Omaha daily bee., 1906-10-30
CAROLINA SQlJIRE'S SPIEL
"a
MarkabIe Marriage Service
|. ON Rncnrd.

The recent death of Colonei David Guy
Maxwell OF Charlotte,fN. C.. is a reminder
OF the fact that he was the inventor of the
original Coon Dog Marriage Ceremony"
Colonel Maxwell was justice OF the peace
and United States commissioner IN the old
southern town of Charlotte for many years
and was as much a landmark as the old
white illared court house In which he
had his office. He was the typical southern
squire in appearanoe--tall, -dignined, courtly
Of manner, with snOw-white hair and
goatee. He arst PERFORMED the Coon dog
ceremony several years ago during McKin-
ley's administration az the marriage of a
couple of negro tenants on his own plan
tation for the edifcation OF a number Of
friends. The contracting parties and the
witnesses enjoyed it so hugely that its
fame soon became spread far and wide,
and negro couples Journeyed miles for the
purpose Of being married by the squire.
Whenever a negro couple presented them
selves at his office with the announcement
that they wished TO get married, the
| squire's first question was always. How
straight or coon dog?" The answer almost
invariably was Coon dog, ef'n 20 please,
suhs'
After few preliminaries the squire
over the top of them at the awed couple,
clear his throat and proceed:
1--WE have assembled here together, my
friends, upon this historic spot where
! No digger's spade
Shall Ger invade
! This classic shade, Il shant
! And no coonie bar
Shall roam up thar,
| Nor anywhar, it. can't.
TO celebrate the nuptial ties Of the couple
present And as they launch their boat on
into the ocean OF connubial bliss we will
| bid them olive oil and fling an old shoe
and a handful of rice fornlnst them; and
may they have smooth sailing and fail
winds over the matrimonial sea; and may
their hull be free from the barnacles OF
life and be never subject 10 squalls MOI
cries Of Ship ahoy.'
by the authority vested in me by the
| commonwealth OF North Carolina, which ii
sometimes called the Tar Heel State OF this
Confederation OF Fusion. and by the county
Of AieclSienburg. known as the cradle Of
| American liberty by the smoking tar kilni
and the bleeding sentinels OF our turpentin,
fields by the old hea-bitten coon dog
| whose basso-profundo voice Is heard In th,
cleaning: by recOllections OF. the Fat balSet
possum with sides lined with sop. swee
potatoes and hoe cake, to say nothing o.
the sweet and luscious watermillion; by tn,
free silver fake OF Is to 1, which som,
think Is the panacea OF all national ills; b!
the Dingley tariff BILL which Is to brini
forth the long-wished for wave of pros
perity; by the song Of the gold bug, which
leome say Is the dirge Of the people and tn
glOrifcatlon OF trusts and monOpolies; b,
the loud and clarion notes OF the oil
Shanghai chanticleer, heard in the earl,
morn calling upon his comrades to shak
on their lethargy; by the old aromau
gourd vine. whose olinging tendrils vii
shade the pickaninnies around your cab
door; and last, but not least, by IN
/ memory OF the Decklenburg, Mecklapen
dence Of Injurgtion, ! pronounce you COO
and coonie. Whomsoever that the law o
North Carolina. have lined together. lie
no coon put asunder. Salute your bride
and may the Lord have mercy upon you
souls. New York Press,