The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-09-19
A Wedding in silhouette.

A wedding Is not considered quite
the solemn event it should be unless
attended by some of ode white folks
es." was a little surprised at the en-
trance of one Of my neighbors not long
ago to invite me to negro wedding.
But" / said, .''they did not ask
me-"
THAT is always left with u.s." said
my neighbor. ''The more that come
the more impressive the occasion. All
you have to do is to carry a cake made
for the bride, and If you think best
some expensive present. That, how
ever. they don't look for, but the cake
they do. Put on all the finery you
have, for the more conspicuous you
make your apparel, the more you hon
or them"
So I arrayed myself in my best bib
and tucker, with an Indian necklace of
shell and bracelets to match, which
had hung in my cabinet for months.
My large chocolate cake was ready and
looked very appetizing. Mr.. s. came
round with the wagon, in which /
slowed away a folding clothes-horse
destined for the bride.
The cabin had been unpartitioned if
I may use the word, and where four
rooms had been there was but one. 1t
was pretty sight after drive of five
miles, to see the little homestead sur
rounded by bush fires, north, east and
west, which a dozen little negroes
kept supplied with. fuel. A wilder
scene never came upon. The brill
liant flames set off the log cabin, all
folded in with honeysuckle vines; the
dusky usher busy in looking after the
carriages of the guests. ali the men in
white jackets, the inside of the cabin
all one red glow, an immense fire
blazing on the hearth, showing the
buxom figures of the women. every
one dressed in the brightest colors,
with huge bouquets in their belts and
white flowers in their hair, the long
tables, covered with snowy linen, made
up in all tout ensemble that was like
q picture from another country.
We were ushered in with great cere-
mony by Augustus Whiffletree, an. in
stantly surrounded by the guests in
ebony, who quickly and deity re-
lieved us of our wraps. Then we were
stationed at the head of the table, the
children called in, and. the ceremony
proceeded. The minister was as black
as polished ebony, the bridegroom was
a good-looking fellow of %. and the
bride really pretty girl of 16. One
of the colored people whispered to me
that sister Felicia had gone done
good thing for hersef-that "brudder"
Bulge had farm of twenty acres and
a bright nice cabin to put her in, add
ing. "An' he'll tote her earthly down
de vale!' to all of which listened with
a serious countenance.
Supper being ready, we were in-
stalled at the head of the table, while
the bridal party waited till we partook
of the viands, proceeding which !
confess made me feel rather foolish,
though the rest of the white company
took it as matter of course. After
we had finished, the others fell to, land
1t was amusement enough to watch the
proceedings from the feast to the bless
ing, and from the blessing to the dance.
Speeches of congratulation and toasts
were made, some of the latter odd
enough, and drunk with lemonade, one
of which was as follows:
II perceive dat dis lemonade is 3
mixture oh sweet and sour. De sweet
am berry sweet and de sour am berry
sour. Dat minds me dat life is made
up of de sweet an de sour, vid
spice OBJ bitters in it. hopes. chillen.
you'll git 'em SO well mixed dat it ii
seem sweet all trough and de bitter'll
only be a sort O. medicine to make you
all right if you ebber do 60 wrong"
Then came the scraping of fiddles,
but, as they were proposing to dance,
we drove away in the halo of blazing
fires to the sound of merry laughter
FLORIDA Letter IN San francisco
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