noon
On such occasions nothing is more superfluous than an extra bridegroom . The wedding in question was the one uniting Melissa Grider and Homer Holmes . It was generally unexpected -- in fact , sudden . The marriage took place on a Wednesday at high noon in the office of Justice of the Peace Dycus . Red Hoss arrived the same afternoon , shortly after the departure of the happy pair for Cairo , Illinois , on a honeymoon tour . All along , Melissa had had her heart set on going to St. Louis ; but after the license had been paid for and the magistrate had been remunerated there remained but thirty-four dollars of the fund she had been safeguarding , dollar by dollar , as her other , or regular , fiancé earned it . So she and Homer compromised on Cairo , and by their forethought in taking advantage of a popular excursion rate they had , on their return , enough cash left over to buy a hanging lamp with which to start up housekeeping .