Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-05-03
MEANWHILE TENNESSEE SATURI. MAY 1890

gown on, and black cap with four
horns on it. He looked like a big
horned owl. Wade said he was to
keep the devil of. The old priest was
ugly enough to scare the devil off.
A few feet behind the table they had
a carpet stretched on the ground and
all the friends walked up and made
bow towards the table and kneeled
down on the carpet making three
bows, almost kissing the ground,
then they would rise to their feet,
make a bow and step aside to give
place for another. They kept this up
the best part Of the day.
About 6 o'clock he was placed in
the coffin, a very fine one. The pail
bearers, six in number, all dressed in.
white robes and white handkerchiefs
tied on their heads, brought the
corpse out of his former residence and
placed him under canvass in front
of his business house for all to look at
that desired to see him. One fellow
stood with an umbrella over him to
keep the sun off his face, although the
corpse was under a canvass. He had
a dime in his mouth. This was to
pay his way over the river. The old
priest, still standing at the table go
ing through some sort Of ceremony
all the time, his friends still keeping
up the kneeling and bowling. When
they would rise, one fellow would
hand them a small cup of tea, not
more than a gill. They would make
three circles with it just as if they
were going to drink it, but they
would pour it out on the ground.
They kept this up for hours. When
the music would stop they would
pass cigars around and smoke awhile.
About 8 o'clock the hearse drove up,
drawn by two very fine white horses.
They put him in the hearse, and then
brought his wife out of the house, her
servant and two other women, carry
ing her, or rather supporting her.
She seemed to have but little use of
herself. / could not see her face.
They were holding flag made of
paper close up to her face. This pa
per flag was of many colOrs. saw
her feet as they lifted her up in the
carriage. They looked to be about
inches long. She wore a white
gown, or had been before it was soiled
by being thrown on the corpse while
it was lying on the floor. The three
other women got into the carriage,
and also the man that drove it. The
flag was still held up to the wife's
face. This was done to keep her
from seeing the devil. The process
sion then formed in the street; the
hearse in front and the carriage next.
Then the pail bearers and then the
friends, quite a large crowd, Just rs
the hearse moved offrice was thrown
all over it, making it almost white.
They drove around through town,
the band playing as they went on to
the grave yard. The old priest
walked just behind the carriage with
his two brass plates o. gOngs. After
getting within about 100 yards the
old priest had the carriage stopped
and the women all taken out, after
which he went through some sort of
ceremony, all down on their knees.
They were there quite while. The
herse went on to the grave, but the
priest and women all went back to
town. Wade asked some of them
why they did not bring Man Wo's
wife on. They said they were afraid
of the old devil. AS the hearse went
on to the grave one fellow sat up with
the driver and scattered small slips of
silk paper as they went. He threw
out bushels as he went. Every piece
had nine holes punched in it, 1
picked up some, and thought | kept
some, but find | did not or l would
send you one. l suppose this was to
bother the old devil so he could
not track them. When we got to
the grave it was not dug in any regu-
lar shape, just dug any way; the
head to the South. The box was in
it ready for the coffin. The box was
about feet longer than the coffin. |
noticed near by were two stones jars
with white cloth over them. Some
said they had his money in them,
but l knew that was not so. 1t was
said that all his effects were to go in
with him, except his clothes and gold
watch, which were to be burnt. l
saw a pile Of clothes, bed and stead,
and IOt of other things living near