University of Virginia Library

The happy day came on apace.
Young Betty stood, with smiling face,
Before the glass, arranged her tresses,
Put on the whitest of white dresses,
Becoming to her fair complexion,
And fitting with complete perfection.
And, to be dressed in full, she needs
Must don the silver ring and beads.
The breast-pin, too, one there might see,
In all its brazen brilliancy.
She deemed it then her bounden duty
To veil with lace her blushing beauty.
Thus in her bridal finery decked,
She stood before her lord elect.
He gazed at her and she at him,
For Aaron looked so nice and trim
She scarce believed it was himself,
But some mischievous goblin elf.
His broadcloth coat was black as jet;
His beaver hat was blacker yet;
Beneath its rim his eyes peeped out,
And half bewildered gazed about.
A collar with no mean pretensions,
Of most magnificent dimensions,
Screened by its snowy mammoth size
His modest head from peering eyes.
He cased his hands, brown, strong, and great,
In kids, the most immaculate;
And then with gentlemanly ease,
Did Betty's hand with fervor seize.
Soon to the clergyman's they hied,
To have the hard knot duly tied.
Within the house they took their station,
With mingled joy and trepidation.
The parson then commenced the banns;
He bade the party join right hands.
On Aaron's right Miss Betty stood,
“Ah! this is wrong,” thought she, “I should
Have been where Aaron is, and he
Have had this place instead of me.”
Then in a trice the gentle bride
Stepped over on the other side.
But ah! the matter was not mended,
The puzzle was by no means ended.
His hand was wrong, now hers was right,
So back again she took her flight.
Still on her brain no friendly gleam
Of Ingenuity's sun-beam
Suggested, just her hand to cross,
And so the trouble would be lost.
The bridegroom gazed, with wondering face,
But could not the dark labyrinth trace.
Ah! yes, he could! a ray of light
Shot suddenly across the night!

The right thought struck his precious head.
“Here! Betty, here!” he quickly said,
Forgetting in his joyful haste
The circumstance of time and place.
The difficulty now was o'er,
And Betty breathed again once more.
The ceremony then went on,
The happy twain were soon made one.
Their griefs no more, their troubles past,
For Hymen's cord now bound them fast.
Will not all give congratulation,
For this so blissful consummation?

Farewell, farewell! O happy pair!
Long may the Fates in mercy spare
Your happiness; and may your name
Descend in laurel wreaths of fame,
The glory of your world-praised nation,
Throughout the lapse of Time's duration!
Blessed, thrice blessed, be the life
Of Aaron Clark, Esquire, and Wife.