Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-02-14
BALMA AS A BRIDE.
BY FRANCES A. WALKER.

| had often heard my mother and
grandmother describe the negro we'd
dings on the plantations in the old
days in Virginia before the war. How
the dining-room generally would be
decorated for the occasion, and the
conscientious mistress would see that
cake and wine were provided, that
Judy, or Betty, or Sally las the case
might be), had white dress and her
man a new suit of clothes, and that
they were properly married by the
nearest Episcopal minister-who new
er failed to admonish them beforehand
on the solemnity Of the marriage tie
and their duty to each other.
An earnest effort was made to i'm
press upon them the sacramento
character of the act, and everything
was done "decently and in order"-so
that was very interested when a
friend in Mississippi, on whose planta-
ton was visiting, informed me that
her maid "Balma" was going to be
married, and l must certainly witness
the ceremony.
What an odd name!" volunteered
Where did she get it?"
I'VE asked her mother that" said
my friend, "and she said: Don't you
read yo' Bible? Amt you never heer'd
of the Balma Gilead?' So she's called
'Balma' for short"
'How very funny"
Eyes. but it's nothing to the names
of the twins, the youngest members
of her family. two of the most absurd
little pickaninnies you ever saw. They
are called respectively 'Postle Paul
and 'Pistle Peter and will, no doubt,
figure at the wedding"
A few days later, when l went into
my friends room, she was busily en-
gagged in finishing off a white organdie
for Balma's nuptials. and was con-
templating it with a good deal of sat
isfaction, when the "bride-elect" walk
ed in with bolt of overwhelmingly blue
ribbon and asked her. please, a'am.
to trim 1t up with that" So, although
it went sadly against the grain, and
wounded all our aesthetic sensibilities.
we festooned, and Topped and ro-
setted the garment to any extent to
Balma's great satisfaction. She show
ed every tooth in her head and pro-
nounced it "jes' dazzlin'!" which 1t
certainly was.
The preparations being finally COM
plete. we were duly summoned to the
cabin of the brides mother, where the
ceremony took place in due and an
cient form.
The groom (EzekieD was a very
good-looking young negro. and was ar
rayed in butternut trousers and a
black coat-a present from his mas
ter.
He seemed to be In delicate health,
however, as he leaned heavily on the
arm OF his walters" and could hardly
support himself. but soon discovered
that this was part OF the etiquette OF
the occasion.
The preacher was of the typical
stage Varlety-black. clothes. buck
wing collar, and huge horn spectacles,
over which he contemplated the cou-
pie, who stood up In front of him, with
great severity.
The next day the happy pair called
at all the cabins ian invariable custom
on the plantationsl, and then my
friend told me that they had gone of
on a wedding tour. a round trip on
the Belle OF the Bend to Vicksburg.
Accustomed to see all the newly
weds" back In the cotton fields the
day after a wedding, she questioned
Balma. on her return, with no little
interest as to how she had enjoyed
the trip.
Mighty. ma'am' Nightly! sho1y
did enjoy It,"
And how did zeke enjoy IT." we
queried.
'Zeke?" she echoed in astonishmeat
''Zeke? You think I'd let dat fool mig
ger go on bridal tower with me, and
spend my money? No, ma'am. left
him behind to pick cotton; amt no
use spoilin' him that-away. Ef you
begins right you ends right. OATS
what | say" And with these seuti-
ments she nouneed out of the room.
whereby We perceived, that the germ,
of the saGragetts movement had pene-
frnfax avan 70 the roSfnn dhtAn