SALVATION ARMY WEDDING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2103, 14 June 1894, Page 21

SALVATION ARMY WEDDING.

Despite the wretched weather, the Salvation Army Fortress in Dowling street was crowded in every part on Sunday afternoon on the occaoion of the marriage of Captain William Leo Martin, late of Gore, to Captain Harriet Wilhelmina Warnes, who was stationed at Dunedin about 12 months ago, but has for some months past been acting as relieving officer at various stations in the Southern Divisiou. The marriage ceremony was performed by Major Robinson ; Lieutenant Mathers being best man, and Miss Cowper bridesmaid. When the marriage party entered the fortress they were greeted by a "volley" from the band. They then took their seats • on the front of the graduated platform set apart for the band of army officials. On the one side of the platform were seated what is called " the timbrel band," composed of "lassies," all of whom wore bright-coloured sashes— some red, some blue, and some yellow — in honour of the occasion. The bride and bridesmaid were attired in the usual costume worn by female officials^of the Army, the only article of apparel which served to distinguish them from the other " lassies " on the platform being long white sashes, which were worn suspended from the right shoulder, acroß3 the breast, and fastened at the loft side. It was, however, a difficult matter for the ordinary spectator to say which was the bride and which the bridesmaid at Grst. As the latter sat next to the bridegroom before the ceremony commenced, and looked more radiant than her companion, many naturally thought that, she was to be the "victim." Major Robinson, before proceeding to pronounce the words which were to make the young couple man and wife, informed the audience that it had been kept pretty dark until that moment as to whose wedding it was that was going to take place, and that many were under the impression that it was Hughie Short's, the drummer. This statement gave rise to a loud outburst of laughter, and brought Hughie, resplendent in a red coat, to the front of the platform. His sudden appearance from some obscure corner was the signal for renewed laughter, and when Hughie, in a brief speech, expressed his regret that it was not his marriage, and resumed his seat confidently asserting that his time would come some day, the risible faculties of the audience were excited almost to the highest pitch. The articles of marriage were subsequently read over by the major, who warned the pair who were about to take such a serious step in life that if they were not prepared to subscribe to the articles they had better say so, and instead of having a wedding they would have a prayer meeting. It was as well, he added, in these days, when people came to get married and then at the last moment said " No," to leave a loop-hole of escape. Eventually the bride and bridegroom stood up and joined hands, the former in her confusion giving the wrong hand to her future husband — a little mistake which again caused considerable mirth. The magic words that made the twain one were, however, at length spoken. Then for a brief moment the presumably happy husband's face suddenly disappeared beneath a poke bonnet, while a report as of a co-osculatory encounter filled the air, but was quickly drowned by the noise of loud laughter and hearty cheering, and the clatter of tambourines, in the midst of which the bride resumed her seat and tried to hide her blushes. Both husband and wife were afterwards called upon to address the audience, and the former created a considerable amount of amusement by referring to the days of his courtship. He informed his hearers that, like many young chaps, when he went courting he thought he had only to nod and smile at a girl and it was all right. He, however, found that in his case it was not so, and he had to submit to two or three refusals before his wife consented to become his, but his perseverance eventually gained the day. Mrs Martin subsequently briefly addressed those present, and expressed a hope that when their time came to be married they would be as happy as she was. The subsequent proceedings were of the character of an ordinary Army meeting. Captain and Mrs Martin, it may be mentioned, are to be stationed at Oamaru a whither they proceeded on Tuesday.