Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-12-13
Old Times.

| tell you some OF the tnO0SnCS Cnat
passed through my mind as I sat,
Thanksgiving day, waiting for the
young folks who were to be married on
that day to make their appearance9
As the hour drew near for the couple
to appear, how many eyes were turned
| towards the door they were to pass for
the last time as single, Independent
| beings or individuals. For when a
couple have taken upon themselves the
bows of matrimony, they are no longer
their own, bnt belong to each other.
And when OF last the stiffness Is brok-
en- by their appearance and the parties
take their places, how hushed as the
minister comes forward and addresses
the couple, and asks the proper ques-
tions and they take the vows of matri-
mony, and he talks to them of the du-
ties and responsibilities of married
life. How silent, how hushed, as we
hear him pronounce them husband and
wife. And then the greeting. How,
as l sat silently looking on, the scenes
of my early life came trooping up SO
fast. One scene shall never forget.
was justice of the peace, and the
only justice for miles around. So, of
course, l got most of the marrying to
do. One day was ploughing my corn
away down in the bottom field, with
Old Hickory-for that was the name
of my first horse. AS we were just
making the dirt fly, saw man COM
ing by leisurely towards the field. As
he seemed in no hurry, we kept on
ploughing. 1 thought if be had any
business with me he could make it
known. 1 saw him get over the fence
and seat himself on log at some dis
tance from us, and there he sat and took
out his knife and went to whiting. Az
ter while 1 said to Old Hickory,
"Let's go and see what that fellow
wants. I'll bet chicken he wants to
get married!' So walked to where
the fellow was sitting. said, "Do
you want anything of me?'
"Yes, after you have done work for
to-day"
"Well, what do you want?"
'Oh, go ahead and finish your days
work. am in no hurry"
"Well, what do you want anyway"
..He said. There couple over at
the Knob that wants to get married"
told him 1 would quit and go and
get ready and go with him.
He said, There's no hurry; finish
up your days ploughing."
mo, don't care about ploughing
any more to-day"
He said, "Do you know any way to
get to the Knob without going through
the town."
I said, s.Look here! is it a runaway
coupler"
"Yes. sorter, and sorter not"
"Well, how much of sorter?''
He said, ''I'll tell you. The feller
and his mother and brothers and sis
ters started from old Tennessee for
Missouri, and this young feller was
engaged to girl to be married and |
her folks objected to her going so far
away. If he would stay in Tennessee
they had no objections. So after the
feller's folks had gone two days, this
girl tied up her things and took her
foot in her hand and put out after
them on the fourth day. She over
took the family and came on to Pilot
Knob with them, and now the feller
has got job in the furnace and is get
ting good wages and they want to get
married"
1 said, 'Ain't you the chap that
wants to get married?"
He said, "Yes, am. But, you see,
l hain't been to work very long, SO
don't want to have to make any fuss
or git-up for the boys. So, if you
know any way to get to the house
where we are going to live I want to
go that way"
I told him we would go as soon as
could go home and slick up little.
s.Oh, you need not mind Sticking up
any,"
..Well, I must go home and get my |
saddle and ride oyer" So we took |
right over the low divide east of the
Knob. which brought US right to the
cabin they were going to live in.
When we got to the cabin, l saw the
floor had been scrubbed clean as water |
would make it. In the cabin was a |
table with few dishes. BY the side of
the fireplace were some cooking uten-
sils. Then there were three new split
bottom chairs, and on chest a pile of
clothes clean, just washed. But we
saw no one there, so this fellow said.
81 guess Sarah has gone down to
Mans" So he brought out two chairs
for us to sit in. We had hardly got
seated, when here came large, ro-
bust, healthy looking girl, l should