Year: 1876




come horseback and had bottles
staked out near their ponies which
they had commenced visiting, now
rounded in, and some asked the
groom if he was "skeered," and
others made it point to wink at
him every time they could catch his
eye. Others volunteered to feel has
pulse, and the poor fellow was so
badgered and derided that he could
hardly see.


Supper over, the band in the blue
velvet trousers, who had been pa
tiently tuning up and occasionally
fetching some fearful walls from his
fiddle, struck up "Wagner," and
everybody went for the other room,
and a reel was formed.


The old ladies then set about
cleaning up the table, and the dane
ing commenced. Uncle Zeke, whom
the boys had been treating, now be-
gan to come out unoommonly lively,
and Che went for the old lady, and, to
that good souls astonishment, pro-
posed a dance!


"Come on, old oman, spose you
do blong to the church, so do l.
That's no reason why we shouldn't
dance at our little Mandy's wed
ding" and he fairly dragged her
into the reel and down the middle
and up again, and then he set to his
partner There was a sight! activ-
ity! stepsl We give you our word
of honor Uncle Zeke cut the pigeon
wing the first time, and just before
hands all round, he jumped up and
cracked his heels together twice,
and then went to patting for dear
life for the next fellow, who was sit
ting to his partner in a meek, shut
fling way. Bless US how the old
man did dance, aRd then to see him
turn the old lady! It was magnif-
cent! On went the rest, the dane
ing getting h5tter every minute, un-
til suddenly, there was a terrific jerk
Of the fiddler's bow across the big
gest bass string and another across
the treble, and the music ceased,
and every body SO d painting and
blowing.


Then there was a game of "hunt
for the slipper" and the bride had
to pay a forfeit, and it was a kiss,
and gracious! how she squealed and
fought when that kiss was scufled
for.


And then somebody "lowed it
was mighty nigh time honest folks
was in bed," and then the bride was
spirited away by some girls, and the
groom was carried out to "see a
man" in the horse lot, where there
were sundry black bottles, and the
boys all took farewell drinks, mount
ed their mustangs, and went at a
full gallOp, with yell of farewell
every now and then as they tore
down the road.


We were ushered into a small
room, clean as snow, with a wonder
full quilt OF curious design and
workmanship, and great feather
pillows, sweet and fresh as new
mown hay, and a feather bed into
which you were immersed when you
turned in.


Then we thought, as we dozed off
to sleep, of all the swell weddings
with beauty, age, vice and money,
and of marriages for convenience,
and marriages from pique, and of
all the hideous lies muttered for
gold at the alter by fair and false
women, and mercenary, debauched
men, and we could not help think
ing that all of the happiness and
virtue, all the real hospitality and
genuine kindness Of feeling is not
given the rich; but among the poor
and honest yoemanry beats as
warm hearts, and are bred purer
women and braver men than among
the bloated aristocracy and mush-
room shoddy of the day. They
may lack culture, polish and educa-
ton, but they have the hearts OF
gentlemen and ladies, placed in
tbair hOsoms nv Cod Himself