The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-07-15

once 2 coarse cry is heard near the
back Of the house and out rushes SER
want yelling at the top Of his voice 70
trighten away the e1i! spirits from the
Kitchen 80 that the rice reSSc! may g.
WaSs &c ;ul!
~ th:s time the groom has been
fouud and lead in and placed before I
table On which twu Or more immense
REQ candies are burning. And now the
Two men, one furnished 5v eacn lam
ilv, who are to otficiate take their po-
s;tions and the bride is at last released
from her chair and brought forward,
attended by two or more women, who
are servants. The groomS is accompa-
nied by his father or elder brother,
but also has an attendant, who lends
him ;:ny assistance needed in bis re-
peated proStrations.
The bride is usually clad in a very
richly embroidered silk dress and
wears large and elaborate headdress
which is covered by red embroidered
veil which covers her down to her
waist. Nor is this removed during the
whole ceremony, but she is led about
by the TWO servants. The groom is
dressed in long outer coat with a
large embroidered square in front and
in the back in winter it is lined with
fur and has beautiful collar and cuf1s
Of some rare fur: the shoes are large
and heavy, made Of black silk: the bat
is also large and has a long plume
hanging behind, being caught in the
centre of thetopof the hat by gaudy
ball Of some kind, metal or stone. The
oniciators are draped over the regular
clothes with black and red cloth and
their black caps are ornamented with
brass foil bangles.
The ceremony takes place in the
large outer reception hall and the mob
Of hapgers-on in their filthy rags press
close upon the bride and groom in their
shameless curiosity: at times they
have to be driven back by force.
General pandemonium re e n S
throughout the whole ceremony every
body laughing, talking. testing. while
the regular monotoneS o. the conduc-
tor Of the ceremony and Lhe dull clank
of the gong together with the Shrill
noise of the flute lend weird aspect
to the whole scene and you begin to
wonder that such a sacred thing can
be turned into such mockery. But
back to our waiting couple. The
groom stands on the right side first
and upon a red mat spread before ai1-n
he makes four prostrationS ard then
they change places anu the groom
makes four Eore proStrations on
the left, worshipping heaven and
earth. This much finished, the
groom now has placed in his hands
two pieces of cloth. red or yellow and
green, which is also held by the BRIDE.
Small sacks of the same colors are
placed on the floor leading to smaller
inner room, whittier the groom. walk
ing backward, now leads his bride.
In this chamber they are seated at
tables facing each other while the
priest-like otfciators take up seperate
dishes, one at a time, and bless them.
Nothing is taken by anyone. This pro
cess is called worShipping the food.
AS soon as it is over the groom again
leads the bride over the sacks, which
are taken up and replaced as they ad-
vance into the new ROOM or brides
chamber, which has been elaborately
decorated and here they both are
seated on the bed for a few moments.
The bride has not uncovered up to this
time. but now the room is clared and
she is allowed little fresh air, while
the groom goes out to receive con-
gratulations.
The person wishing to extend con-
gratulations advances and ne and the
groom both prostrate themselves. This
being repeated by the groom many
times during the course Of an hour
.nust be very tiresome, out it is Gus
TOM and must be observed.
After a while the ancestors have to
be worshipped by making prostrations
before the tablets OF each.
When this is all over and the feast
Il ing has s-lasted well into the night and
the men are somewhat -owdy, then
comes the trying time for the bride,
for the young men gather and tease
her, using all kinds of rude and inde.
cent expressions. This is one barbar-
ism that surprises a foreigner con-
stantly, and yet it is SO hard to uproot.
This diSgraceful feature is the eli
max of the carouSal and when it is
over the guests scatter, each one car
rying with him little bCx containing
nuts and candy.
On the next day the bride and groom
must visit the home of tae bride and
then they settle down to a rather COM
mon place life, if rich haTing nothing
to do, nothing to make effort neceS-
Sary-if poor, on the other hand life
has its duties and burdens, and woe
betide the poor thing if she has bound
feet, as is the case almost Invariably
with the wealthier ones.
This is simply the-general outline
for any marriage, but each has it's own
variations and Irregularities. For in
stance, if the groom has no home OF
his own he may borrow the brides.
The joy of the home is tull to over
flowing if the first child is boy, but
if a girl she is not given slch a hearty
welcome.
Mrs. II. l.. JohnSon's Will.
The will of the late Mrs Harriet