The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1912-03-12
lust Cause
For Forbidding Wedding
By OSCAR cox

Just before the civil war broke out
there was a colored man living on
plantation In Tennessee called Court
ney st. Leger. This aristocratic name
seems so out Of place for a negro
slave that word of explanation is nee
essary. 1t had been derived from Colo
mel st. Leger, who had owned the man
in Louisiana, and previous master
named Courtney, for at that time ne
groes took their names from their
owners.
Now, Courtney had had wife on the
Courtney plantation, and from her he
had been divorced by the fact only
that he had been sold to Colonel st.
Leger. While under the colonels own
ership he had married another wife,
and few years later he had been sold
to Mr.. Harland of Tennessee. Not
long after he had been bought by Mr..
Harland he concluded to take wife
from among the women owned by that
gentleman.
Susan Clarke. whose name had come
to her from former master. had been
bought in New Orleans. How many
husbands she had had would not have
been known on the Harland plantation
had it not been that Pete Lefevre, one
his wife Phoebe had been bought at
the same time with her and knew Of
at least two that she had had under
different ownerships.
Courtney and Susan concluded to
blot out their remembrances of past
connubial bliss and trials by taking
each other for lawful partners. Mis-
sey Harland, as they called their mis-
tress, was good woman and would
like to have stemmed the current of
such marriages among her slaves, but
the system Of slavery was not condu-
sive to squeamishness on the subject.
and she was obliged to take the situa-
ton as she found 1t. So long as couples
were sold apart there were to be found
cases wherein strict regard for the
letter Of the divine institution of mar
riage was not observed. So when per-
mission to marry was handed in ut the
manor house it was granted. The we'd
ding took place in an Episcopal church.
The rector was colored, and the we'd
ding guests were also people of color.
The pair marched up the aisle to the
chancel. the groom with magnolia in.
his buttonhole. the bride in white
muslin gown given her by her mis-
tress. The ceremony went on glibly
till that part of the service was reach
ed in which the clergyman says:
II any man can show just cause why
they may not lawfully be joined together
let him now speak or forever after hold
his peace.
Then Pete Lefevre arose from among
the wedding guests and said:
II know why Court st. Leger
shouldn't marry Sue Clarke. Fust off.
Pete. he got three wives areddy. and
Sue. she got two husban's knows on
and
The remarks were interrupted by
Uncle Ben Parker. who arose with
threatening look on his face. The
bride, the groom. the clergyman and
guests oil changed their astonished
glances from Pete to Uncle Ben.
''Wha' TO- 20 mis'able Louisiana mig
ger yo' cum hyar TO t max distu'b-
ance in de house OBJ de Lord? Yo'
shut up dat red and black mouf O.
yourn or dis hyar congregation gwine
to put yo' OUT"
How can be asked to show Just
cause why Court and Sue mayn't law
fully be jined togedder and yo' say yo'
gwine put me out eff dor
Ben scratched his head. looked like
bull just about to lift rail fence
with his horns and finally said:
"Dat part O de ceremony want
meant TO niggers at all. 1t war meant
TO- white folks"
"You's all wrong" said Nose Tucker
coming into the fray. white folks
dom pay no mo- 'tention to dat dan
niggers. De finest people an de rich
est people in de worl' hab de mos hus-
bands and wives"
How dey do TT" asked Uncle Ben.
by divo'ce-jist as easy as fallin
off'n creased log But dem kind o
weddin's tax money. OATS de reason
de richer dey air de easier 1t air tc
swap husban's and wives"
"Bredderin'." said the parson. look
! ing benignly over his spectacles, 'you's
all gwine wrong. De Lord amt nc
suspecter OBJ pussons. he hab de same
law TO- de white man and de niger
It's de INTERPRETATION wha' mak's de
difference. De white man interfrets
de word accordin' to his possessions
de niger accordin' to his necessities
De INTERROGATION in dis case Is dat Il
is all right TO Pete to show just cause
why dis marriage sha'n't tax place
but accordin' to de INTERPRETATION Court
and Sue ubin' under de auction ham
mer. de Lord amt gwine to hold 'en
to de same account az dem as Is wor1
million dollars. Now. yo' Pete. 20
shet up or glib my divine permission
as pastor OBJ dis chu'ch TO- to put 20
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