"Sir, will you please send me a marriage licence for a soldier in khaki? Postal order for 10s. 6d. enclosed. Yours truly,——'
This is an example of the ease with which some bridegrooms think marriages can be licensed and settled. Some do not know the names of the girls they want to marry. Apparently they think they can take out a licence, carry it about with them until they meet the right girl, and then get mar-vied without any further trouble.
The ignorance of some people is illustrated by the extraordinary answers they make to the questions asked on the forms sent out by the Surrogate in_ Doctors' Commons, Creed Lane, Ludgate Hill, London. who supplies licences to those desiring to marry without publication of banns. These licences cost £2, but one of the parties has to attest to a certain affidavit.
"I know the contents of the affix davit,'"' was written down by various perspiring bridegrooms as follows "T know the contents of the acts of David."
"I nobly contend with the eppy "TI know the contents of the antedated."
"I know the contents of the epi-domic."
Another wrote: "Does the law forbid marriage between a man who is a British subject and his mother's sister, who is also a British subject? He thad evidently got mixed up with the Deceased Wife's Sister Act.
It was a Scotsman who wrote: "T want a licence because the mar-eloge only lasts for seven years, and at the and of it we can part of we do not agree. I have only known her a short time."
Instances of quaint ignorance are iven by Mr. Arthur S. May in his book on "Marriage" (Longmans. Green). He was once told that if a portmanteau "resided" in a parish for 15 days its owner was entitled to a marriage licence; that- under recent changes in the law a man may marty his maiden aunt by proxy; and that parental authority ceased at 18 years of age.
As a matter of fact, while a boy of and a_ girl of 12 can get married according to law, the consent of parent or guardian is necessary in the case of all persons under 21. And for the benefit of those who are thinking of marrying French or Belgians. it might be mentioned that in France the consent of parents is required up to the age of 30 and in Belgium up to Referring again to the extraord-mary ideas some people have in-regard to the filling up of marriage forms Mr. May says he seen the applicant's nationality described as ''Anglo-British," ''Domestic Servant." and "4 i Scottish." One man, -—asked
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.