Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-14
A wsDDIaG bows SOUTH.

WEDDING DOWN SOUTH.
a correspondent OF the h,ter-0eean,
writing from the Far South, thus describes
a wedding:
Upon cur arrival at the Baptist Church
in the village near BY. We were met at the
door by 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 Chesterieids, and seemed " as happy as
the big sunhower." 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 rooted, without any
inside finish whatever No glass in the
windows, and no means OF warming, but
VITA 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 at
o'clock, but time was not of great value
there. Alter waiting for three-quarters OF
an hour, the preacher arrived. He was a
tall white haired, celored man, with
shsmbling gait. He walked up to our
corner and, bowling, remarked that he was
glad to see the white folks there, and
apologized for the delay, saying
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 chewed
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 wo
men of every imaginable color and
STYLE OF RAIMEST.
At last they came The bride was tall,
handsome mulatto girl, tasteiully dressed
in a pretty white muslin ruffled and fiuted,
with vail 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 eravely inquired, " Is dere any genel-
man here as has got watch?" Some one
had. ''What time is il -" "Half.past
s." "Wats you uns been dom all this
time? Eatin'? Guess you must be pretty
full by this time. The dinner comes before
the marriage, it seems.
'' | charges jist dollah and honh 70
waitin', regular price for marrYin three
dollahs, charges you jist 70 dollahs and
seventy. five cents, and wants my money 10
leaves dis house"
Then he gave out hymn the selection
was peculiar.
Twas on q dark and doleful night,
III Ia hall 0F0tit tnrn
He read two lines at time OF the whole
hymn, intouing 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-
sult was not harmonious or inspiring. Then
he read the license and
ADDRESSED THE BRIDAL PARTY.
"Now, my friends, yoase got license,
but dat don't marry you-da5 gives you
rights 'cordin' to law, but OATS all. If
YOU love one another dat's what marries
you-if you do that, this marriage will
never be broke otf-snd eff it is broke of,
it viii be easy mended agin. If You love
one another, the match is already done
made. Now, when you git married, you
ought to live 'cordin' to Gods laws, and
you oughtn't to lie, nor you oughtn't to
cuss, nor do nothin' out O the way. Now,
maybe you think the ole mans a long time
gittin' to business, and his tongue as 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 or 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.
"Now stand closter together act like
you loved one another-closter yet. Now
hold up yer head, Miss B.; ye amt ashamed
o. what yer dom, l reckon, Now, Mr.. O.,
you take holt of her right hand and squeeze
it hard"
And he began the ceremony, word at a
time, the bridegroom repeating after him.
When he came to with all my worldly
goods thee endow," the old man chuckled,
as he iokingly said;
Guess you kin easy do dat, anyhow /;
twont take morn dollah and half. I"
Then to the bride" Now you talks af-
ter 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 came to Glove, honor and obey" the
preacher dropped in another side remark,
which showed his appreciation of the case.
He said, half loosely
''No, you amt guine to do it, and no
use to say it.
When the question was asked, WHO
giveth this woman to be married to this
man - there was no response.
Don't make no difference, remarked
the preacher, "she's gone done it herself. "
"Got ring!'
The bridegroom was fumbling in his
pocket for it, while the old man was max
ing very sighting remarks about him.
Now, give it to nae. If I'd been goin'
to git as purity gal as that, think I'd got
a better lookin' ring than that. Now, it
has to go on de third finger of de left hand, /"
consulting 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 de Lord Jesus
went down into de Jordipg and was bap-
tized, and OATS de way we ought all to do,
brother.ren and Satan took him off into
de wilderness, brother-ren, and dats de
way he'll do wild us, brother-ren." And
so on to an indefinite length, until the
brother-ren and the sistern got excited,
and joined in with amens, and
signs AND ORGANS, AND sNATcHEs OF SONG,
Until the visitors began to fear their long
walk home would be in darkness. But at
last the storm Gained down, and the
preacher stopped suddenly and ordered the
bridegroom to salute the bride, and then
there was lull.
Why don't you all come up and kiss
de bride?' he said tive seen forty or
fifty of we kissin' round here sometimes. "
But they still .hesitated so the white
folks walked over, shook hands and offered
congratulations, and walked out, and that
started the assemblage to the front, and
they doubtless had plenty of kissing and
good wishes. A ball was to follow in the