Show Greta Green Is Famous Farnous But Also Ako Feels Depression By BILL McDOUGALL FARMINGTON These FARMINGTON These last four tour busness busIness business busi bus years have certainly hit our ness ness sighed County Clerk Quayle Cannon a arid and d his deputy Miss Zeda Waite Walte marriage officials of the Farm Farmington ington courthouse Utah's Gretna Green GreenS We Wei used t to do a rushing business with elopers dopers dashing madly in to ti tie the knot and rushing madly madlyon on to avoid pursuers but like everyone every every- one else elSe- weve we've felt the depression It was WilS back in the good old days that Farmington became a haven for I those who vho wished a swift marriage and no publicity ity Automobiles were still a novelty and eloping couples gayly hopped th the Bamberger or chartered chartered chartered char char- a prancing team for lor a quick get getaway way Any legally eligible couple with for lor a license need only walk into Bishop Cannons Cannon's o orfice or- or lice fice close the door and in ten minutes minutes min mm- utes walk out man and wife If they haven't an extra for the marriage fee smiled the kindly bishop bish op Ill marry them anyway I never turn a m man n down just because hes he's hard up at the moment FROM 1 FAR FAB PLACES So far famed tamed has hias Utah's Gretna Gr Green eri become that couples seeking marriage wend their way to Farm Farm- ington from distant places Mar Marriage dage with dispatch and no publicity is worth coming a n long way for lor they claim The soothing spring and seductive summer months prove most fruitful for Farmington marriage coffers cotters according according ac ac- ac cording to Bishop Cannon With a a dance orchestra lilting tunes at al a popular resort close by a sympathetic sympathetic sympathetic sym sym- pathetic moon wooing wistful lovers loverson on trysting boat rides on the nearby lake and nd loving Iovine couples using papa gas on winding country lanes Farmington Farmington's Farmington's Farm- Farm ington's ington marrying bishop finds himself himself him him- self sel quite occupied during the torrid months Its It's nothing at all for stricken couples couples cou cou- ples pies to rouse him in the middle of the night In fact it ilis Is an open question question ques ques- tion whether or not his home or his office Is in most demand During the last few years rears thou though h. h Ive I've turned them down after midnight Bishop Cannon said Ive urve got to get some sleep you know The oldest couple Bishop Cannon remembers marrying came to him in 1931 Joshua Adams 83 83 and Au Au- gusta Nelson 82 were married one July afternoon in his office The youngest couple Well the law wont won't allow marriage any younger than 14 years for a girl and 16 for a boy He has occasionally married couples of that age with both parents present of ot course HUMOR NOT OT LACKING Miss Zeda Waite who makes out all licenses and acts as witness at most of the marriages recalls many many humorous Incidents during her own long tenure of office There was the couple 76 and 74 no names this time When the ceremony had ended Bishop Cannon gave his customary command com Kiss KL the bride The old gentleman gathered his brand new wife into his eager arms cuddled her tight planted a kiss on her parted lips Ups and coin coming ng up for air exclaimed Now youre you're my old biddy Just after a breathless couple had been united one morning mornin s an irate mother charged in too late to stop affairs The uThe tongue lashing she handed out though reminisced Miss Waite would put an army sergeant to shame But one month later she was back for tor a license Jar for herself hersell explaining that J If marriage could make her as happy as it had her daughter she was going to try it again right now WHAT IT WAS WORTH Then there was the groom who the ceremony over inquired as to the theof cost of operations Oh Ok give nive me what you think its it's worth murmured murmured mur mur- their executioner The bridegroom solemnly dug into his pocket extracted a handful of or silver coin selected elected a worn cent 50 piece and paid what he thought it was was was' worth I So called shotgun marriages arc are I rare Bishop Cannon says A few 1 weeks ago ngo though Sheriff Holbrooke threatened a couple with the jail jailhouse jailhouse jailhouse house unless they patronized home 1 Industry by purchasing their license in Farmington Asked how she regarded marriage 1 after witnessing so many during her herlong herlong long tenure of office Miss Waite li license license li- li cense cease clerk replied Well was there ever a girl who wasn't hoping that I Isome some day a gay Lothario would carr carry I her off But the more I see pass through this door the more skeptical I become |