THE STORY-TELLER,

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 136, 9 June 1906, Page 10

THE STORY-TELLER,

" The Wedding of Arlina JUatton. When Arlina Mason announced • her wedding, I was the only "white pusson" ". in Charlotte, N. C, invited to the cere- \ mony. Arlina had been my "washlady" f for many years. "Yuh see," she said to me, "I'segvrine to get married in fust-class style, Miss, an I wants at least one representator o' de white folks to be on hand." Before the eventful day arrived, I saw the bride-to-be several times. First she , came to ask if I could have a notice of the wedding printed in one of the local '• papers. As I knew an editor I had no trouble in arranging -f or 1 ' this 1 . The following was the notice as it' appeared : — "Miss Arlina Mason is to be joined in wedlock to Mr. Zachariah. Pipson. next Tuesday night. All the coloured folks of Charlotte are invited". There will bo a Cakewalk and plenty of water melons, also ice cream. Pipson, the bridegroom that-is-to-be, was once a hack driver. •Now he has no job. Arlina is a washerwoman of good habits and great prosper- ' ity.' 1 The editor put in that about Zachariah's lack of a job. When I -saw -it I * Was afraid Arlina would be hurt, but -. sha didn't mind it a bit ; seemed to think "it was the proper thins, in fact. She \ admitted that she had been advised not $q marry "Zach," because he was "no < <^>irat." ,"Bufc can't I suppo't him?" she cried. * The advice against the marriage, she "- confided, came from her brother, "Many .' Citizens" Mason. Arlina' s mother, AoT- * eline, had once cooked for a family that * owned a large interest in the city water , •works. When it -wes decided to buy - the plant, there were many lengthy disenssions over tho move in the news- ' papers. Adeline would go into two dining room after breakfast and ask to have the papers -read to her. Articles on the . water works were frequently signed ''Many Citizens." "Hit -sounds mighty fine to me, dat ' many citi2ens,""Adeline would say. 'And hsr son was christened "Many Citizens" -. Mason. ' "Dem what dtinno me, has heerd tell o' me," he used to say. On tlio night of Arlina's wedding I was at her house at eight o'clock. There were assembled all the elite of "Log•town." The Paradise Baok Club was there in all its glory. True there were members who could not road or write, .but to belong to a book club sounded well r Did not the white people havo *heir literary meetings? It was fitting then that "Jjogtown" should have a similar organisation. The Paradise Book Club, therefore, had been formed, and had usurped the social dictatorship of the community. When I asked Arlina if any ,of her guests were outside -this charmed circle, she said: "No, ma'am, only de picks can cum hyah to-night." "And who are the picks?" said -I "Why, de picks is de choicest cullud folks about town. I belong to do picks myself, and sol envites flobody elss." There were six bridesmaids, all in befnlled white organdie. Big white bows adorned their hair. Sashes of many colors were strung around their waists. Some had on white kid slippers, but the less f ortunats wore white cotton hoso pulled over black shoes. Each bridesmaid carried a barrel hoop covered with . cedar, and I was informed that with these hoops they would form an arch for the bride, chanting "There is a green hill-far awayi" While the hoop-bearers 1 waited, occasionally "passin' a few re- * marks," '"Maiiy Citizens" played popn- * ~ lar airs on an organ. This instrument, *" of which I had already heard was- the envy of Logtown. Most of the coloured „ people, had organs, and those who didn't " own'ofgans had accordeons ;- but no such noise-maker as Arlina's had ever been " seen. "I's got de loudest' soundin' orgin in ■- tho world. Taint nobody in all »dis T« heie -Charlotte.' got no sich orgin as dat ~ogp' of. giine,V she would say proudly. -"She had -purchased it on the instalment l-'plan, after years bf .saving had enabled '.ner'to^make the first "payment. £. As "Many Citizens ' beat out "A Hot from ike deep-voiced instrument, " Arlina wanxlerc3-" round the house raakJ^ing everyhgd.yr;fe£l "fit .home. She didn't ■ thave to wander -far ( - as the house had r eniy two> rooms ; but there was a sort of * - Overflow meeting in the back-yard. One of -the- rooms (was a kitchen and'dining.rodrn, while the other, she used as a bed".room and' parlourf Tho walls of the flatter were covered with pictures cut out - of Sunday papers, and pasted all around. .The floor had been scrubbed until the ware peeling off. A few chairs, %rgin,"r and a bed were the rest J^of her furniture." *•*. The- bed' was a'marvel. She had on; it " ,a turkey red calico spread, over which 'Alhere was' a liberal sprinkling of white crocheted mate. The pillow shams were white embroidered in red. On one was a picture of a little girl sweetly sleeping. Tne embroidered letters said : "I slept and dreamed that life was beauty." On the other was the same little girl, sweeping off the front piazza with an enormous broom. This little girl was saying to herself, "I awoke and found that life was duty." The "fireboard," »s Arlina called her mantlepicce, was decorated with cedar, grass, and her smoothing irons. As Arlina moved around she ws a wonder to behold. She had been disciplining her hair for weeks, and her .gown was the result of a month's thought . and labour. The hair had been divided into small braids, each of which had been carefully wrapped up with cotton strings so that now when it was unwrapped it stood out in a bushy heap. "Aip't Arlina gpt er heap of hair," said one of the bridesmaids, enviously. "Dat she is !" emphatically exclaimed her companion. "Hit's all her own, too, 'taint' none o' dis ,h»ir what's all borrowed like white folks wears." Suxeiy no bride had. ever so gaudy a gown as Arlina's. It had been furnished by some of her white friends, but Arlina had used her own taste in the re-making of it. The foundation was pink crepe de chene, the. "remains" of an old ball.ilress: .AJlijia, graief' for^the time- . worn gift, had taken it, washed it, and and turned it around to suit ' herself! The skirt was made with a long overskirt, caught with blue bows. Around her waist was a. sash of turkey-red calico, with fringed ends. Over her hands were stretched white cotton gloves, wrist length, leaving an expanse of dark arm between wrist and elbow. On her much be-kinked hepd was a bow" of orange riDbon, and a r'.nk 030 dangled 'over one ear. . . She wore rings inuumendJe upon the njiteide of her gloves. A lrfpg. necklace *of>lue beadsadorned her throat. ■ There ■were' also bracelets, breastpins, .and buckles scattered about her. Thpsc were "shiny," and that was all ArJina cared for. Then ; too, . she carried a black open-and-shut fan. She had seen people carry monogram fans, and as no moaogrnms were available, she had cut oat newspaper headlines, pasting them on with ilower and water. Two of tho headlines read "Fate of This Girl Hangs •on One man," "Steamboat Sinks, Entire Crew Drowned." Gruesome ' subjects for a wedding, but Arlina waved her fan with fine effect as she laughed and talked. Her feet were encased in blue satin slippers, fonr sizes too small. vT'hore was a brass- buckle on one and a blue breastpin on the other. The cosfcame of "Many Citizens" in its way watt almost as remarkable as Arlina'a. He wore a p^ir of lavender plaid trou•ers, arfd an evening coat several sizes '

too large for him. The ends of the coat touched the floor. Cracked patent leather pumpe, white socks_, a celluloid collar, and a white ascot tie completed the ensemble. But now the guests were getting hungry and it was suggested to Arlina that the supper come beiore the wedding inistead of after it, as she had planned. The bride was perfectly willing. She had stores of ice-cream, catfish, and water-melon, and friends had sent cakes. It was a great spread, quite the finest "Logtown had ever known. In the midst of all the feasting, someone asked ? "Why whar's Zach, ain't he done cum yit?" But the bridegroom was an insignificant feature at this wedding. His absence did not seem to worry anyone, least of all Arlina. In fact, if the bridegroom did come she might never have a chance to have another wedding, and weddjngp were ArJina's delight. Never was a wedding-feast more enjoyed. "Hit's mighty hard gittin victuals fur er lot'o' cnlfud people," said Arlina, '"cause dey 'most all wurks fur sich fine white folks, taint nuthin' er rarity to '©m. What I wants at my wedding' is er rarity." Arlina's idea of a rarity was something her guests did not get often, and catfish was the '"rarity" she had planned, but as it was rare and costly at this season, thero was not enough of it to go round. So the late-comers had to content themselves with watermelon, ice cream, and apple cider. There was scarcely a crumb left for the belated bridegroom. Once more the guests assembled to wait for the ceremony. Arlina sat and waited. The smile had left her face now, and 6he seemed a bit worried. "Whnr'e dat Zach? I do wonder if i he ain'tgoin' to come hero and get married. What has becomo of dat foolish fellow, I do wonder?" she said The bridesmaids talked in subdued tones, humming a chant, just longing to burst forth into song. They had practised that chant for weeks. "Never mind : we will use it Christmas if we don't git to use it now," they said. AH gaiety had now disappeared, and the crowd grow solemn. Someone sug§ested going home, when a friend of the ridegroom appeared, saying : "Zach's been tuk up. Ho was just dat drunk he didn't know nuthin' an' was a-showin' his new razor, when a 'cop' cum along and nabbed him. Zach, he sent mah here to tell yuh about it." A sigh, of relief went up. It was best ! to know the worst. The minister arose, j and holding up both hands, said : "Let us all kneel and give thanks th»t Arlina has been delivered from this worthless fellow. It is a kind Providence that has interfered." As the prayer of thanksgiving went up, Arlina s "Amen!" was the loudest of them all. — Frances M. Griffith', in the New York Evening Post.