The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-03-19
Method in His Madness
Humorous Account Of a Negro
Marriage That Occurred in
Vance County Some Years
Ago and How the Guests
WereDisappointed and Sent
Home Hungry.
KATIE DID n G.. March IA,

MATTE DID, N. u, MdfCu Ii, I0OC
MIR. EDIToR:-Being down here all
alone and hit a raining to use one OF
Bill Apps favorite expressions, | have
ruminated right smart, and it seems
that everything, good or bad, that has
occurred since | have been at this, the
garden spot of great big scope of
country, Gf not OF the worldD has passed
in review Am glad to say that not
many bad or disagreeable things occur
here. SO,
When of all your troubles you would be rid
Strike il Decline for Katie Did;
But don't come nOW-tell you why
You may like milk and the COW is dry.
Most any other time you can set your day,
Will have plenty milk the latter part of May.
Among many other occurrences that
have passed through my mind a negro
marriage that was pulled off here five or
more years ago looms up in all OF its
uniqueness, and as the wind-up OF the
affair, for that day is somewhat out OF
the usual and smacks a little of Fren-
zied Finance, with your permission, |
will endeavOr to give you an account OF
it as graphically as | can and as accu-
rately as | can at this late day recall the
happenings:
The contracting parties were old man
Fed Henderson's boy, June. as groom
and old man Buck Dunston's daughter,
Mary Ann, as the bride Several weeks
before the day appointed many written
invitations were sent out and each and
all of the invited requested Tin fact given
to understand) that if they couldn't or
wouldn't send a cake they needn't come.
When the day appointed arrived it was
an ideal fall day and about the middle
of the evening quite crowd gathered at
Buck g house, where the knot was prop
erly tied by preacher-man of color. If
the program was carried out there must
have been right many cakes. for it was a
good sized crowd. After the ceremony
the crowd remained at Bucks house for
an hour or longer, having the time of
their lives; talking loud, laughing, clap
ping hands; jumping and giving express
sion to their feelings as only negroes
can. Just before shutdown they started
for Feds house and supper, not far dis
tant. They passed very near me and
had a good view OF the procession and
don't think ever saw happier crowd.
Some of the women had two or more
escorts, Others one; some holding hands,
some with their arms around the girls
waists and all keeping up the merriment
begun at Buck house. On arriving at
Feds house supper was not ready, or
at least, was not announced, and they
had to wait so long that their merri-
ment tagged little, but not entirely.
Finally old Fed made his appearance in
the door and, of course, all thought to
announce supper. But not so; the old
man stood motionless for short while
with his hat on; then taking his hat off
and holding it in his left hand, his right
hand extended as high as he could get it
above his head, in tremulous voice
pitched on a high key, he said: "All
youse out dar in the yard heah now,
cause | got supin to tell you, an wan
you to heah it, and heah it good too.
Dem folks up at Bucks hise made me
mad bout dis marin wanted um to
git married at my hise, cause my hise
is biggern Bucks hise and den de marin
and supper wud all be down here toged-
der. but dey wudn't do it and dun got
mad now. Vas, dun got mad all over.
| tell y all er nur thing dun dun, an It's
the Gawd's trufe, l dun tuck all de sup
| per, dem cakes an all, often de table an
| put dem en- my cubbud an lock UNI up an
| fU Ge"d mar one un yer is guino TO tor
git moufful teat heah dis night. Eff eny
un yer is hongry ian spec you is, cause
l reck'n sum un yer didn' eat emmy dinner
spectin' to eat desc cakes yer better go
whar yer cum FUN an git supin teat,
fur dere ain muffin tall heah fur yer, shot"
And so it ended. The crowd had to
leave supperless. OF course the method
in Feds madness is very plain He fig
ured something like this: ''All dis sup
per, desc cakes an all will las me en- my
family nj bout week, an if | let all
dem niggers out dar in de yard cum in
here dey'll eat 'tup in er a mint, an
ain gwine ter do it." And he didn't. |
never did fad out where the bridal
chamber was. Twas to have been at
Feds but the old fellow was so mad
that possibly he sent them away also
How be it, the couple, with their three or
more children, live near me and are
happy, hope.
He her boy June, she his Mary Ann:
But Feds financierng, beat it if you can.
| "UNCLE DICK -