Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-10-20
A Texas Marriage.

tains, aud, as we had plenty of time to
JOIN Col. Hollands party ON their re-
turn, We concluded to accompany Capt.
Hardy Parker. of the Lafitte ranch,
and three OF his friends, to what he
termed one of the iiveliest weddings
that ever 'jostlsd the State o Texas:
Who's to be married ?" was asked.
"Old Jaquette's daughter. We call
HIM Don for short. We call her
'Reeme': end the chap that's goin' to
git her il old Uvalde's son 'Migs' the
blood that saved her from pack of
Mexican hounds up the valley of the
Rio Pecos about six months ago.
News OF this wedding has been gong
the rounds OF the frontier for some
time. and it's calculated that the T"in
Mountains will be shaken up before
ib's over"
So ws set off over the pampaa,
through heavily tinbared districts,
along small streams, on our way to the
home Of Jaquette's 10000 acres, locat~
"a in The shadow Of the beautiful nils
above uaned. at length we halted IN
front OF the long, low binding. the
home Of The Jaquette family, q distant
relative Of the original Austin, who
war the largest landhoIder IN his time
IL Texas.
Our horses were cared for, and we
were introduced 20 the DIN. FL wae
City Years OF age in looks he seemed
but thirty five. Straight az an arrow,
cold rs iceberg. black-oyed and black
haired, ne looked lord and master
over all his people. His wife was bent
and gray, but mn It have been beauti-
fuI in her yoaT.,af years. Fully hfty
Young repre-. NATIVE Texan drovers
were III tents and in tine ontbuildlngs
Waiting Tor the morrow.
At 10 o'clock next day everything
was prepared va were shown into
large ROOM Of thu house that looked
more IKE forest than phrlCr. We
we're told to take refreshments lightly
before the wedding ceremony. We
were then conducted TO the park or
garden, magnificent grove of cedar,
pine, some orange and maple.
Gaasla from from far and wide had
arrived IN wagons and on horseback.
Backwoods maidens and stalwart cat
tle-keepers, III staid aud gay coiors,
sun-bonnets and Euckskins, were chat
ting and gossiping under the trees.
the same as church audiences in civili~
zation. Everybody seemed to have
clusters Of flowers, and for time
those rough and sturdy men of the
plains suffered their broad sombreros
to be ornamented with wreaths and
their brows bound with gay banker
Chi 9fs by fair and gentle hands.
The relatives of the bride were on
one side of the garden. Her cousins
were noun ted on pure white horses.
The relatives Of the groom were on
the opposite side, anoble-looking body
Of people. Even here was to be seen
the out cropping OF rude frontier So
ciety Both families were immensely
wealthy, and fos Il long time jealous
rivals. The union OF the two children
was TO unite two Of the largest landed
estates IN Yves ern Texas, ana termi~
nate further rivalry between the two
families. Both houses, therefore, kept
a spectacle distance, and one We'd
With the other III frontier dress and
display.
Finally trumpet sounded, and the
eyes of the hundred people present
wero turned toward the mansion. A
pr 3cessiOn came from the front door,
such as tAege irontiersmen had pro-
baby never seen i'll all their lives
FIRST, came two minister's, the ReYs.
Thomas and Henriques, who had come
| 300 miiea to perform the marriage
ceremony. Following came Don Jac-
quote. by his side walked his daugh-
ter, the bride then came the mother
of young Uvalde, and by her side
walked the groom, and behind them
came the groom's father and the
| brides mother. A few more ladies
and gentlemen followed In the cen
ter of the garden was beautiful bow
er of evergreen, and beneath this the
marriage ceremony was performed.
I was permitted to have position
well up in front. I first noticed the
surprising beauty of the bride. She
was dark as her father, and her eyes
were moist with siivery tears, shadow
ed by heavy brows and iashes. Her
raven black hair hung in curly ring
| lets down her back, and two white
| sprays Of orange blossoms were worn
among them. Her dress was of white
satin, trimmed with gold, reaching
| just to her ankles white satin boots
covered her small feet, and a necklace
| Of pearls encircle her white round
neck. She stood about five feet eight
inches in height, yet looked small be-
side the tall and well-shapcd man
who was to be her husband. He was
| dressed In buckskin suit, richly Or
nam ented. The suit came from the
Cherokee county. He had long, brown
hair, sharp, gray eyes, regular fea
lures, and was a handsome man, stand
ing six feet three inches, and weigh>
ing $50 pounds.
The procession ranges around the
ministers in the form of half circle,
the bride and groom i'll the center.
They all stood on the white>haired
hides, especially tanned for the occa-
sion. Before the ceremony, the faith er
of tie bride made signal, and two
men cane forward with a box and
placed it at the feet of the young
couple. The box contained $4,000
in gold. The groom's father also
made a signal, and another box of
$40. coo in gold was brought forw ard =.
Then followed the presentation of
titles and deeds Of vast estate, in all
amounting 30 about 5, 600 acres of the
best land in Western Texas. After
this, the ministers married them in a
simple style, according to the forms
aud ceremonies of the Methodist
Church.
The wedding ring was of heavy
gold, and in return the bride pre-
secuted her husband with a.breastpin.
When the benediction was pro
nounced, the young Texan rangers
crowded out the old people, and with
their broad palms they shook the
happy pair heartily by the hands.
MAKE way" said the groom, "give
the boys o chance. Every one of you
come forward, right here, I want to
see you al have good time"
The brawny arms of the cattle
drovers were extended in joyous con
gratulations, the music of the violin.
banjo and tambourine struck up, and
in few moments the grove resembled
81 beautiful ball room.
Among the company were four or