The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-12-05
A LONE STAR WEDDING.
The Brides Father Furnished Music by
Shooting at the Groom.

All the old residents of Montague
county, Texas, remember Uncle Henry
Harris, the preacher ferryman, of Red
River during the latter part of the
eighties. There have been many greater
men in this part of the state, and many
more intellectual ones, but there have
been few who were so universally loved
or who were so widely mourned for
after their death. Uncle Henry was a
one-legged man, and the wooden stump
which supplied the place of his missing
member was very primitive affair. It
was joined to the stump of his leg by
strap, which could be removed in few
moments.
Calvin Dubbs half breed Choctaw
Indian. courted his daughter, May Har-
ris. Uncle Henry was opposed to the
suit of Dubbs because of his uugodliness
and bad character. His daughter did
not share in these objections.
One afternoon Calvin Dubbs rode up
to the ferry, and, as the river was high.
asked to be ferried over. The old man
and lobe started to take him across, but
no sooner did they reach the middle of
the river when their passenger whipped
out bowie knife and in a few passes
severed the longer of the two ropes that
bound them to the trolley. The boat
Immediately swung around in the cur
rent and remained stationary in mid
river.
"Whats that?" cried Uncle Henry in
alarm. Don't you know we can't get
across now?"
Don't know about you. 1 kin make
it all right myself"
Calvin sprang to the saddle, urged
his pony over the side of the boat into
the water, and struck out for shore.
The two captives on the boat watched
him helplessly until he gained the shore
they had just left. AS he did so May
came out of the cabin, arrayed in her
Sunday best, and two men on horse
back rode out from their concealment
back of the bluff. The object of the
stratagem gradually dawned on the old
mans mind.
There's goin' to be weddin'," yelled
Calvin from the bank. well let you
attend as witness"
"Whar's yore icenseP" shrieked the
father, "and whar's yore preacherP"
Here's the license" yelled Dubbs,
waving legal-looking document; "can
you read it from there? And this man
here's the preacher"
The couple took their places, and the
alleged preacher began the ceremony.
Uncle Henry began pleading and ex-
postulating, but all in vain. Suddenly
he grabbed the Winchester he carried
in the bottom of his boat, and drew
bead on his prospective son-in-law.
stop that tom-foolishness, or I'll
shoot"
'Shoot and be d-d!" yelled Calvin.
go on, parson!" This latter remark
was addressed to the preacher on shore.
Whatever might be said against Calvin's
morals, nobody ever doubted his nerve.
Crack" sounded the Winchester
from the boat, and with thud a bullet
buried itself in the horn of the bride
groom's saddle. Calvin made a quick
motion toward his own gun, but May
caught his arm.
"Don't!" she cried. .-."Pa won't hurt
you. If he'd wanted to, he'd bored you
the first crack"
The ceremony was brief one, but
every few moments Uncle Henry would
blaze away, just close enough to the
bridegroom to be unpleasant. When it
was all over the party rode away, with
many tantalizing adieux to the captives
on the boat.-jSt Louis Globe Democrat.