The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-02-25
4 BARBECUE FUNERAL.


ing the war over, in one of the border
counties of Texas; What my ptfpass
was in That little village on the river
bank / could not have told; but 1 en-
joyed being there. The people were
friendly, the young ladies pretty and ar-
complished in intsiC; and, among other
pleasures, many were our boat rides in
the moonlight, when sweet strains borne
far down the stream filed the air with
cnchantment. Especially enjoyable was
surprise" party we made to a place q
few miles down the river on sitch n night
Gondolas were not a circumstance to our
light skiffs, with theft freight Of beaqtF
and inirth. Mefrt ies|s, FIttIlihg ch66-
fhsts, ghitar accompanied solos-all tenn
pered with the magic inseparable from
moonbeams-made it; a time long to be
remembered, Butit Is of = 4.!it5 differ
ent ibcilet3to i want to speak now.
A well-to-do farmer had died suddenly
some time before. There were then no
preachers in the vicinity; and now after
the lapse of nearly two years, his funeral
was announced to take place in connee-
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 lt:Sh, whom / shall call Ella
The rest of the party went on horseback.
We had a delightful morning drive.
The air was clear tKs sth genial and
,hough 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 tvhe4 t.55i,55TT-
ihS stret,hes 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 similat one above It.
Around the lower apartment were she'd
like rooms, ON three sides, projecting In
front, while THE INTERVIEWING space was
FlIl5Ji by a porch, completing the square.
Wooden shutters, on leather hinges,
formed the only windows, and the7e were
nov fsteheA 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 "nic'' hid Si;en
On atithmnai 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 very restles.
damsel, in a white lawn dress, Aounced
with blue TO the waist, and of a scanti
ness which, cOntrasted with the prevail
ing crincline, hooked much more odd
than would have been the case in these
pnll-back" days.
acknowledged my unbcrhded admira
tion, and pointed out a cadaverous Oddi
ty of uncertain age, accompanied by hi.
miniature, little old man Of a boy Wit
was staring our way, and was positive he
was looking for a stepmother for the ju
veniIe, and was impressed with her quail
/ ifications for that position but she in
sisted that he was Il brother of the girl
! watching my glances with suspicion, a
] it was a habit of soldiers TO flirt will
country maidehs and then break thei
hesrjs by telling them that they wer,
married and she herself had long beer
of the opinion that had a wife ct h5me
But this funeral The bustling widow
with little time for tears, or regretfu
memories, was at one moment .ercetin,
acquaintance, the next seeing TO the d,n
ner which wa: IN progress In the outsid
kitchen, Negro cooks, some her ewt,
some hired for the occasS6ii. Nert fitting
around that etcfed precinct; Will
scAtSeSSea over the whole scene were tn
rural bellies and beaux in the glory q
their Sunday clothes, and homespu
farmers with their pipes. And tn
whole place was filled with laughter
chatter ead iyife curiosity.
BHt the minister finally appeared an,
Il sort of confused procession was fdt.At4.e,
to a rather open e'AirtA.te IN the pin,
wood, wheEe pro tempore seats had bee
CONSTRUCTED of boards resting on block:
When these were filled the remairde
of the people sat down III plcturesqu
groups in the denser shade. Some wild
ly-meloGious and some dolefully-twapc
ing hymns were sung, then a solans
hush fell oSer the .oro,,, ,,.L,.A, -.
made only tie more impressive bv the u,
ceasinG. varied murmur of the pines, q,
Ire" lent twittering of the birds and II
iar-away sound of voices at the hons
Shade alternated with sunshine over III
scene, but on every side stretched ava
the dark aisles of the wood. A whit
paling surrounded the solitary gray,
over which waved sprays of rose affectia
had planted, and of the blackberry whic
seems to spring spontaneously bv ever
fence. Beside this resting place was
platform, on which the minister, ver
cradle man, with strong frame and iro
gray hair, stood, while in loud, clear ton
rang out the words:
Ho, every one that thirsteth, com
ye to the waters, and he that hath n
money, come We and buy and eat; yea
come, buy wine and milk without none
and without price
" Come, now, and let us reason together
saith the Lord; though yorr sins he a
s&rlet, they shall be as white as snow