A HITCH AT A HITCHING

NZ Truth, Issue 973, 19 July 1924, Page 5

A HITCH AT A HITCHING

Clerical Hold-Up

The Scrap of Paper: Cash-up Terms.

(From "Truths South Auckland Rep.)

A few weeks ago, m a certain un--denominational church m Hamilton; a ■-! wedding took place. Everything went •: all right for the time— the bride was present suffused with blushes, the.-, bridegroom wore a demeanor fitting ... for the occasion, the bridestnalds were : standing modestly m the background, ;* and the parents and friends were gathered m numbers m the churchy ; : The bridegroom had promised to love '^• , - and- to cherish, and she to love, honor and obey,- and the small party filed Into v the vestry to furnish the necessary :- documentary evidence of their union. - This undertaking had been success-" ;i fully accomplished, and they were ; about to advance along the aisle -to '-" the strains of the wedding march, when the officiating minister demand- • ed, m peremptory tones, the marriage fee. Now, the bridegroom had considered it more fitting to forward this on by post, and had left it at home m a sealed envelope, ready to be dispatched immediately the ceremony was over. He informed the rev. gentleman of this, but it is stated that the latter displayed his spirit of Christianity and trust "by immediately flying into a passidn and refusing to hand the bride her marriage certificate or to attend the wedding breakfast until the fee was paid; This dis- - turbance threw the couple into a state of great perplexity, and while they : stood m their confusion on this, what :■ they thought was to be the happiest day of their lives, they heard this churlish gentleman remark that he would christen them for nothing and cheerfully bury *them for nothing, but he *would have to be paid for marrying them. „ Naturally a dairtper was cast oh 1 the whole proceedings and a special trip had to be made m a waiting motorcar to procure the fee before the treasured document was handed over. ' Such behavior is difficult to credit, but there are sworn affidavits m exist- - ence testifying to the accuracy of the occurrence. ' -.■•*** With some couples a happening of this kind on their wedding morn, and,., at the actual ceremony of union, would -*■ be regarded as an omen of ill, but it is to be hoped that the pair concerned will put the untoward Incident, down merely to the uncharitable spirit of the minister and that they will look back on it as merely an amusingcontretemps.