The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-03-20
ARP JtrrrATRIMOMY. Jtr
HE THINKS THE PEOPLE MUST
BE PROSPERING.

FoIks--SOnic Recoilections.
Atlanta Constitution.
Our people must be prospering, FOR
the young folks are mating and marry
ing all around us. IT seems to an
epidemic or contagion or something,
and the town talk is, "who next."-
Some ofthe poets sing sadly about mar
riage, but most everybody takes a |
lively interest in. the performance,
and it looks le.s like funeral than
anything I know of. Only few days
ago one Of the churches was dressed in
bridal robes, and half the town gath
cred there to see and to hear and 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 ono yesterday at another
church, and the young people put in
again to lend helping hand. My
young folks stayed at the church all
day, with whole flock of chattering
birds, and thoy said they wanted a
frame for wedding bell to hang in
the centre of the arch, and 80 l had to
hunt mp an old bird cage and take out
the bottom and equash in tho top and
make 1T bell shape, and then / got an
| old wash pan and cut out tho bottom
and turned it upside down and fasten-
ed it securely and made a first class
bell frame, The girls covered it with
eversrecns and roses and used y largo
calla lily fora clapper, and SO it was q
success and l contributed MY mite to
the elysian show. There was nobody
crying that l observed, and all won't
| merry as u marriage bell.
like the Episcopal marriage csrv-
mcuy better than any, except for ono
thing that sometimes don't fit the poor
tellow when he has to say with all
my worldly goods i thee endow," and
perhaps he hasn't got anything but y
dog and = pock, knife. 1t reminds
mo of the follow who wanted to quit
his wife and consulted lawyer as to
the division Of the nssels. esquire, :"
aid he, 'spos,n' q feller what had
nothin' married a gal what had nothin'
and they agree to quit one another, is
his things hiSeu and hcrn hern-or
| how?"
| married a couple once 1t was
thirty-live years ago, wac. I was a
judge of the Inferior court and lived
out in the fat woods among the poor
folks. They sent for me one night,
nd | walked about mile to q little
log shHnty that had but ono room asd
two beds and q mud and stick chimney
and great, broad fire place The
OLD woman was baking biscuit and
gingerbread on the hearth, and frying
chicken and roasting Eaters and MAX
ing coffee. She hal IL pipe in hsr
mouth aud her daughter had n snuff
stick in hers. There wore about a
dozen ofthe neighbors standing Al ound
the door, and when | said howdy,
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 his appearance. Ho was a
rough country boy and chewed his
tobacco hard and fast He was "skeer-
ed," the boys said, and so was |. The
outsiders cane in and soon hal Jim
and Sally before me. [ had cot nv
lesson pretty well and was proceeding
along to tbs close, whom suddenly I
remembered that the Law requil ed me
to see the license before performing
the ceremony. | paused and said :
Jim, forgot. | must see the license
before | proceed" Jim locke ed beyil-
dered and alarmed. Sally put the
stick ia her mouth. After a few mo-
ments of silent embarrassment one of
tho boys came forward and handed
| the document and said: 81 reckon
that's hit. forgot to give it to Jim 4"
so | had to begin at the beginning and
do it all over again. WheE pro-
nounced them man and wife the old
" oman smiled and said: "Jim, salute
the bride--thats the way was mar
ried." Jim gave her smack that
sounded like pulling stopper out of
a jug and the boys all followed suit,
and they looked at me In such a way
that l took a delicate taste Of what
they had left on her juicy lips. I think
she cnjo> ed it, for was pretty good.
| looking then.
! The old woman invited me to stay
to supper, but excused myself and de-
| parted those coasts repeating those
beautiful limos Of Tom Moore about
marriage:
And oh, there be an elyslum on earth
Ills this-it Is this
A poet cannot disguise his heart, and
it is comfort for woman to know that
the greatest and purest and best of
them have paid homage and tribute to
the marriage relation. But the man
and the women must be mated as we'll
as married 1t is the mismating that
briuys 80 much discredit upon the H.
stitulion and keeps the young mon
from prospering. They are afraid to
venture more afraid than the women.
| have Known many girl to keep her
lover in tow, but at respectful dis
tance, hoping for better catch. After
awhile sho accepts him as last resort
Colonel Stansell told mo to day of
young married woman who some years
ago who came to him to procure a
divorce. AS she was very reticent
about stating her grounds for asking
to be separated, he encouraged her BY
reading over the various things that
the law expressed, but she said no to
all Of tEem. When he pressed her
for reason, she blushed and lid she
bad married him for fifty, ut had
l In mi