The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-03-09
4 BARBECUE FUNERAL.

In the fall of 1866, was still loiter
ing the war over, in one of the border
counties Of Texas. What my purpose
was in that little village on the river
bank could not have told; but / en-
ioyed being there. The people were
friendly, the young ladies pretty and ac'
complished in music; and, among other
pleasures, many were our boat rides in
the moonlight, when sweet strains borne
far down the stream filed the air with
enchantment. Especially enjoyable was
surprise" party we made to a place a
few miles down the river on such night.
Gondolas were not a circumstance to our
light skiffs, with their freight of beauty
and mirth. Merry jests, swelling cho-
ruses, guitar accompanied sOlos-all tenn
pered with the magic inseparable from
moonbeams-made it a time long to be
remembered. But it is of a quite differ
ent incident I want to speak now.
A well-to-do farmer had died suddenly
some time before. There we're then no
preachers in the vicinity; and now after
the lapse of nearly two years, his funeral
was announced to take place in connec-
ton with a barbecue.
Of course, we made up party to at
tend. / was fortunate enough to secure
a buggy and the company of the sweet
est girl in town, whom shall call Ella.
The rest of the party went on horseback.
We had a delightful morning drive.
The air was clear, the sun genial and
though the country was perfectly level,
sufficient contrast was afforded of bright
hued forest with prairies and fields,
golden with hog-weed," which, though
coarse in itself, is splendid when cover
ing stretches of miles with bloom.
We arrived at the house quite early,
but there were many before us. Such a
house! Fancy one very large, square
room, with a similar one above it.
Around the lower apartment were shed
like rooms, on three sides, projecting in
front, while the intervening space was
filed by a porch, completing the square,
Wooden shutters, on leather hinges,
formed the only windows, and these were
now fastened back by leather thongs
which buttOned on large nails. We re-
ceived a cordial welcome but as the
house was crowded, we made another of
the numerous groups under the trees.
Though a recent cold nip" had given
an autumnal appearance to the surround
ings, the day in balmy freshness was like
one Of early summer. We amused our
selves watching the queerly dressed
figures bustling about. Ella declared
me to be infatuated with a very restless
damsel, in a white lawn dress, aounced
with blue to the waist, and Of scanti-
ness which, cOntrasted with the prevail
ing cEinoline, looked much more odd
than would have been the case in these
!" pull-back" days
Acknowledged my unbounded admira-
ton, and pointed out a cadaverous oddi-
~ of uncertain age, accompanied by his
little old man Of boy who
was staring our way, and was positive he
was looking for a stepmother for Che ju-
yenile, and was impressed with her quail
iications for that position but she in
sisted that he was a brother Of the girl,
watching my glanoes with suspicion, AZ
II was a habit Of soldiers to fiirt with
country maidens and then break their
hearts by telling them that they were
married and she herself had long been
Of the opinion that / had a wife at home,
But thisfuneral. The busting widow,
with little time for tears, or regFetful
memories, was at one moment greeting
acquaintance the nextseeing 70 the din
neF which was Ia progress in the outside
kitchen. Negro cooks, some her own,
some hired for the occasion, were fitting
around that sacred precinct; while
scattered over the whole scene we're the
rural bellies and beaux IN the glory n
their Sunday clothes, and homespun
farmers with their pipes, And the