Year: 1874

A Couple OF Lovers Join Hands at Mid


night Over n Grave In n Lonely Oem-


etery, and Are United In the Holy


Bonds ny an Attending OmcisI.


MARRIAGE, although an affair of the heart,
is essentially also an affair Of business. Those
business people who discard the romance of
the new relation are very apt to go about it in
q "business way" word or two before
justice or q minister and the ''business" Is
finished. Others are little more expansive
in their "business" notions, and require a
fashionable church, with the accessories Of
music, bridesmaids and orange blossoms, with
a bridal tour in the near perspective. Others
again look upon the ceremony as solely
matter of romance, and strive TO surround it
with impressive and startling adjuncts,
calculated to create what may be
termed sensations. In a Southern news
paper of recent date appeared an ac-
count of an ardent and romantic couple
who entered the new relation by telegraph.
This Of course refers to the use of the tele-
graph in conveying the questions and re-
sponses. Another couple were recently mar
ried on the ice, probably because that sub
stance was typical either Of the warmth or the
strength Of their affection. Still another
couple were married In an obscure lane by an
obscure preacher who only happened along"
OF course this was premedltated affair, and
was arranged TO give pquancy to the new re-
lation, and perhaps to give the gossips a
chance to wag their tongues, FOR II there is
any period in a woman's life when she dearly
loves to be talked about, it is when she leaves
the spnsterhood and assumes the honor and
dignity of matronage.


But the pueerest OF all tastes exhibited by
candidates for matrimony was that shown by
! couple at Pittston, Pa, who very unnat billy,
one would think, chose a graveyard as the
place for plighting their solemn VOWS. The
Comet, after speaking of the arrival and mys-
terious movement Of the pair and their two
gentlemen attendants, says they left that viii
lage about midnight in n carriage for the
cemetery. As soon as the carriage stopped,
the four occupants got out and passed slowly
and solemnly to the gate, and preceded by two
gentlemen the lady hung upon the arm 6f
another, and in this way the singular quar-
tet moved forward among the etomb-bordered
paths to distant part Of the cemetery. Here
they halted directly In front of a grave, at the
head of which stood white marble cross.
Presently the lady and her companion sepa-
rated, each taking a position on opposite
sides of the grave, and near the center.
Then they joined hands. At the same
time the two who were left took po-
sitlons, one at the head the other at the foot
OF the grave, each facing the other. At this
moment the bell Of distant church tower
tolled out the solemn hour of midnight, and
almost before the reverberations had died
away among the distant hills marriage GER
emony had commenced above the quiet grave
in the cemetery. The service was short one,
and the scene most singular and impressive.
This is the latest phase of the romantic in
matrimony. 1t may be that the service, per-
formed with such ghastly surroundings, will
be the prelude TO bright and happy married
life, but enc would imagine otherwise. In
their happiest moments, the grim specter of
death will be very apt to interpose, and sur
round them and their belongings with fune.
real gloom sadly unsuited to the relation.