Accommodating Bridegrcoms

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 55, 6 February 1885, Page 4

Accommodating Bridegrcoms

A most amusing story (says the London Telegraph), has just reached here from a coal- bearing village m Derbyshire. It would be considered incrediabie were it not from the officiating minister, who is its source. A triple marriage took place iv November, at Claycross, and the event can only he ascribed to the inscrutable destiny which " stands by sarcastic with her dramatist penumi folded m her hands. 1 " Three toilers for black diamonds with their sweethearts met at the village church at the appointed hour to have the nuptial knot ecclesiastically tied. The " askings " had been published m the orthodox manner, but when the three couples came to the altar they found that their names had been considerably mixed up. Mr Jones wished to marry Miss Brown, and Mr. Robinson was affianced to Miss Smith, and Mr Green was devoutly anxious to secure Miss White as a life partner. It was discovered, however, at the commencement of the ceremony, that there had been a confusion of names, and as may be imagined this led to a consternation of persons., It was found that Mr Jones was linked by banns to Miss Smith; that Miss Blown had a spouse found her m Mr Robnson, and so on. The parties were -informed that under the very lamentable circumstances there was no alternative, but a republication of the banns, which would mean a delay of the blissful union for three whole weeks ! The mixed up couples left the church for deliberation. Three whole weeks ! Never. They would rather they were united as fate had coupled them. They returned to the clergyman and communicated their determination, and were married as their names had been, announced m the banns. And may they be happy;, these Derbyshire colliers and their wives deserve to go through life with the minimun of its sufferings and sorrows for the heroic manner m which they compromised matters of bewildering social embarrassment.