A SECRET MARRIAGE.

An extraordinary story of nn Irish marriage was unfolded with a wealth of strange detail at Dublin on Docc.rnbor 17th.

Mr William Arland Usher, of Eastwell, Loughrea, County Gahvay. petitioned to have a ceremony of marriage with Mary Caulfield, formerly a housemaid employed by his mother, declared null and void.

The ceremony took plrtee at nijtht in a bedroom at Eastwell. Tiio parisli priest had boon impressed to keep tho affair secret, and, giving evidence, said that lato at night he cresset! the lawn and a fence to get to the Hall door.

The case .stated for the man v.-;is that as the ceremony of marriage was performed in the presence of only one witness it was not in accordance lvitiv the regulations of the Hoinan CaHinlic Cluirch. T'shcr it \v;\f, furtlirr pt:vtml ininiii'.oil th:tt th« marriafio should be v.liil :vi n Catholic sacrament of niarri:i..ro. bur nnt one of lof;al effect.

Otinintelv ;t verdict was agrci'd to ''v counsel for liitli parties to tlio <»f----iV<-t that on April 24th; 1910, a voli-i----nus ceremony, purporting to bo .1 wirritvio yc<'orfliiifi to t!n> riti'S of tho P'tholi'1 Clit'iTh. tfmk ulsifo Ixit.vpon ■•lio p-u-lios, liotli l>cii)ti Konian CMliolit:.<-\ iii the presence- of only otin wit'l'lio iury vrcro. then tliscluirijocl. LoKiil nrnuinonts'tlien bcprmi as to tho question whotlior or not snclt a mniriiigo was valid acoordin^; to 00111----inon law. .