
one called out:
There's just one way to fix it. Let's
have a wedding"
Bring a clergyman"
There's one! That man with his
collar buttoned on the back of his
neck"
Let him step forward"
The clergyman advanced. George
looked at Myra with a sickly smile.
Myra says she doesn't believe she
was married at all. All she remem-
bers was a buzzing in her ears. her
cheeks hot as a fiery furnace. a lot of
excited passengers swimming before
her eyes. a man in clerical dress stand
ing before her reading something out
of a book and George putting a ring on
her finger. though where he got it she
didn't know.
The ring was loaned by the fat lady
and was needed to complete the cere
mony, according to the ritual.
AS Dol as the knot was tied and the
couple had submitted to the congratu-
lations of every passenger in the car
the couple held a brief consultation. in
which it was decided to leave the train
at the mex station, returning the o n
tribution, except a small loan from the
fat lady for immediate expenses. They
would then telephone the fact Of their
marriage and ask for funds with which
to make IA real wedding tour. They
had scarcely agreed upon this and TAX
en- the fat lady's address when they
reached the station and made their exit
amid the cheers of those they left be-
hind.
Such is the account of the marriage
of George Guernsey and Myra Pulver.
It is needless to say that when the
Jews Of their sudden union reached
their home and their friends it created
a profound sensation. A few weeks
later they returned and found a room
full of wedding presents awaiting
them. Indeed. they were more liberal
" favored than IL they had been mar
ried in the usual conventional way.
But it must not be expected that the
friends who had brought about the
marriage by their pointed attentions
at the station would be satisfied with
a ceremony to which they had moi been
invited. The evening Of their return a
party, with the accession Of q clergy