These stories from local history are sometimes so extraordinary it’s hard to believe they actually happened. Check out ‘fact or fiction’ stories: they’re actual Enterprise news clips reprinted from the past.

 
Several of our young people decided on a good old-fashioned charivari in honor of Mr. and Mrs. James M. Beck Saturday night. This couple was married Thursday of last week and immediately left for Denver but returned home Saturday morning.

After searching the town over for several hours, the crowd finally found the newlyweds at the Catchpole home. They were in bed, sleeping soundly, and the bride was dreaming of a little home on the hill, just big enough for two, while “Jack” was dreaming about the increase in the cost of living, when the crowd compelled them to dress and accompany them to their “slaughter.”

The bride was given a joyride in a wheel barrow while the groom was taken by the boys in the crowd to the Golden Rule store where he was stripped of his clothes except his BVDs and overcoat. He was then taken to within a block of his home and relieved of the overcoat.

He was a sad sight as he pranced home in the moonlight in his scant attire, but nevertheless was glad of the chance to go home to his bride, so that they might again be engaged in their fond dreams of the little home on the hill and the H. C. of L. (high cost of living).

 
Holyoke Enterprise
Jan. 2, 1920

Holyoke Enterprise February 16, 2012