Morris tribune., 1881-04-14
PLANTATION WEDDING.

SOUTHERN PLANTATION WEDDING.
Graphic Description ola Wedding in High
Life on a Louisiana Plantation--A Curious
Glimpse of Southern Customs The Bride.
the Groom, and the Sermon.
While up at the plantation saws a New
Orleans correspondent of the Chicago IN
ter Ocean, each of the white visitors re-
ceived dainty, yet rudely scawled invita-
ton to wedding in the colored church of
the neighboring village. Not being able to
be present I asked Mrs. N, who was of
the party who accepted the invitation, to
give description of the ceremony without
an exaggeration, as follows:
THE WEDDING.
Upon our arrival at the Baptist church in
the village near by, we were met at the door
by TWO sable ushers, one having his coat
sleeve partly ripped out, and the other
minus goodly portion of the skirt of the
similar garment. But they were as polite
as Chesterfields, and seemed las happy as
the big sunfower." They escorted the party
to side seats near the pulpit, where they
could have good view of the house and
audience. The building was simply weather
boarded and roofed without any inside fin
ish whatever. No glass in the wiNdows,
and no means of warming, but with board
shutters, that could be closed in severe
weather. The seats and floors made of
rough boards, and the pulpit to match. The
wedding was to be Mt 4 O'clock, but time
was not of great value there. After waiting
for three quarters of an hour, the preacher
arrived. He was a tall white haired, COL
ored man, with shamblinggait He walked
up to our corner and, bowling, remarked
that he was glad to see the white folks
there, and apologized for the delay, say
ing:
1.-The young folks were kind O. shamed
to start out, but guessed they would be
along purity soon.
He took his seat in the pulpit and chew
ed tobacco industriously, o1namenting the
floor in his vicinity with floods of brown
juice, and occasionally taking walk out
doors to prospect for the coming process
sion. Another hour passed, motley crowd
had gathered outside, men and women of
every Imaginable color and style of raiment.
At last they came. The bride was tall,
in pretty white muslin ruffied and huted,
with veil and orange blossoms. The groom
was black rather good looking, and neatly
dressed in black. There was bridesmaid
and groomsman to match. They came up
the aisle with the crowd following, and
took their seats in front of the pulpit. The
old minister stepped down from his pulpit,
and gravely enquired. as der any gentle
man here as has got watch?" Some one
had. "What time is it?" "Half- past FIVE"
"Wats you uns been doin' all this time.
Eatin'? Guess you must be pretty full by
this time. The dinner comes before the
marriage it seems.
Il charges jist a dollah and houh TO waitin'
regular price for marryin' three dollahs, 1
charges you jist TO dollahs and seventy five
cents, and wants my money TO I leaves dis
house"
Then he gave out hymn; the selection
was peculiar.
''Twas on dark and doleful night,
When powe of earth and hell combined"
He read two lines at time of the whole
hymn, intoning it and singing the last
word, the congregation joining in with that
and singing in most mournful strain and
every one making his own tune. The re-
suit was not harmonious or inspiring. Then
he read the license and addressed the bri-
dial party.
''Now, my friends, youse got license,
but dat don't marry you-dat gives you
rights cordin' to law, but dat's all. If you
love one another, dats what marries YOU
if you do dat, this marriage will never be
broke off-and if it is broke off, it will be
easy mended agin. If you love one another,
the match is already done made. Now,
when you git married you ought TO live cor
din to Gods laws, and you oughtn't to lie,
nor you oughtnt to cuss, nor do nothin'
out O. the way. Now, maybe you think the
old mans long time gittin to business,
and his tongue was hung in de middle and
he's got lots to say.
And he said it. At Last he came to the
ceremony. He had somewhere got the full
directions for the marriage service of the
Episcopal church, which he read in his slow,
hating way often dividing words in the
middle and running others together that
did not belong there. Then he told them
to rise and take holt of hands.
Nov stand closter together; act like you
loved one another-closter yet. Now hold
what yer doiu', reckon. Now, Mr.. c., you
take holt of her right hand and squeeze it
hard"
And he began the ceremony a word at
time, the bride groom repeating after him.
When he came to with all my worldly goods
thee endow, the old man chuckled, as
he jokingly said:
Guess you kin easy do dat anyhow, twont
take morn dollah and half"
Then to the bride-Now, you talks after
me. But she didn't talk loud enough, and
had to go over it two or three times, until
she reached the proper tone. When it
come to love, honor, and obey, the preach
er dropped in another side remark, which
showed his appreciation for the case. He
said half loosely:
mo, you amt guine to do it, and no use
to say it."
When the question was asked, who Civ
eth this woman to be married to this MANI"
there was no response.
Don't make no difference" remarked
the preacher, "shes gone done it herself. I"
Then came the ring business, which was
little puzzling.
Got ring?"
The bridegroom was fumbling in his
pocket for it, while the old man was making
very sighting remarks about him.
Now, give it to me. If I'd been goin
to git as purity girl as that, think I'd got a
better lookin' ring than that. Now, it has to
go on de third finger of de left han nd" con-
sulting his directions know which your
left hand is? Now, take off dat are glove.
I'm guine to do dis ere job up right if it
takes all night"
At last the ceremony was finished and the
prescribed prayer read, and then the
preacher launched into one of his own. He
raved and stamped and tore round generally
and told how ode Lord Jesus went down
into de Jording and was baptized, and OATS
de way we ought all to do, brother-ren; and
Satan took him off into the wilderness,
brother ren." And so on to an indefinite
length until the brother-ring and the sistern
got excited, and joined in with amens, and
signs and groans, and snatches of songs, I'M
til the visitors began to fear their long walk
home would he in the darkness But at
last the storm Gained down, and the preach
er stopped suddenly and ordered the BRIDE
groom to salute the bride, and then there
was lull.
why don't you all come up and kiss
the BRIDE" he said; 1--we seen forty or fifty
of We kissin round here sometimes"
But they still hesitated; SO the white folks
walked over, shook hands and offered con-
gratulations, and walked out, and that start
ed the assemblage to the front, and they
doubtless had plenty of kissing and good
wishes. A ball was to follow in the even
ming. and so ended one of the most distin-
guished weddings of the season in colored
L E. r l.. ko4s