Local news article; A Racy Juneau Marriage
Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives November 5, 2003 by Bill
Porter <wwp@excray.com>

Transcriber's Note: The following text was transcribed from a microfilm
copy of the Republican newspaper obtained from the Wisconsin State
Historical Society 

The Republican – newspaper
Beaver Dam, Dodge County, Wisconsin
Wednesday, January 18, 1854.
Volume 1, Number 50, Page 2, columns 5-6.

Local news item as follows:

Racy. – Rather a rich scene in the way of a marriage occurred at the
American House, in Juneau, on the 11th inst.  A couple, whose names we
will not mention, were anxious of assuming the responsibilities of
matrimonial life, and accordingly started for the "Gretna Green" of
Dodge County.  On arrival they stopped at the American, and making their
wants known to one of the accomodating proprietors, were speedily
furnished with a Justice of the Peace to perform the ceremony.  Just as
they were about to be made one, up drove a load of promising young men,
headed by a heart-broken youth, who loudly proclaimed the inconstancy
of the intended bride.  It seems there had been an engagement between 
her and the disappointed youth, to the effect that a similar ceremony
should be performed for their joint benefit on the succeeding day, and
he having by some means discovered the perfidious intent of the fair one,
drummed up a load of his friends and followed with blood in their eyes.
Their arrival was timely, being just as the anxious couple were about to
pronounce the mysterious little yes, which should forever make them one.
The scene which followed beggars description. There stood the almost
groom trembling like a whipped kitten. - The bride who, to do her justice,
exhibited considerable firmness and self-possession, suddenly found
herself taken forcible possession of by the unfortunate lover, and forced
to listen to rather an amimated lecture upon her duplicity. The candidate
for matrimonial honors thinking himself unable to maintain his rights
against so many, betook himself to one of the proprietors, told the story
of his wrong, and with many lamentations begged that his fair one might 
be restored to him.  He was assured that she should of course be allowed
to do as she chose in the matter, and that no one should be allowed to
interpose any force to prevent it, upon which she took her place by the
side of her favorite, and the know was finally tied by Esquire Merz, in
his usual off hand business manner, in spite of the objection of the
unfortunate lover, backed by the argument that "she had agreed to marry
him." The whole scene is described by a looker on as being supremely
ludicrous.  After the ceremony friend Merz left it seems without receiving
the needful, but the groom, thoughtful youth that he was, deposited two
dollars in the bar for him, after having studied the Revised Statutes,
Session Laws, & c., for about a half an hour, for the purpose, as he said,
of seeing "just how much it was necessary to pay to make the thing 
perfectly safe."