New-York tribune., 1921-08-12
DIR. George T.Harding and
Miss Alice Seyerns Go
by Motor to Monroe.
Mich. for The Ceremony
"Just Unbearably
Lonesome, He SAYS
Son in Washington SO
Surprised at Word He
Quits Meeting at Once
Special Dispatch to The Tribune

T. Harding, father Of President Hac-
ding and Miss Alice Severns, for many
years the nurse in his Office at Marion,
were married here to-day.
DR.. Harding ard the bride -to-be ar
rived unheralded from Marion shortly
before noon and went Immediately to
the County Clerks Office for a mar
riage license. DR.. Harding gave his
age as seventy-six and Miss Severns as
fifty-two.
From the county building they went
to the home of the Rev. Frank T.
Knowles, minister of the Monroe Pres
byterian Church, where the ceremony
was performed.
1t was not until after the couple had
left the city. apparently to return to
Marion, that it was discovered that the
Harding named in the marriage IL
cense was the father of the Presl-
dent.
Girl Clerk Issues License
Miss Byrl Snyder, Deputy County
Clerk, who issued the license, did not
was much surprised when inform ed
later to whom she mad issued the L.
cense.
The trip from Marion was made in
an automobile, accompanied by a
young couple from DR.. Harding's
home town, whose. names are not
known here. Immediately after the
ceremony DR.. Harding and his bride
entered the automobile and left the
city. They were in Monroe less than
an hour.
After obtaining the license DR..
Harding asked to be directed to a
Baptist parsonage. There being no
resident Baptist minister in Monroe,
he was directed to the home Of Mr..
Knowles. An Intellectual attempt was
made to suppress announcement of
the marriage.
MARION, Ohio, Aug. 11.-Dr George
L. Harding, father of the President. on
ms arrival here tonight from Toledo.
admitted he and Miss Alice Severns had
oeen married at Monroe, Mich, to-day.
Dr. and Mrs. Harding alightcd from
the tram and were hurrying to a street
car when two friends accos sted them
and offered congratulations. Both the
doctor and his bride smiingly ac
cepted the good wishes
Entering the automobile of one Of
the friends, DR.. Harding took his bride
TO her home and then was driven to
Before leaving his bride DR.. Harding
said: Good night, Alice, III see you
Tomorrow"
Commenting on his marriage, DR..
Harding said: 81 was lonesome, simply
unbearably lonesome"
Hoped to Avoid Publicity
81 thought perhaps we could 90 away
and be married without much publicity.
changed my mind. however, in Toledo
tins afternoon. | gave the Deputy
County Clerk at Monroe dollar to
keep the license from newspaper men.
but we had hardly arrived at Toledo
until newspaper men were after u.s.
he declared with wide smile
Telling of further difficulties, the
doctor said: eve first tried to get
license at Windsor, Canada, yesterday
tut because we we're not residents we
we're refused"
They then went to Detroit, Dr. Har-
ding said, and passed the night with Mr..
and Mrs. Louis B. Sanborn, his rea-
tives. Early to-day, accompanied by
Mr. and Mrs. Sanborn, they motored to
noon and the license was Immediately
issued. Shortly afterward they were
by the Rev. Frank 7. Knowles,
a Presbyterian minister at Monroe.
President Notified from PAPER
President Harding was officially no.
tilted of the marriage late tonight in
a telegram from an employee of his
newspaper here. No word had been
received from him at late hour.
Dr. Harding said that he and his
bride left Marion together Wednesday
morning for Detroit. Previous reports
said Miss Severns did not leave Marion
until this morning.
Before departing DR.. Harding ap-
pcared at his Office in the Marion
Star" building where he said he was
going to Detroit to attend medical
meeting
Marion people were quite surprised
when word Of the marriage reached
here late this afternoon Both are
Continued next page)