The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-11
MELINDA AIMS WEDDING.

| filling the air with unusual fragrance
and the little birds were vieing wit
! each other in caroling forth their happi
/ est songs, on the eventful mornin.
when, as Parson Brown had announces
! from the pulpit the Sunday before
Melinda Ann Johnson and John JOSEPH
Rogers were to be lined in de hol,
| bonds oh wedlock." The affair haC
been the chief excitement for weeks i,
the select clique to which the contract
ing parties belonged, and very selec
clique it was, for, as John Joseph wa
wont to proudly exclaim: "We's nj
common niggers, we is" The wed
ding was to take place in the towr
house of their mistress, Mrs. White, in
whose family they had been born a:
slaves, and with whom they had re
manned after they had been declared
free, saying: "Whar should we
go? Dis yer's our home" Melinda
Ann was Mrs. Whites own maid, and
John Joseph was the butler, and both
had been especial prOteges of hers from
their babyhood. Therefore, when she
found they wanted to marry each other
she said the wedding should take place
in her house, they might invite all their
friends and she would furnish the re
freshments. At last, after what had
seemed long waiting, theimportant day
had arrived, and all nature appeared
to rejoice with the happy couple and
their friends. The ceremony was to
take place at twelve o'clock in order to
give Melinda AIMS father time to come
in from the plantation, ten miles away.
lie was TO drive in, and after the we'd
ding the bride and groom were going to
drive back to the plantation with him
for their wedding trip, and spend a
week of the honeymoon there before
reSuming their places at Mrs. White
town house. All the morning scene
of confusion reigued. The servants
were hurrying about bringing in flow
ers, and under Mrs. Whites directions
twining sprays of the beautiful South
crn jeSsalnine about the pictures,
making banks of roses in the corners,
and in the bay window where the couple
were TO stand there was a wooden
arch which they made into a bower of
beauty and sweetness. About eleven
O'Clock all the preparations were COM
pleted, and Mrs White and her friends
retired into the back parior, leaving the
large room for the 50 'ristOcratic cOlDred
people, who very soon began to arrive.
Up to the appointed hour for the we'd
ding they kept coming, until the room
was well filled. ParSon Brown made
his appearance, and took his station
back of the arch. His Sunday suit of
black had been brushed until it wore
an extra gloss for the occasion, and the
parson himself was reSplendent with
two pairs of spectacles on his rather
fiat nose. Twelve o'clock struck. A
rustic OF expectancy was heard on all
sides; still the bride did not come.
Quarter past twelve, and at a slight
sound in the hall the guests rushed to
the door with cries of Here dey are!
Here dey are" They were indeed, and
were about half way down the stairs
when Melinda Ann, catching sight of
the sea of eager faces about the door,
lodged quickly behind John Joseph,
and called out:
.'Cl'ar out, now! yer can't see de
bride till l marches in in de percession.
Yer jist got ter gwine back in de parlor
and wait till | comes. Yer niggers am
20 'quisitive," and she suppressed a
pleased little chuckle of gratified pride.
''CIar out, now. say, an we IL march
in"
The crowd did ''cl'ar," and jostled
each other to get good places in the
parlor. John Joseph gave his arm to
Melinda Ann, and with stately strut
they marched through the opening
which the crowd made for them, while
Melinda AIMS brother walked ahead,
playing on a banjo 1.-The Campbells
Are Coming" 0, it was an impress
i've scene. Melinda Ann wore a long
white muslin dress, cut low neck and
short sleeves: wide red sash. a string
of yellow beads around her neck, and
on her head a red and yellow turban,
from underneath which straycd out
few kinky braidS, and over the turban
and rebelliouS locks was draped her
bridal veil. A hum of admiration was
heard on all sides: never had they seen
4 more lovely bride. The groom came
in for his share OF admiration, for he
was arrayed in white nankeen salt,
yellow vest, and full-blown red rose
in his batton-hOle. The handsome
couple took their place under the arch,
and ParSon Brown, after several pre-
liminary "ahems," began proceed
ings by reading, or pretending 30 read,
passages of Scripture from
the large Bible which he held in his
shaking hands. After the reading or
recital, he closed the book, and, peer
ing wisely at the young couple over the
top of his two pair of glasses, said:
"Chilun, dis am a most serus oc-
caShun. Yer two hearts is abont terb
Tined in wedlock. Does yer realize de
'sponsibility?"
i reckon we does" said John
Joseph, while Melinda Ann nodded.
Use CAD yer does" continued the
parson, ease if yer does yer must live
up ter de 'spOnsibility. KNOWN it am
one thing, an Twin up ter it am anud-
der. Gittin married am right serus
matter. Yer dun got ter b ar wild each
udder's fault de rest OBJ yer lives.
hope yer both hes thought ober it heap,
ease a forethought am better dan
Yer kin git married
site easier dan yer kin git out of de
scrape. l hev no wish ter discourage
yer, only | hev been through it three
times myself, an l knows de 'sponsi-
bility. Marriage am great institoo-
shun. hev respec' fur it, and Use
glad ter perform de ceremony fur yer
two, whom Use known sence yer was
babies. Yer kin now give yer right
hands. " John Joseph and Melinda
Ann, who had become somewhat nerv-
ouS during this little exhortation of
Parson Brown on their "'sponsibili-
ties" had some difficulty in joining the
proper hands, but finally succeeded,
and awaited what was to follow with