The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-04-01
SECRET MARRIAGES.
Are the Rule in the Mountain DIS.
tricts of the South

Are the Rule in the Mountain DIS.
tricts of the south.
There are few places and few grades
of life, in either tile rural or the urban
world, where the word wedding" is not
a synonym for Joy and festivity. Only
the cynic or the misanthrope protests
against the wedding celebration. We
wear out most customs, but the we'd
ding feast remains. While very likely
not the only place in the world, the only
place in my experience where there is
any general concealment of proposed
connubiality and nuptial intent is in
the mountains of the south. 1t NAV be
generally known that "Zeb" is ''lleep-
ing regular company" with Lie"
Suddenly the town will be appraised of
the fact that "Zeb and Lie done got
married last night" This constitutes
what might be called an anticipated
surprise.
Sometimes in the large settlements
due notice will be given and the we'd
ding take place in the little church or
in the building used in common for all
public representations services,
school, political gatherings and timer
ant shows. That practice is, however,
generally confined to the elite of the
community. In one place in my expert
ence the popular resort for the perform
ance of the ceremony was the broad
platform in the rear of a local sawmiH.
I could discover no ground for the popu-
larity of the spot. Sometime few init
l.. I l
Sometimes none was observer save the
causal passer-by. More frequently there
were no witnesses save the sun above
the Iumber-piles around.
Concerning that spot local magis-
trate tells an amusing story. y certain
man had been unfortunate in the lon
gevity of his selections, had been twice
married and twice bereaved. He called
upon the magistrate to otficiate at a
third ceremony. AS the happy pair
took their places before him, upon the
mill platform, to pledge their faith and
love, he said to the groom: Move a
little further over this way, John. Toe
up to that line. That is where you've
always stood before" And there was
no proceeding until John had "toep up"
A man who was doing some work for
me came to me one day at noon and
asked permission to be absent until
"quartering time" $3.50 o'clock. He
said nothing to me or to his associates
of his purpose. He returned promptly
on time, to announce, in a casual and
indifferent manner, that during his alb
4 Il i !,
the little furniture possessed by the
pair, had settled in a cabin of his own.
Again and again have ! seen the same
plan followed in other cases.
The ground for so general observance
of secrecy could not discover. 1t holds
with both the intention of marriage and
the precise time of the ceremony. l
think it is due in considerable measure
to fear of that narrowing performance
known as the charivari--in the idiom,
"shivaree." To those unfamiliar with
that entertainment 1 can only describe
it as most excruciating pandomonium,
effected by combinations of pots and
pans, horns and bowling. 1t takes the
form of an evening serenade to the
newly welded pair. The officiating
musicians comprise all the young men
and boys for miles around. | have been
the unfortunate auditor of one or two
such performances, and if l knew that
one were to take place around the walls
of my dwelling if | married | should
choose to Tive a bachelor" | blame
no man for retaining his secret to avoid
the experience. The poorer classes,
with whom the concealment is a general
practice, have no money to spend for
the entertainment of their friends.
Not infrequently, there is no money for
even a new gown for the bride. The
affair then becomes simple matter of
mutual agreements the business IS dis
patched without fuss or features and
the journey to paradise is taken by the
most direct ronte.-N. Y. Post.