The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-06-18
CHAMP CLARK'S
DAUGHTER WEEDS
ATHONEY SHUCK
Unique Invitation to Marriage
Puzzles Missourians Who
Are to Attend.
WHERE'S HONEY SHUCK?
GUESTS WANTTOKNOW
FormerlPike County People Think
it is Name of Clark
Home.

st. Louis, June 15-Missourians who
read today that they were invited tc
Honey Shuck" to attend Miss Gene.
We've Clark's wedding, were pleased
but not exactly enlightened. Honey
Shuck" sounded as if it ought to be
a familiar term, but most of them
couldn't place it in their memories.
Former Gov. Lon V. Stephens, a ma
tive Missourian, was one who puzzled
over the origin and meaning of the
understanding expression.
"My wife asked me if / knew what
Honey Shuck, meant" he told a re-
porter, "and l was obliged to reply
that | would take it under advisement.
| never heard the term up in Central
Missouri, where l was brought up, so
far as | can remember"
Virgil Rule, former Circuit Judge,
who is from Pike County, where
Honey Shuck" is located, said he had
known of the name for several years
past, as applied to the Clark home, but
that he had never been able to find out
exactly where 1t came from.
Theo. r. Bland, former Police Com
missioner, who is native of another
part of Missouri, said he didn't believe
the term had ever been a familiar one
in the Ozark region.
Arthur E. BOstwick, Public Librar-
ian, who is an Fastener, but who is a
student at folklore and idioms, and
who wrote a book entitled "The Diff
ferent West" was appealed to. He
asked for a few moments to look up
authorities, then pronounced his belief
that Honey Shuck" might be a mis-
print for Honey Shack" He said the
word "shack" was colloquially used to
a greater extent than "shuck." But
he said, if the latter word was correct,
the idea probably was that the home
was the 'shuck" or shell, and that the
dwellers in it were the "honey."
Miss Elsie Belle Smith, niece of Mrs.
Major, the Governors wife, and a
Pike County resident, told a CORE
spondent in jefferson City that she be-
lieved the name was derived from the
honey locust trees which, she said,
abound around the Clark place.
"Shuck," she said, commonly means a
shelter or cover of any kind.
This was getting nearer to the ex-
PLANTATION. But C. Orrick Bishop, As
sistant Circuit Attorney, a native of
Franklin County, went beyond scien-
tific deductions, and said he knew the
term from boyhood remembrance.
81 haven't heard that term before
since l was boy" said Bishop, "but
/ remember it well enough.
"a honey shuck is thicket, out in
the woods along the river, where the
wild bees make their home, Just as
dOmesticated bees do in a hive. Of
course, honey shuck was treasure
house for boys who had sweet tooth
but there were certain dangers about
exploring it. 1t seems to me that !
once got stung in exploring one-per-
haps that is why l remember it so
we'll"
The Clark wedding invitation fol-
lows:
Bowling Green, Mo-, June 15-The
folIowingis the textof the general invi-
tatiOn to Miss Genevieve Clark's we'd
ding:
"The Speaker and Mrs. Champ Clark
wish all Missourians to understand
that each and every one of them will
be welcome at Honey Shuck," Bowl
ing Green, Mo-, June so, at the we'd
ding of their only daughter, Genevieve.
On account of the multitude of friends
in Missouri, it has been found utterly
to issue individual invita-
tons, hence none will be issued, but
for convenience the request is made
that those accepting this invitation to be
present will notify me at once at Mex
leo, Mo.
"Wallce Bassford,
"Secretary to the Speaker"