The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1922-04-06
THE TWO WEDDINGS
By NJ. H. ].

SaSISu HOInenCS-DlrTn, mar
riage and burial.
England made holiday of the wed
ding of Princess Mary.
For six months, under orders, a
uetinue of deft fingers worked upon
the patterns and draperies.
Silver threads and small pearls the
size of pinheads were worked into the
web of the fabrics; the wealth of the
Kings establishment was placed
under tribute and earth was ransack-
ed for something unusual to stare at
on the person of the bride and her
maids.
But tell it not in Gath nor publish
1t n Askelon; John Bull cannot pay
the interest on his debts: but at the
tap of the drum he is ready to plunge
deeper into extravaganza.
The vast accumulation of earth's
gold is secure in the vaults of the
Treasury at Washington, D. c., but
]. B., scraped the hooks and corners
for the metal; melted it over and cast
unique medals to decorate his manly
person, at which the world might
gaspl
Historic Westminster Abbey was
. the scene of the nuptials; and large
bunch of the clergy of the church of
England in costly regalia, placed the
sea of religious observance upon the
ceremony.
It required four of these prelates
to tie the knot, the majority of the
cloth were there merely to ampli-
fy the pageant for J. B. dearly loves
to spread himself.
At every breath of movement in
the-massed figures, the flash of gems
worn by the queen of the Empire and
her distinguished coterie, sent a glow
over the vaulted nave of the abbey,
lighting up the splendor of the dis
play.
The reporter says the breast of the
Prime Minister was thick with gold
and his face beamed! Good for
George!
The bridegroom, as usual, was the
poor boy at the huskin', in the flood
of glory around him, which was re-
lieved somewhat by the crown prince
of Spain kid in a marshal's uni
form-who appeared suddenly and
squandered several minutes in taking
the measure of the groom, scanning
him minutely from head to foot and
wondering what in the deuce he was
doing there anyway.
The might of England was there
her Knights from historic fields; her ;
scholars and her statesmen; and
finally the poor little bride, the OBJ
ject of all this fuss and feathers, very
sweet and nice to be sure; but o /
boyl there are multiplied thousands
OF our fine American girls who could /
make her weep for her beauty or lack /
OF beauty; as she stepped forth the
groom approached and stood at the /
side of his bride, and the King an
swered the Primate's question: Who +
giveth this woman to be married to !
this man? and at the close, the Pri-
mate bade the bride and her husband /
God-speed on life's journey.
Of course the bride and her maids
were clothed in dreams of loveliness
beyond the compass of the diction-
ary.
But mind youl John Bull can't
pay the interest on his debts, the
more's the pity.
And what think you further? The
poor and the despised of England
came from all quarters of the. island,
some carrying babes and leading chill
dren, to offer their love and good
wishes to Mary; and they were so
tired and worn and they rested on
the stairways and the floor of the
House of Commons, from which the
police gently urged them into the
street; and others covered near to
the entrances of the Abbey all night
before the day of the wedding and
the raw wind and cold rain spurned
their poorly clad forms, and this, 1
must add to close: they rejoiced and
were glad and said TO Mary as she
passed along the street in the state
carriage lovely, my dear!
10000
And this, say further: came by
chance to attend an old fashioned
wedding; the couple stood on the
bare floor in their everyday clothing,
and the neighbor women came IN,
booking like a bunch of crows in their