THE ANSWER (or is it?)
The Pittsburgh Daily Gazette published the following, which was sent in by L.L. Book, of Sewickley, Pennsylvania.
I got dizzy just transcribing it and have no idea whatsoever if it is right or wrong.
Here goes:
"To the Editors of the Pittsburgh Gazette,
"Being a reader of your paper, and noticing your ‘Genealogical Puzzle,’ we took the pains to work it out. We submit to you the solution. Judge for yourself of its merits.
"Husband – (Mr. Jones.) Wife – (Mrs. Smith.)
Daughter – (Miss Hall.) Son – (Mr. Smith.)
Love – (Mr. Hall.) Daughter – (Miss Smith.)
"Mr. Jones, a widower, has a daughter who marries and afterwards becomes a widow, with a son whom we will name Mr. Hall. Mrs. Smith, widow, has a son whom we will name the immortal John Smith. He marries, and becomes a widower with a daughter, Miss Smith.
"By a former marriage of parents Mr. Jones and Mrs. Smith have become brother and sister. They afterwards marry each other and Mrs. Hall and Mr. Smith become sister and brother. The two latter marry each other and Mr. Hall and Miss Smith in their turn become brother and sister. Finally Mr. Hall and Miss Smith enter into the holy bonds of matrimony with each other, at the celebration of whose nuptials the dance takes place.
"Mr. Jones and Mrs. Smith each having a grandchild (Mr. Hall and Miss Smith), are grandparents, which satisfies ‘First, Grandsire and grandame should lead the dance down.’ Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith each being a father, and Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Hall each being a mother, dance together, which satisfies ‘Two fathers, two mothers, should step the same ground.’ Mrs. Hall and Miss Smith dance with their respective fathers, Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith, which satisfies ‘Two daughters stood up, and danced with their sires.’ Mr. Hall and Mr. Smith dance with their respective mothers, Mrs. Hall and Mrs. Smith, which satisfies, ‘And also two sons, who dance with their mothers.’ Mrs. Hall and Miss Smith, the two sisters, were not sisters of each other, but sisters of Mr. Smith and Mr. Hall respectively, by marriages which satisfies ‘Two sisters there were, and danced with their brothers.[ ’]
"The most difficult point is ‘Two uncles vouchsafed with nieces to dance’ and ‘with nephews to jig, two aunts it pleased.’ We will not write out the entire explanation, but leave our readers to think it out for themselves. Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith are uncles of Mr. Smith and Mr. Hall respectively; Mrs. Hall and Miss Smith are nieces of Mrs. Smith and Mr. Hall respectively. These uncles and nieces dancing together satisfies ‘Two uncles vouchsafed with nieces to dance.’ ‘With nephews to jig it pleased two aunts’ can be explained in a similar way.
"The three husbands, Mr. Jones, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Hall danced with their respective wives, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Hall and Miss Smith, (now Mrs. Hall) which satisfies ‘Three husbands would dance with none but their wives.’ The granddaughter, Miss Smith (now Mrs. Hall), danced with the ‘jolly grandson.’ The bride, Miss Smith, danced with the bridegroom, Mr. Hall, which satisfies ‘And bride – she would dance with bridegroom or none.’"
Any thoughts, Rootschatters?
Regards,
Josephine
