The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-24
IN THE INFARE COUNTRY.
Il PIRTT IN a LAND WHERE MAR
RIIGE Is SOT 4 FAILURE.

OF = urido and 'h"
Gussis - Preparations Tor the junction
s,snss on tho R1rntrni supper.
Did you ever - to an infarci In certain dis
tr,cts down 90 nth. when tho son OF weIl'to'do
parents gets him a wife, tho function hold N
honor OF The event - termed an !nfATe. IL miShS
DO called \ reception IN fashionable ci-clcs. or it
might bo called All n: home" bat l; is an In
fare. more coinpro!,enatvc and cordial than
eithe. o. ;ho other f.nctions.
Ihe.o would bc no trouble about the Invita-
SNm II you happened to 10 staging IN tho neigh
horhood, but tow people Owe: happen 20 DO In
that nclEhborhood. Thoy are either horn thero
or they 20 thcro deliberately. The nciKhbor-
hood is hard TO get nj. 1t Is miles away from
everywhere and there Ia not a hotel or n house
where you could stop for money within leagues.
To 20 there you W ould have to get off tho train
at lizzie e'a,ion whore IL stops so seldom that
Intending passengers havs TO flag IL down, and
then you would hive 10 drive away out into tho
heart Of .Ac country. When YOU got TO tho point
where the people siid that they had Just as lief
haul their cotton TO ono town ms tho other. be.
cause both were so far OF, you would le In :ho
infarc country. and IL You wcrc n wording or n
Gothamitc you would DO born again so to
speak, and breathe in tho pristine virtues with
the resinous scent OF the pines.
Marriage Is not a failure in that country; at
least II IL Is III ItuIlr " v hiio ~ - th'hN
about It. Matrimony is regarded as n sort Of
Joint stock concern. In which IL either party
fails in his obligations tho other must needs
wait and give him credit until he catches up;
not shut things down with n bang tho moment
there is delinquency. II tho delinquent never
does catch ~up-wcll, it is something to DO borne
as best it may. The original compact holds good
in any case. But to get back to the infarc.
"Nat Carson's second bow. Yves, Is goin' to
T. r--.- ---t -xoI - H. .---t
goes ont.
"Whcn's the infare to be =
"Two DAYS after tho wedding. I suppose tho
girls folks want to see something of her. Be-
sides it's a good trip from there to Carson's.
Old Carson's pretty well fixed. A bale to the
acre is what he gets off most Of his land. They
like this match. / reckon there'u be a big
blowout"
A prince with the honors and without the
responsibilities OF royalty is happy: a lover in
the first consciousness that he is beloved trcads
on air; but neither is as burstingly blisstul as
the negro boy intrusted with tine bidding OF the
iDfare guests.
"Take Black Moll and go to all the places on
this side OF the creek to-day" no is told, land
tomorrow you can go out on the Bull Swamp
road"
Halcyon moment! Tony can hardly contain
himself. He rubs up Black Mol until he ca n
almost see his face in her sides. sticks a sprig
Of holly into her bride. and then. tying her
to tho poison-berry tree, ~retires to make his own
toilet. When he appears. a half hour later,
wearing boots with a spur attached, a whole
hat. a paper collar. and other irregular acces-
series he is a very lively looking courier, In
deed. His brooches may DO faded and sum.
merry. his coat n size too large, his neck.
cloth inclined to ride up, but nothing
can overcome the enthusiasm OF his shining
face and the important air with which he flicks
his whip and spurs Moll close up to tho piazza
steps, to await orders. The mule. accustomed
only to the prompting OF bare heels. resents the
innovation. and so affords fresh opportunity fol-
the rider to display his powers.
do you think he had better go by the Gold
ings r. the mistress asks her husband as the
courier waits without. " Thought I would ask
sophie Golding. l amt taken the sacrament
comfortable since we fell out about them knives
at the church supper"
Her lord looks thoughtful.
We'll. l reckon he better had" he says al
length. Let bygones be b~ygones. It's better
to let the young people start out fresh, with no
body fcelin' hard against them"
That's what l thought" agrees his wife.
Though I did say moro than once that I never
calculated to ask a Golding to pull her hat in
side my door again. And-the Dunkinsl Mus
he go therei It's quite a piece out Of his course
and they never seem to notice any OF our church
people. don't believe they'd know Wesley i
they were to meet him in the road. since he
got TO be so tall and grown up"
II know. 'Piscopalian people is generally up
pish, but 1 wouldn't disremember the Dunkins.
says her counsellor promptly. "A Carson ant
Dunkin come to this country the same time
long years ago, when there was nothin' here
and the General never fails to give me tine tim
of day when l meet him in town. It's How ar
you, Carson hope they're all well at home,
and n shake OF the hand, no matter how man,
people he's talking TO. Let him go by Dunkins
by all means. II they come. all well and good
If they don't, we've passed the compliment. an
there won't be no great harm DONE"
"Well! Here you are. Tony" calls the mis-
tress, handing him the list. In a few moment
Tony and his mule. by no means one in purpos
owing to that menacing spur. are of on thei
eventful errand.
An hour or SO later q warning Halo :" at tn
gate Of the first place he reaches sets the dogs I
barking and warns the inmates that an even
long looked forward to has at length come I
pass. Two or three sheets Of paper pastea t.
Rether in a long strip. on which is inscribed tn
list of the guests invited. is the form of inv
tation. A pencilled cross or dash affixed t
each name will signify to the host that the mo-
senger has done his duty and carried the list t
each house. Tony is furnished with a penc
for the jotting down OF these dashes. and whe
he leans down from his saddle and presents hi
insignia of commission, touching his tall ha
meanwhile ana preserving a dignitied front, b
does credit TO himself and the Carsons;
The intare invitation comprehends the whol
family, from the baby in the cradle to the grant
sire and grandamc; the maiden aunt, the visi
Ing cousin. the stranger within the gates, a
are expected; Those whose homes are too far o
to admit OF their making the return trip in tn
twenty'four hours, pack up the necessary col
veniCnces and reckon on spending tho nigl
with acqnaintances living within driving di
lance. The whole ncighborhood Is vitality II
tercstcd in the occasion, for those living nearei
TO the holders OF the infare must needs max
ready for thc coming of pnbiddcn, wayfareI
who VIII REQUIRE beds, breakfast. and the max
unof a luncheon hamper as well, before the
can set our on their homeward trip.
BY putting mattresses on tho parlor foo
and using tho shed ROOM for the men to sleep \
can accommodate q good many" says III
Carsons' nearest neighbor. II know the Bra,
lords VIII calculate 70, stay with us, and Cousi
Flornnthcs folks will come and maybe son
DINER people on that road. Then Warren's ste
uncle over tho river will be along with h
family. There amt none Of that househol
been over hero In nearly two years; not sine
hIIgg "a rlt,nf. n,--. - ---. - - .ta