ALTARATIONS.

Hastings Standard, Volume XIII, Issue 4310, 13 November 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

ALTARATIONS.

WHEN CUPID BROUGHT THE LO\ E LORN TO THE ALTAR BUT THE LOVE LORN CHANGED THEIR MINDS.

Recently a young German committed suicide on the eve of his wedding day. He was so terrified at the thought 01 the ceremony lie was committed to go through that lie took liis life, leaving behind him a note containing the words, " 1 chose the easier way." Of course, such cases of extreme nervousness at the last moment are exceedingly rare, but, at the same time, many a man who would face an enemy s guns without a tremor has been a quaking coward at the altar. Even when some bridegrooms have been safely landed at the church, nothing less than physical force has been a blotto keep them there until the nuptial knot was tied. Not long ago a reluctant bridegroom declared dramatically that he would rather die than wed his bride, and it was only the strong arm of the lady's brother which prevented him from running away at the eleventh hour.

Another bridegroom who was equally averse to matrimony was more fortunate. He showed no signs of mutiny until the critical stage was reached in which the clergyman asked : "Wilt tliou have this woman to be thy wedded wife?" "Not I —l'm off!" was the startling answer as lie sprinted down the aisle and out of the church door. That thi.s eleventh-hour repentance is not unattended with danger is proved by the recent experience of -a Belgian bridegroom. There ceremony had proceeded smoothly until the officiating Mfiyor was about to pronounce the words which would make them man and wife, when the bridegroom, with a loud yawn, said: "I have changed my mind; I don't think I want to be married at all."

No sooner had the fatal words escaped his lips than the bride, flaming with anger, turned round and gave him a resounding smack in the face. Her three brothers, thus encouraged, then fell 011 the recalcitrant lover, and gave him such a severe thrashing that he howled for mercy, and begged to be allowed to complete the ceremony. Recently, the reason of a young man's failure to appear at the altar, where his bride-to-be waited, was made clear when the following notice appeared in the local paper. ''The wedding of —■ — will be postponed until he arrives at the ace of twenty-one as he is now only in his seventeenth year. His father positively notifies any girl that he refuses to give his consent."

That there might he no misunder standing in the matter, this notice was supplemented by a statement that if the son were so rash as to get married, his father would "spank him and put him to bed."'