An Astronomical Wedding-Journey.
Once upon a time it chanced that the —— in the —— (satellite of the earth) fell desperately in love with a certain fair —— (sixth sign of the zodiac), and the latter, having first dutifully asked her ——' (one of the primary planets) permission, readily consented to marry him. For bridemaids they chose —— (one of the Northern constellations who was noted for her shining hair), and —— (a Northern constellation, a princess who had once been chained to a rock on the sea-shore); while for groomsmen they had the twin brothers —— and —— (third sign of the zodiac).
At the wedding-breakfast the bride sat in ——'s chair (a Northern constellation), and as they were fond of sea-food, they had on the menu deviled —— (fourth sign of the zodiac) and broiled —— (twelfth sign of the zodiac), with —— (eleventh sign of the zodiac) for their water-carrier.
After breakfast they had a game of —— and —— (Northern constellation) with their guests; and the bride, being a fine musician, entertained them by playing the —— (Northern constellation).
As there were no railroads in the country, they harnessed —— (Northern constellation) to Charles's —— (Northern constellation), and took the route known as 'The —— ——.'
"It seems very selfish to be seeking only our own pleasure," suggested the bride, who, like every truly happy bride, wanted all the world to share her joy; and the groom, being a sworn knight, decided that they would go in search of the lost ——. Becoming thirsty on the journey, they stopped at a farm-house well.
"You can drink from the little ——," said the groom, "and I from the big ——."
But a great —— (a Southern constellation) began barking at them, and before they could get back to the wagon they were butted by a vicious —— (first sign of the zodiac), and came near being tossed by an angry —— (second sign of the zodiac). A little later, in passing through a thicket, they met a roaring —— (fifth sign of the zodiac). But the groom, being a fine —— (ninth sign of the zodiac), slew him with an —— (Northern constellation), and when shortly afterward they encountered a great grizzly —— and a little one (Northern constellations), he made an end of the old one in the same way. But the little one was too bright for him, and chasing the tip of his tail, they presently reached that long-sought —— around which the —— are the only dancers on May-day. For the remainder of the journey there was nothing to mar their pleasure; but after they reached the groom's palace, the trail of the —— (Northern constellation) soon made a change, for the groom in his own house, like many another husband, was as eccentric as a ——, flying off in a —— on the slightest provocation, and though he had always been reputed to be made of gold, he proved so poor that he could afford no —— except what he borrowed from his generous father, the ——, whom he disrespectfully called "Old ——."
The bride in her disappointment declared that he had been weighed in the —— (seventh sign of the zodiac) and found wanting, and also charged him with having become so infatuated with —— (the most beautiful of the planets), that she herself was totally ——. And though he protested that she was still his morning and his evening ——, and that he would willingly endure for her the labors of —— (Northern constellation), she refused to be reconciled. Whereupon he made way with himself by taking an overdose of —— (one of the planets), and the bride in a fit of remorse hid a —— (eighth sign of the zodiac) in her bosom, and suffered the fate of —— (Egyptian queen).
A copy of this puzzle having been given to each couple, half an hour was allowed for the filling of the blank spaces, after which prizes were awarded to those who had made out the papers correctly.
EACH COUPLE HAD A COPY OF THE PUZZLE.