Bent County register., 1888-01-28
Wits MURCH,S sERENADERS.
BY C. A. STEPHENS.

the narrator formerly resided, there was at
one time u clique of rough young fellows
who made it their business to serenade all
newly welded couples.
"Serenading" was what they were pleas
ed to call it; but it was far from being
either musical or complimentary per-
formaEce. In fact it was terrible bug
bear lor all prospective brides and BRIDE
grooms. On the evening of the marriage,
this serenade-party, numbering fifteen or
twenty members, was sure to make its un-
welcome appearance III the yard, literally
provided with iish-horns, Old tin pans, guns
and almost every other possible instrument
of din and racket.
These rade fellows came disguised in
masks and old clothes; and the first hint
of their approach WAS usually discharge
of guns, n racket Of stones on the roof
blended with u horrible blarc of horns and
imitation of Indian war-hoops.
Ii the newly-made husband did not
wish that sort of music continued all night,
h must arise, open his doors and invite
in these unweleome guests.
Once in the house, they would make
themselves very much at home and expect
to be treated to a good supper, or else to
be furnished with handsome sum of
money with which to go away and provide
a supper for themselves.
This was not the worst. For the Doors
usually demanded that the bride should be
brought into the room, and often insisted
di.,uiscd and masked as they were-on
saluting her with kiss.
If admittance was refused them, they
kept up their terrific din, hour after hour,
and sometimes they had broken into hous-
es. Often they got on the roof to continue
their deafening flnfarade; indeed, there
was no end of their pranks; and If not
treated with so much iberality as they
thought due them, they would come again
night after night.
Occasionally they met with n rough re-
ception in the shape of hot water, jets Of
kerosene oil from squirt-guns, and shots
had even been fired at them.
That they were an abominable nuisance
and an outrage on all rights and decency,
was admitted by every one; yet it was diff
fcult to proceed against them legally, and
the party was powerful enough to make
itself feared Us we'll as hated. Otherwise,
it would have been promptly broken up by
an indignant community.
have tried to learn the origin OF such
serenading, and think the custom came
to us from among the French Canadians
of the Lower Provinces For these people
have q trick which they call "chardvdri,"
where a party, Enthusiastically dressed and
equipped, with cracked fiddlee, horns and
kettle drums, sometimes go to wake o
wedding when there is some circumstance
about it which offends public taste; as, for
example, when the bride is many years
older than the bridegroom, or II, on the
other hand, an old gray-beard were to
take a very young wife
Spch were the serenadcrs and such was
the state of affairs at the time of the mar
riape of a young man named Willis Murch,
:, friend and neishbor of the writer.
willis, or Willis, as we called him, was
a quick -witted young man, and possessed a
.rre,t deal of good sense and sturdy indie
peudence. l had often heard him say,
whenever we would hear of a serenade,
that he would never let that company into
lis house, nor give them cent to carouse
on.
When Willis came to be twenty-one his
parents wanted him to live ut home on
their farm and take care of them. 1t was
no desirable offer. There was heavy
mortgage on the farm, and there were two
helpiess. bed-ridden members of the family.
willis, too had been planning to go West
as soon as he came of age; and he was
lust the man to make his way i'll the West
and do well. But he conscientiously gave
up his plans for the sake of the old people,
and settled down at home, like the good
son he was. to pay off the debts on the
nlace and "see his folks through" as the
neighbers expressed it
There was another, too, concerned in this
sacrifice of Willis plans-Amanda Bachel-
er, a schoolmate and very dear friend of
Willis, and who, it WIS said, WIS rs like
him rs two people could be. IL had long
been an understood thing that when Wits
went West Manda Bacheldcr would go
with him as Mrs. Murch.
There was wedding that fall, on
Thanksgiving day morning-Wilts and
Manda They moved home, that ia to say,
to Wits home, that afternoon.
That day, at the store at the corners.
a fellow named Gallison, supposed to be
connected with the "serenade-gang," hint
ed to Willis that he hoped he tWillis)
was Laying in stock Of good things Tor
the celebration" that night.
What do you mean by celebration 2
Willis asked him.
Gallison, laughing, and with wink to the
others.
"You mean the 'serenading-gangg said
Willis.
Like enough" replied Gallison. 'I
shouldn't wonder a mite"
"YJr expect me to open my house and
furnish supper for the 'roughs OF the town !?
Then let me tell you once for all, that
shall do nothing of the sort; and if you
care to take my advice, you will keep
away and mind your own business and
leave ME to mind mine. I've no money to
sperd in entertainments of any kind"
perhaps you mean to shoot us" sneered
Galiison. We've seen guns before"
"No matter what l mean to do" said
Willis. 81 warn you to keep away"
This warming on Wits part only stimu-
lated these unprincipled fellows TO DO their
worst. They turned out in full costume
and at exactly 10 o'clock that evening they
opened the fracas with discharge OF guns
footing of horns and drumming, accompa,
MED by a shower of bricls-bats on the roof
We heard it all over the neighborhood
aud wondered, not without some misgivingS
what Wits would DO