On the 21st day of December last, I was passing through the
state of South Carolina, and in the evening arrived in the
suburbs of the town of ----, where I had an acquaintance, on
whom I called. I was quickly informed that the family was
invited to a wedding at a neighboring house, and on being
requested, I changed my clothes and went with them. As soon
as the young couple were married, the company was seated, and
a profound silence ensued--(the man of the house was
religious.) A young Lawyer then arose, and addressed the
company very handsomely, and in finishing his discourse
begged leave to offer a new scheme of matrimony, which he
believed and hoped would be beneficial. And obtaining leave
he proposed:

That one man in the company should be selected as president;
that this president should be duly sworn to keep entirely
secret all the communications that should be forwarded to him
in his official department that night: and each unmarried
gentleman and lady should write his or her name on a piece of
paper, and under it place the person's name whom they wished
to marry; then hand it to the president for inspection, and
if any gentleman and lady had reciprocally chosen each other,
the president was to inform each of the result; and those who
had not been reciprocal in their choices, should have their
choice kept entirely secret.

After the appointment of the president, the communications
were accordingly handed up to the chair, and it was found
that twelve young gentlemen and ladies had made reciprocal
choices; but whom they had chosen remained a secret to all