Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-11-12
GETTING MARRIED.
RlBuLATlONS OF A WHITE COUPLE
IN THE FRENCH KONGO.

ending Across the Sea For Their Parents
Consent-A Wedding Canoe with Its
Black Crew-The Happy Couple Said
"Oui" All Right-Drenched Going Home.
Six years ago small party Of white per-
ems wendell their way by canoe to the
buse Of French official in the French
Iongo. Two of the party intended to be
Darried. Being Americans both imagined
tat they would be able TO procure license
oiite easily, not knowing how much red
tpe 1t takes TO satisfy France. Their only
Witness was a French lady, the teacher at
re mission school The French command
ut soon explained that, first of ALL the con-
snt of the governor of the colony was nee
esary. To gain this consent the applica-
tbn must be signed by four witnesses, all
nen over 90 years of age. Soon the wit
psses were procured, and they testified to
tie existence of the intended bride and
COON; so the paper was drawn up, sign
e. and left at the post to be sent to the
gvernor
The wedding party returned and waited.
little over six weeks passed, when notice
arrived that the license could not be grant
eli, inasmuch as the birth certificates of the
contracting parties and the consent of
tieir parents would be necessary. In case
tleir parents were dead their marriage and
death certificates would be required. There
was nothing TO do but to write home and
wait again. The documents which the ex-
pctant bridegroom required arrived after
aDout four months, but those of the bride
did not come until ten months after the
first application was made for the license,
her father living in the wilds of western
Nebraska 20 miles from anywhere.
After all the papers were Mt hand the
commandant visited the bridegroom and
requested him TO go to his Office to arrange
everything so that after "a delay of two
weeks the ceremony might be performed.
These two weeks would be needed TO give
every one living in the neighborhood a
chance to digest the news of the approach
ing marriage, and in case any one knew of
any impeachment in the way to enable him
TO inform the government For convent
ence a paper was nailed up at the post an
nouncing the facts. Another was posted
at the house of the couple to be married, it
being the only other public place in that
vicinity. Since the natives could not read
the paper had to be explained every time
one of them saw 1t.
At last the wedding day dawned, a Sat
urday being chosen for the occasion. Ev-
erything was in readiness the day before,
so that there could be an early start on
this eventful day. The canoe. about 80 feet
long and feet broad, had been fixed up
with an awning from sailcloth, easy chairs
being placed for the wedding party of four
bride groom, bridesmaid and an inti-
mate friend who acted as best man. The ma
tives IA in number, who padded the canoe
were seated on planks fastened across the
canoe.
About o'clock, an hour before sunrise,
the canoe left the station. The groom had
taken it upon himself to steer. The voyage
was quiet and peaceful until some one
shouted IN Phuboo." Every one looked
but the hippopotamus had already disap-
peared, to rise again at a distance. The
water was without a ripple, and the trees
were mirrored in its depths. The banks on
both sides seemed adorned for a feast, so
many beautiful colors were to be seen In
the trees. Everywhere the cries of birds
and monkeys were TO be heard, the rising
sun disturbing the sleepers. Often the
howl of the hyena made discord in these
melodies. After travelling about nine miles
a place called Pilla N'Cumbia Thirsty
Steamer) was reached. Here the river
widens into lake three miles across On
this morning the water was like glass, al
though its waves had often swamped
canoes. An hours strong pull across this
lake, and the river narrowed again. Here
they say monkeys used to cross, forming a
bridge by hanging to each others tails.
The tide going down strongly soon
brought our wedding party TO its desti-
nation, little after a. IN. A German
merchant had invited them to his house
and also prepared TO spread the wedding
breakfast. He, being the oldest among the
Europeans, claimed the right to give away
the bride After they had rested little
and were joined by the necessary witnesses,
they all proceeded to the French post, fol-
lowed by a crowd of Africans who wanted
TO see this strange performance. At the
post everything was unusually nice. One
could see that they had been very busy
preparing to do justice to this grand occa-
sion Even new carpet graced the floor.
Monsieur the commandment received the
bridal party at the door and took them to
their different seats, and chairs were placed
for the couple to be married at the foot of
the table, while the representative of
France took the head. The witnesses and
others were seated at the sides.
After all were seated monsieur proceeded
with the ceremony. He read very rapidly,
but it was over half an hour before he
came to the momentous question and ask
ed the bride and groom TO say "oui. " They
said "oui, " and then he asked them to
sign n large document After the sigma
lures of the witnesses followed congratu-
lations, and all was over until seated
around the table at the German factory
Ten white people partook of this breakfast
which could not be surpassed in tropical
Africa. About p. m. the canoe was ready
and all the white people came to the river
beach to see the newly married couple off.
The bridesmaid and best man returned
with them. Throwing old shoes and rice
after the canoe was now the order of the
day. The return voyage at first was as
pleasant as the morning journey, only the
sky was a little cloudy and tornado was
coming up. After passing the big lake the
clouds began to look darker, the lightning
flashing on all sides, and the river seemed
to boil, the water was so rough. Soon the
roaring Of the wind and rushing of the
coming rain told of danger
The canoe was out in the middle of the
river when the wind struck it. There was
nothing to do but to try to reach the shelter
of the shore. Birds were fluttering in all