The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-03-20
BILL ARP.
atlanta Constitution.

BILL ARP.
atlanta Constitution.
Our people must be prosperipg. for the
young folks are mating and marrying all
around u.s. It seems to be an epidemic
or a contagion or something, and the town
talk is, "who next,"-some of the poets
sing sadly about marriage, bat most
everybody takes lively interest in the
performance, and it looks less like flu
neral than anything l know Of. Only a
few days ago one of the churches was
dressed in bridal robes, and halfthe town
gathered there to see and to hear and to
give good wishes, and everybody felt so
good, that they kissed all round, and they
have been talking about the handsome
couple and their bright prospects ever
since. And there was another one yes=
terday at another church, and the young
people put in again to lend a helping
hand. My young folks stayed at the
church all day, with whole flock Of
chattering birds, and they say they want.
ed frame for wedding bell to hang in
the center of the arch, and 80 I had to
hunt an old bird cage and take out the
bottom and squash in the top and make
it bell shape, and then got an old wash
pan and cut out the bottom and turned it
upside down and fastened it securely and
made 6rst.class bell frame. The girls
covered it with evergreen and roses and
used large Gala lily fof clapper, and
80 it was success aud contributed my
mite to the elysian show. There was no.
body crying thasI observed, and all went
merry as marriage bell.
like the Episcopal marriage ceremony
better than any one, except for one thing
that sometimes don't fit the poor fellow
when he has to say "With all my worldly
goods I thee endow." and perhaps be
hasn't got anything but dog and 8
pocket knife. 1t reminds me of the fell
low who wanted to quit his wife and con-
suited a lawyer as to the division Of the
assets. esquire" said be, "sposin' q fel.
Ter what had nothin' married gal what
had nothin', and they sgreed to quit one
another, is his things hisen and hers hern
-or how? 2"
married a couple once 1t vas thirty
five years ago, when l WAS ajudge of the
inferior court and lived out in the fiat
wooes among the poor folks. They sent
for me one night, and | walked about
mile to little log shanty that had but
one room and two beds and mud and
stick chimney, and great, broad fire
place. The old woman was baking bis.
cult and gingerbread on the hearth, and
frying chicken and roasting 'taters and
making coffee. She had pipe in her
mouth and her daughter had snuff stick
in hers There were about dozen of
the neighbors standing around the door,
and when I said howdy, I asked if the
parties were ready. They pointed to the
girl and said she was, but Jim hadn't
come. In few minutes Jim put in an
appearance. He VIZ. Il rough country
boy and chewed his tobacco hard and
fast. He was "ukeered," the boys said,
and so was I. The outsiders came in and
soon had Jim and Sally before me. I
had got my lesson pretty we'll and was
proceeding along to the close, when sud-
denly / remembered that the law required
me to see the license before performing
the ceremony. l pauzed and said: :"Jim,
T forgot. I must see the license before l
proceed" Jim looked bewildered and
alarmed. Sally putlbe snuff stick in her
mouth. After few moments of silent
embarrassment one of the boys came
forward and handed the document and
said: "I reckon that's hit. l forgot to
give it to jim" So Izhad to begin at
tht, beginning aud do it all over again.
When pronounced them man and wife,
the old woman smiled and said: "Jim,
salute the bride-tl.at's the way I vas
morried" jim gave her smack that
sounded like pulling the stopper out of q
Jug and the buys nll followed suit, and
they looked at me in such way that I
took delicate taste of what they had
left on her juicy lips. / think she
enjoyed it, for was pretty good looking
then
The old woman invited me to stay to
supper, but I excused myself and depart.
ed those coasts, repeating those beautiful
lines of Tom Moore about marriage:
"And OH, thero be an elysium on Garth,
It is this-it s thisp
took note of that young couple Tor
several years-I felt an interest in them,
for I had joined them together, and knew
they lived happily. Jim was a hard.
working boy, and supported his wife and
her widowed mother in comfort aud in
peace, and after the old woman's death
he emigrated to Texas, and got him some
good land and prospered.
Tom Moore always wrote pleasing and
delightful things about marriage, but By
ron was woman hater, and had no con.
6dence in woman's love. He said:
marriages from l'vo, like vinegar from vine
A sad, sour, sober beverage" etc.
Pope does not commit himself, but
said:
"Grave authors say and witty poets slug,
That honest wedlock is glorious thing"
And he encourages the spinsters by
saying,
'There swims no goose so gray, but soon OF late
She finds some honest gandcr for her mate"
Tom Hood sympathizes with the girl
when be says: