A MAN HIRED TO MARRY WITH A LADY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6948, 23 February 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

A MAN HIRED TO MARRY WITH A LADY.

Tus story of a strange marnaje i s told in > despatch from Erie, Pa. In br-.ef form . t „ as follows :—Saturday mormag, vrLenJnJtiw I Freeman, of Erie, opened cour:, there ut c 'a one of the benches a weil-dresied and beajti. ful woman. When the cases on hand ner j disposed of, she arose and asked hi 3 Hononf he was dnly cjuahfied by the law to perform the marriage rite. Receiving an afhrma-iTe reply, she beckoned to an exceedingly un . couth middle-aged man, eittingat theWkof the room, and said to the Judge : '-I waß{ you to marry me to this man!" The mm I went forward aud stood before tne desk looking the picture of aheepishnesa. "Isthii the husband of yonr choice, madam*'in. quired the justice, looking at the couple wuh intense surprise. " I believe so. Are >ou 'the husband of my choice, Mr. Trsvnor* , ' " Yes, ma'am. I am," replied the man, \wtn a sly grin. Justice Freeman informed the woman that it was customary to haml in the Dimes and addresses of the contraction parties. The couple then stepped back a few paces and conferred for a moment; then they sat down at a table, and the woman harmed the man a sheet of paper. He made a mo\e which the justice interpreted to mean that ho was not acquainted with the art of writing. A cohterhptuoua" smile pissed over the woman's face, and, taking the pen, she ECrawled, with aristocratic regularity, the names of Amelia A. Roj ce, Cincinnati, aol Charley Tr.iynor, New York Then the couple stood up and were made man anl wife according to the laws of lVnnajhaaia The husband stood as though beuiMrrel When the ceremonv was completed, JubWs freeman produced a marriage certificate, but the bride begged him to denst. "You will make a recori of tois m arriage. sir, and ti 3 will be of more value than this seotimontil hut silly picture card," *aid she. Theusn turned to the ['room and intimated thai I'e would lose his tiaiu if he wasted too time. He smirked and remarked that 1: would not distreas him tc miss the train. He -was coldly informed that bis absence «aj preferred to hie company, and that he »a to t;o aDout his bnsinesa as quickly as pos-iblt. Some papers were handed him, and after 1 few words, uttered in a low tone, the mm took his hat, bid the bride good-bye, and lei! the court-room. The bride remained. "1 think you think some explanation is due tc you she said to the Justice. "There u nothing wrong in all this; no crime, no despair, no broken hearts, nothing; tragic. I am simply putting it out of my pouer to say ' yes' to ttie only man on earth it would plcisa and hurt me to marry, the only man on earth I care tor. For reasons I have no desire to tell, I cannot marry this gentleman without bringing great sorrow upon him and mem the future, and as I am only a woman, capable of being tempted to marry the man I lo\e, I have married a stranger and placed muelt beyorig temptation. This is all there it in it I shall go home and live'as I have alwa\s lived, aud love a<: I have always loved. It 13 not likely that I shall see this man Trajnor again. He perfectly understands that ho wu hired to marry me and then go about his business." She seemed particularly aoxious that her marriage should be made public; also the fact that she remained in the room after her husband had left to eaten the tram.