# XXI: I First Marry in Central Park—Lapland Lady for Bride explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Ring Lardner.

## What happens

The narrator recounts his first marriage to Hugga Much, a Laplander woman he meets at a weekend party. Despite her persistent advances, he eventually agrees to marry her. The wedding is held in Central Park, with unusual attendants and a chaotic celebration, including a judge inspecting the turf and a breakfast menu.

## Themes in this chapter

### Satire of Media and Business

The wedding is a media circus, with confetti, cowbells, and public spectacle, satirizing the commercialization of personal events.

### Marriage and Gender Roles

The narrator is pursued by a persistent woman, and the wedding is orchestrated by the bride, subverting traditional gender roles.

## Character check-ins

### Hugga Much

The Laplander bride, described as 212 pounds of blonde perfection, with a distinctive drawl and a history of multiple marriage attempts.

### Paul Whelton

The best man, known as 'Volts' Whelton, who works as an electric chair tester at Sing Sing prison.

### Texas Guinan

Serves as Hugga's bridesmaid.

### Elizabeth Barrett (Peaches) Browning

Serves as maid of honor.

## Key lines

> Listen, hon’,” were her first words: “Ise mahty thusty. Is you-all goin’ to fetch me some mo’ dat dere gin?”

Her first words to me were a request for more gin, spoken in a heavy accent.

_Introduces Hugga's distinctive speech and her fondness for alcohol._

> Dignified men marched the streets ringing cowbells and fairly reeking with confetti; women tore each other’s clothes, and even little children asked, “Where is nurse?” and “What is all the hullabaloo?”

The announcement of the engagement caused a public frenzy, with men ringing cowbells, women rioting, and children confused by the chaos.

_Highlights the absurd public reaction to the wedding._

> I wanted the ceremony held at Old Trinity; Hugga said it was below her station—she usually got off at Columbus Circle.

I preferred Old Trinity for the ceremony, but Hugga considered it beneath her, as she typically got off the subway at Columbus Circle.

_A joke about Hugga's perceived social status._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_62_se/chapters/xxi-i-first-marry-in-central-park-lapland-lady-for-bride
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_62_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_62_se/chapters