"...we should pass over all biographies of 'the good and the great,' while we search carefully the slight records of wretches who died in prison, in Bedlam, or upon the gallows."
~Edgar Allan Poe

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Newspaper Clipping of the Day



You may recall that last week, I presented the story of a woman who was engaged to a ghost. I think I've managed to top that one. From the "Hartford Herald," March 13, 1901:

Milwaukee, Wis., Mch. 7.--Edith Wagner, of Waukesha, has been married by a rural Justice of the Peace near Binghampton, New York, to her maltese cat. Her family has just been advised of the extraordinary wedding.

Miss Wagoner is a believer in the transmigration of souls. Some years ago she was engaged to be married to a young man named Edward Hamlin but before the wedding day arrived, he died of typhoid fever. On his death-bed Hamlin told his sweetheart that he knew he was going to die, but that he would always be near her.

Not long after his death a fine maltese cat appeared at her home and remained there and Miss Wagoner was convinced that the soul of her lover dwelt in this feline. Some time ago she went to New York, and while in Binghampton decided to marry her pet.

She took out a license in due form, giving a name that served for the cat, but when she tried to arrange for the performance of the ceremony, difficulties were encountered. Several ministers positively refused to officiate, and she finally went into the country, where she succeeded in finding a Justice of the Peace, who performed some sort of a marriage rite.

Miss Wagoner's friends are trying to persuade her to return home.

Hey, scoff all you want, but I'll bet this turned out better than any of the other marriages I've covered on this blog.

2 comments:

  1. My cats loaf around all day, sleeping, doing no work and expect me to wait on them hand and foot. I don't know if that's the sort of husband Miss Wagner was looking for...

    ReplyDelete
  2. It may be that Miss Wagner took the old "if you can't get a man, get a cat" snipe a little bit too much to heart.

    ReplyDelete

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