New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-08
JERENT3R'S WEDDING.
PECULIAR FEATURES OF NEGRO MARRIAGE
CEREMONY IN LOUISIANA

From The New-Oreans Times Democrat
i IS not very often that leave my own hreslde
son blankets IN the west and the frogs croaking
hoars aly along the slough by the willows But from
Of wood ono night las, winter and fingered TO an.
noun %. with solemn expression ~ preternatural
Mss saily WlInr.% ste,mined to attend attend hi.
wedding. even II had 70 foot IL all the way. and
viii could make II SO For Jerry more TO me
than tho ordinary plantation Niger who "totod"
Jerry had tod .E Us that he Was to be married BY
ably early and had TO walt "A long while before the
res of the CONGREGATION came strarsns In
tattered about tho legs but with festive air about
ms cont which wa oSSt s.h shny e IKE ns inSs
over the scene But no enc seemed much inter
G IN s rod M ia" s syes w so
only the whites were Visible. and begar to chant
b S cd n %u from "very pari OF sweet
Church shrill trehes and deep. rich basses Joined
drS S Sra d dsv s weUd be making
dron,ng noise IKE som" great lazy humhebee on
eyes. and then i would swell again into perfect
was interested IN tho music that almost
forgot was at a wedding. until suddenly the sing
ors bJrst with great vim into
Let yer lamps be trimmed an burnin.
When Their bridegroom comes:
Let scr lamps he trimmed an burnin'
when she comes
mir which does duty wedding march
turned my head to the bridal party advancing
and turning Of heads and the tall gentleman with
the black coat cried Order, Let there be order in
their places In the congregation and assisted tho
bridal party 10 arrange themselves an the wooden
sdics dresses until no. even the TIPS Of their toes
were visible. The. bride was all in pale blue and
bushes. Flowers were twined In her dCsky locks
and hung so Tar down over her nose that she bad
to hold her head IN like belligerent young heifer
getting ready to hook, to keep them out OF her
eyes The Bridesmaid who wore a yellow dress
and veil. too. had much the same aspect.
But l have never seen such picture OF dire
misery rs poor Jerry presented in this hour he hai
looked forward to so long; He sat with hts chin
dropping on his niue tie and his whte-gloved hands
resting on his knees while the singers sang on
Justify:
When the bridegroom
His mouth hung wide open and his small blood
shot eyes were fixed on vacancy. tried to catch
his eye and smile encouraginely but 1t was In vain;
when tho ceremony began and he repeated II. Mr.
Jeremiah Taylor take this Miss Sally Williams"
pressive that he quite overawed me- Jerry's voice
sounded hoarse with despair.
and Jerry after great deal Of hesitation. had
saluted his bride. a few OF tho sisters rushed up
and and Sr Brides and we shook hands With them
m he # h Ss f hsd Seen pe na
their expressions OF tense rightly never RELAXED
brothers politely nnd kindly handed us cake ami
wine, No one In tie church was forgotten or neg,
hunk Of cake. and ! could not but compare the
perfect order that reigned with the confusion I
have seen In some fashionable churches, where
ladies stood on benches and josted and pushed each
other apparently forsctfui that they were In the
House of God.
The bridal party refused all retreshments with
an air OF gentility and as they sat bolt upright
the hard bench facing the congregation II was not
easy to realize that they had ever been. or ever
would he again. happy. careless negroes working
IN tho cotton and corn. on terms OF intimacy with
their fellow beings. After all the cake and wine
commencing with a chant and ending With wild
refrain. In which they Joined with swaying bodies
and dark. flashing eyes;
And as its measure died away on the spring night
We turned our faces homeward. leaving Jerry with
the look OF awful desoaton still imprinted on his
bride who sat with nose high In air. II was re-
lief to my feelings when he came In next morning.
as smiling as usual. with nothing out OF the COM
mon run about him except his Sunday pants" and
assured me with look Of rapt ecstasy that every.
body said II or fine weddin and that he'd had
one good time II he never had another A statement
which goes to prove the wise old saying that ap-
pearances are deceitfu That evening the deep
beat OF n drum broke upon the sweetscented still
ness the bridal party, with drummer at their
time-honored custom with tho negroes here which
answers In lieu OF honeymoon trip. and always
follows fashionable wedding just as the beg
ging basket" and the written invitation always pre-
cede H. The two customs are adapted from those
OF their white friends Only the negroes are "A 1T
tie honest about soliciting bridal presents
than are. =, 49,
can stlI see Sally sweeping her gallery with a
new broom when look down the road these bright
spring mornings. and Jerry informs me daily that
'me and Sally amt quarrelled yit" SO guess that
70 far all has been smooth sailing.