Tombstone epitaph., 1890-03-01

cludcd to accept an invitation so cordially given, and laid down on the mattress that had been spread on the floor for my ac- commodation, thinking of the happy go lncky way in which people in the country get married.
 About noon the next day the guests who had been bidden began te arrive some on foot, some on long legged horses and some on short legged ponies, while others came in rickety wagons drawn hy oxen that looked as though they might have been imported from the kingdom of LilliDut, and from that time out there was fun and feasting-that is, if potatoes and pork served in various ways can be said to constitute feast.
 About sunset a man reeling drunk rode up and was helped off of his horse.
 ''IIow are yer jedge?" said mine host.
 ''H'uo, Stringf'ler," said the jedge, looking around stupidly at the assembled guests. who were laughing and giggling, ''which's tn 'cused?"
 "Why, you ain't in co'rt, jedge." re piled StringfellOw. ''This here's a mar riage fe;ts' yer've come to-yer've come here to marry my two gals, Name an Merier.''
 "That's so,' said the jedge, rubbing his head. q knowed tin wuz somp'n I'd come fur. Les b'gin."
 ''Well, come inter the house fust," said the old man.
 "All right, c'm'on," and with a lurch and tack the speaker got inside the door. when he fell sprtWling on the floor. He was helped up and given the back of chair to steady himself by.
 ''Th's 'ere's tn dogondes' oner'nes' flo' I 'ver seed String gf'ler,' he said. stan p, pris'ne
 ''I tells yer this here ain't no co'rt, iedge," said old man Stringfellow, begin ming to get nettied, ''an' my gals ain't no pris' 'ners." |"
 ''Oh, well, 't's all same," said the iedge Stan p, gals, n hole p right ham"
 "W'at's thet fur?'' asked Nancy, as she and her sister and the two bridegrooms stood up ill a row.
 "Guilty UT not''- began the jedge, and then recollecting himself: Do you, :" pointing at Nancy, 'everlastin'ly sw'ar to take this here young f'ler," pointing to Merier's aliianced.
 "No, Idon' >" said the girl; ''thet's''-
 ''To heve an t hole," went on the jedge.
 No, don't" repeated Nancy, stamp ing her foot.
 ''Yer don't?''
 "No, don't"
 "Then Us case mol pros, an this here co'rt's 'journed."
 "Look here, jedge," said the girls father, ''I done tole yer this here ain't no co'rt-this here's weddin'-thet's wat if ;s, ray
 ''Yesh, that's all right, ole man," said the jedge. ''Y' see knowed he'd a case t try an got sorter confused Les g name ?- men w'at's gals an f'ler's name?''
 "Thar's two gals,'' said the old man. ''Nanc' an Merier Stringfeller, an they's going marry Dick Dander an Pete Prin- gle. Thar they stan's right afore yer, now go ahead"
 "All right. D'you, Nanc', take this here Pete-''
 ''No, shan't," said Nanc', "he ain't''-
 ''Yer don't an V shan't; thet pears to be bout all yer're guilty ", pris'ner, " said the jedge, relapsing into court jargon, ''an' don't see nOth'n' U do but 'scharge you. Gives a drink, Stringf'ler; co'rt's JOurneU.
 Stringfellow was at his wits end, though his son, Bill, said it was as good as a circus, aud the company in general seemed to be highly delighted with the performance. There appeared to be no possibility of keeping the jedge on the right tack, and the court was about to be adjourned sine die, sure enough, when 1 suggested the propriety of complying with his request, and giving the legal func- tionary dram, which might brighten him Ip long enough to enable him to go through with the ceremony properly. Ac- cordingly be was taken into the shed room, where the boys slept, and in a few minutes came out again with his face wreathed with smiles. l may use the eX- pression in very truth in this case, for every feature seemed to be twisted this way or that with smIe of it's own, so that he presented 0 most comical appear ance of would be afability.
 He was hurried to the front while the steam was up, when he went through the usual formula in a disiointed way and immediately collapsed and was put to bed, where he lay snoring through all the noise made by the young people, only shouting out occasionally, Silence n co'rt."
 The frolic lasted all night, the cabin, from which the beds had been removed, being transformed into ballroom, in one corner of which an old crippled negro sat scraping a rasping fiddle and calling out the figures of the dance with stentorian voice that was soniewhat cracked.- Robert Boggs in New Orleans Times Democrat.