John & Sarah's Wedding

“Do you, John Henry Chapman, take Sarah Elizabeth Lawry to be your lawfully wedded wife...” The minister was talking, but John was only half listening. He couldn’t take his eyes off Sarah, his soon-to-be wife. This day had been too many years in coming. Why he had waited so long, he didn’t know. They had been childhood sweethearts, growing up together in St Neot, Cornwall, England. Well, as much as they could grow up together, as John was 7 years old when Sarah was born.
“I do,” John uttered the sacred words and squeezed Sarah’s small hands gently. He berated himself for not marrying her years ago. When he’d left England for Canada in 1906, Sarah had been 23 years old. She was of marriageable age then, and John even more so at 30. But not knowing how bad the journey would be, and not knowing what life would be like in the “New World,” John had left Sarah behind.
“Do you, Sarah Elizabeth Lawry, take John Henry Chapman to be your lawfully wedded husband...” Sarah smiled up at John as the minister spoke. She had waited so long for this day. John had been gone for 5 long years. While it was a comparatively short span of time, it had seemed an eternity to her. Sarah had known John her whole life and loved him for as long as she could remember. What began as a young girl’s infatuation blossomed into love as they grew older. John was her hero, her dearest friend, the love of her life, and now...
“You may kiss the bride.” Her husband. Sarah’s heart soared as John took her face in his hands and kissed her softly. This was the moment she had dreamed of for so long. Sarah recalled the day John’s last letter had arrived, postmarked in Spokane, Washington. She’d read it over 5 times to be certain she hadn’t read it incorrectly.

October 1, 1911
My dearest Sarah,
I am coming home, my darling. I have been here in Washington for a year now, and I have felt for some time that something is acutely missing in my life. I thought the move from Canada would help, but I now know for certain what it is that I lack. Or who it is, more accurately. It is you, my darling, dearest, sweetest Sarah. America is wonderful place of opportunity, but I would rather be in England with you, than in America without you. I was fool to leave you behind. I suppose I needed to find myself. Well, Sarah, I’ve found what I was looking for...that I am nothing without you by my side. So, I am leaving Washington and returning to England. If all goes as planned, I should arrive in mid-December. I will send you further word when all the plans have been made.
Oh, Sarah, I wish I could ask you this question in person. It is so utterly Victorian to do this through the mail, but I have no choice. Sarah Elizabeth Lawry, will you do me the greatest honor, and make me the happiest man in the world, and marry me? I love you with every fiber of my being, and I can hardly wait to make you my wife. I know you have always wanted a winter wedding, so it is perfect timing with when I am returning. All further plans can wait until we are reunited. A Christmas wedding is all I ask for now, my dearest. Please give your Aunt Emma and the rest of your family my love.
A continent and ocean separate us now, my love, but soon nothing will ever part us again. Until that time, I remain, devotedly,
Yours, John

Sarah now smiled up at John through tear-filled eyes. Nothing would ever part them again. She was sure of it.
“I love you, John,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
“And I love you, my sweet Sarah,” he replied, pulling her close.

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(c) 2003 - Angela Johnson

This was written when I was doing Titanic: The Musical with Front Range Music Theatre. I was playing a 2nd class passenger in a few scenes, and we researched actual passengers to play. If you are interested to know what happened to John & Sarah Chapman when the Titanic sank, look here:

http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-biography/john-henry-chapman.html
http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-biography/sara-elizabeth-chapman.html