The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-03-19
ARP ON MATRRlMONI.
HE THINKS THE PEOPLE MUST
BE PROSPERING.

HE THINKS THE PEOPLE MUST
BE PROSPERING.
The Foundation OF This Beliefs the Num-
be- of Marriages Among the Young
Folks--some Recoliections.
Atlanta Constitution.
Our people must be praspering, ior
the young folks are mating aod marry
ing all around US. 7. seems 20 an
epidemic or a contagion or so;eethng,
and the town talk is, ''wno nexl y
Some of the poets sing sadly about sear.
riage, but most everybody takes a
lively interest in. the performance,
and it looks less like funeca! han
anything I know of. Only q few days
ago one of tie churches was dressed in
bridal robes, and half the town gath
cred the:a . gee aad to hear and give
good wisnes, and everybody felt so
good, that the, kissed all-round, and
they have been talking about the
handsome couple and their bright
prospects ever Since. And there was
another cue yesterday OF another
church, and the young people put in
again to lend helring hand. My
yeunr fc;ks stayed at the church all
day, with whoc flock of chatteriag
birds, and thsy said they wanted
frame fer wedding bell to hang in
the centre cf the al ch, aad SO had to
hunt up an cid bird cage and take out
the Bottom and squash III the top and
make it bell shape, ard then / got an
old wosh pan and cut out the bottom
and turned it upside down and fasten-
cd it securely and made first class
bell frame. TIE girls covered it with
evergreens and roses and used a large
Gala lily for clapper, and so it was
success and contributed uy mite to
the elysian show. There was NOBODY
crying that I observed, and all went
merry as marriage bell.
like the Episcopal marriage cers-
mcny better than any, except for ono
thnis that sometimes don't fit the poor
fellow when he has to say With all
my worldly goods 1 thee endow," and
perhaps he hasn't got anything bus a
dog and = pocket knife. 1t reminds
| me of the Sellow.whe wanted to quit
his wife and consulted lawyer as to
the division of the assets. Squire"
said he, "sposin' feller what had
nothin married a gal what had nothin'
and they agree to quit one another, is
his things hisen and hern hern-or
how?"
married a couple once. It was
thirty-fve years ago, when was a
Judge of the inferior court and lived
out in the fat woods among the poor
folks. They sent for me one night,
and I walked about milo to . little
log shanty that had but one room a2d
two beds and a mud and stick chimney
and a great, broad FIRE place. The
ole woman was baking biscuit and
gingerbread or the hearth, and frying
chicken and roasting 'taters and max
ing coffee. She had q pipe in her
mouth and her daughter had snuff
stick in hers. There were about
dozen ofthe 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 WIS,
but Jim hadn't come. In a few minutes
jim: put in his appearance. He was a
rough country boy and chewed his
tobacco hard and fast. He was ''skeer-
ed" the boys said, and so was l. The
outsiders camcin and Isoon had jim
and Sally before me. [ had got my
lesson pretty well and was proceeding
along to the close, when suddenly |
remers bered that the Law requil ed me
to see the license before performing
the ceremony. l paused and said:
s'Jira. forgot. I must see the license
before proceed" jim looked bewil-
dered and alarmed. Sally put the
stick in her mouth. After few mo-
ments of silent embarrassment one of
the boys came forward and handed
the document and said: Il reckon
thst's hit. forgot to give it to jim "
So had to begin at the beginning and
do it all over again. Whes I pro-
rounced them man and wife the old
W oman smiled and said: jim, salute
the bride-that's the way was mar
ried." Jim gave her smack that
sounded like pulling a stopper Gus OF
a Jug and the boys all followed suit,
and they looked at me in such way
that took e Selicate taste OF what
they had left on her juicy lips. l think
she enjoy ed it, for was pretty good
looking then.
| The old woman iavited ne to stay
to supper, but excused myself and de-
parted those coasts repeating those
| beautiful lines ef Tom Moore about
| marriage:
and Oh, there be an elysiunl on earth
It's this-it is this!
4 poet cannot disguise his heart, and
| it il q comfort for woman to know that
the greatest and purest and best OF
them have paid homage AID tribute to
the marriage relation. But the man
and the women must be mated as well
as married. 1t is the mismating that
brings so nuch discredit upon theic-
stitution and keeps the young men
from prospering. They are afraid to
venture e-more afraid than the women.
I have known many girl to keep her
Hover in tow, but st a respectful dis
tance, hoping fora better catch. After
awhile she accepts him asa last resort
Colonel Stansell told me to-day Of
young married woman who some years
ago who came to HIM to procure Il
divorce. AS she was very reticsn5
about stating her grounds tor asking
to be separated, he encouraged her oy
reading over the various things that
| the law expressed, out she said no to
all of them. When he pressed her
| for reason, she blushed and said she
bad married hin tor fifty, but had
found out he was seventy-fcur. The
/ -. ;..e. l,o Iaor, tnn,nteG hu his