The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1857-04-16


everything inter 'twist.n = s,-asa,' ..a.IEg<
q But Ike Turtle had decreed that the mar
riage should 60 on. lie evsn went so far
as to indite the first letter of the Sources to
Aunt Graves. This letter, which Ike exhib-
tied TO his friends, as one of his best literary
specimens, was indeed a curiosity. I pre-
sumo there is nothing else like it on the face
OF the globe. 1t opened by informing Aunt
Graves that since the 4" loss of his woman,
he had felt very grevious,like, and couldn't
fix his miGd onto anytbing-that the world
didn't seem at all as it used to do-that he
and his, woman had liv'd in peace for thirty
years, and the marriage state was nat'ral to
him-that he had always Ek'd Aunt Graves
since the very first time he seed her ,and so
did his woman, too :" and many more de-
clarations Of similar import. and it was sign.
ed "J. Longbow, Justice Of the Peace" and
sealed, too, like his legal processes, that his
dignity might command, even if his person
did not win the affections Of this elderly
damsel. ..... ... .... ... .... :
u Aunt Graves surrendered-and all this
within two months after the death of Mrs.
Longbow. The Squire cast off his weeds,
and made violent preparations for matrirno
ny; and on q certain night shall never
forget 1.-THE affair came off.
There was great gathering at the
Squire's-a sort of general invitation had
been extended far and near-the Swi2es and
Beagles, Aunt Sonora, and all. Great prep.
aration had been made in the way of eata,
bles. The Squire was rugged in new suit
of home made" (made by Mrs. Lonebow
too, in her life time, IA white vest, and he
wore cotton bandana neck handkerchief
with heavy bows, that buried his chin, and
pair of pumps and clouded-blue stockings
Aunt Graves dress cannot be described.
She was mass of fluttering ribbons, and
she looked as though she would take wings
and fly away.
Bigelow Van Slyck and Ike Turtle con.
Quoted the marriage ceremony-the one
took the ecclesiastical, the other the civil
management When the couple were ready,
Turtle sat down in front Of them with the
statutes under his arm, with Bigelow at his
right hand.
Turtle examined the statutes amid pro.
found silence for some time, turning down
one leaf here and another there, until he
found himself thoroughly prepared for the
solemn occasion. Finally, he arose, and
with gravity that no man ever put On be.
fore or since, exclaimed ..
Miss Graves, holi up your right hand
and swear"
Miss Graves said "she was member of
the church, and dar'sent swear"
Ike said it was legal swearing he want.
ed, eording to the staterts-not the wicked
sort-he wanted her to swear that she was
over fourteen years of age-hadn't got no
husband living, nowhere-warn't goin' to
practice no fraud nor nothin' on Squire
Longbow-and that she'd jest as good a
right to get married now as she ever had"
Miss Graves looked blank.
Squire Longbow said he'd run the risk
of the fourteen years Of age and the fraud,
and finally he would! of the whole ont. The
stater.s was well enough, but it warn't to be
presumed that a justice of the peace a0ould
run agn 'em. Some folks didn't know 'em
he did"
Ike said there was something another in
the statret about wimin's doing things.
without any fear or compulsion of any.
body and he guessed he'd take Miss Graves
into another room, and examine her sepa-
rately and apart from her intended hus-
band" This was joke of Turtles,
The Squire said that mean. married
wimin-arter the ceremony was over, that
ere would be very legal and proper" D. ...
Mrs. Swipes said. q" for her part, she
thought she oath or.ter be putt would be
an awful thing to see poor cretur forced
into marriage"
Sister Abigail thought so too.
Aunt Sonora hoped there. wouldn't be
nothin' did wrong, 80 the people could
take the law on 'em'
Turtle said 6 that they needn't any on
'em fret their gizzards--he was responsible
for the la of tie case"
Bigelow then rose, and told the parties to
j,ne hands, and while they were jined, he
wanted the whole company to sing psalm.
The psalm was sung. a... s .'.s..
Rigelow then commenced the wedding
process. esquire Longbow," exclaimed
Bigelow-" this is your second wife and
some folks say the third. and | hope You
feel the awful position in which you find
yourself" ' .'-.., BE-. .G' .
The Squire said /" he felt easy aud resign
ed--he'd gone inter it from respect to his
woman who was now no more"
"You do promise to take this ere woman,
TO eat her, and drink her, and keep her in
things 10 wear, SO long as you and she
lives 2" .'.'" '<'. -. a"4 49, ..