(Part Second)

("Courtship and Marriage")

In the beginning of this subject I was still a school-girl, and attending school regular each day. I still remember my play and play-mates as I was yet only a child, and very very young. I have

View a full size image of this page.

View a double size image of this page.

said or related a good many things or happenings from time memory and knowledge of my Childhood days. And yet I am a child in the origin of this subject of this subject. Part Second

The reader may be surprised in reading of my age, at the time when I secretly fell in love, and also of the age when I married.

(Yet as a child)

At the age of ten years I secretly fell in love with the man that I married five and a half years later - My reason or idea for saying secretly, I kept it secret for two years or more before he knew of it.

This man was nine years my senior, and certainly I was embarrassed to divulge the real secret to he or anyone else, except a dear little friend and play-mate of my own. Strange to say or imagine the possibility yet it is true.

On a Summer afternoon when I a little bare-foot girl on my way to the old well for a bucket of cool water for my Grandmother - I met this handsome looking brown skin man. He was not a stranger to me. I knew him and a good many of his family. And they were well known to my people and others

View a full size image of this page.

View a double size image of this page.

And known to be a respectable family.

The man spoke to me as he passed me by. Saying Howdy little girl. Certainly he knew me but I was only a little girl, far from being his equal. Why surely he was disinterested, and never dreamed or thought of such a thing as Love with me. But it was at this meeting and passing that I fell in love with this man, altho I kept it secretly as I never dreamed or thought of ever becoming his wife. And I was not at all anxious for him to know that I as a little girl had any interest in him as he a grown-up man. I happened to be well trained so as to keep myself in place, and never rushing out of my place, therefore though as a child, I continued to love - and with the right control of mind I kept my love - sign hidden and myself in the proper place for a child. But to my great surprise in two years later he called to see me. But I had to be excused as I was not yet receiving young men company, and I was compelled and willing to abide by the rules of my dear Grandparents regardless of the love on either side.

He never called again for some time. But after several months, he passed

View a full size image of this page.

View a double size image of this page.

by our home-gate, where I was standing in the door-way. He spoke very politely, and asked me for a drink of water. I carried to him the glass of water. This was on Sunday morning. After he had drank the water, he asked me could he correspond with me by letters, I answered no - as I was not yet allowed that privilege. I was reluctant to do this without the consent of my parents or grandparents. And I could not afford to play the part in slipping notes or letters. So I had to wait until a free opportunity came, where there would be no blind-folding. For this he thanked and complimented me, by saying "You are a good little girl to obey and I hope that you will make a good wife for a good man some day" Bye-Bye.

Well I yet loved this man, but was determined not to break the rules of the old folks or the peace in my simple but happy home. And the compliment that he paid me made me feel proud, and the more determined to obey the home rules. Still the love-vine between us continued to grow. I was sometimes allowed to go to church with some friend of the family

View a full size image of this page.

View a double size image of this page.

at night. This gentleman would sometimes step forward in a polite manner and ask to escort me home, I again refused, trying to keep the Golden Rule yet the love was still secretly kept and partly hidden on my part. Finally he made the second call - this time to the old folks, asking the privilege to visit the house, the old lady dear Grandmother seemed a bit willing, but Grandfather talked with him very nicely still he had him wait a while longer, as I was young and only a school-girl So he went on and waited whether patient or impatient I do not know. But just the same he had to wait until consent was given by the old folks. Afterwhich we corresponded by his many calls and lots of letters for one year and eleven months before we were married.

But here if the fan, following the rule, when he would call, we would always sit and converse in company of four, that is dear old Grandmother and Father, and ourselves. The gentleman was away in another city for eight months or more, we corresponded regular. But in the way that I had to read his and my letters to the dear old folks, it seemed that he was corresponding with them also - ha ha.

View a full size image of this page.

View a double size image of this page.

The contents of these letters were alright, only about in spots, he would call me sweet names, and I was a little embarrassed to read these, that any way I slowly and calmly brought them out, which made me feel clear, that I hadn't left out any thing from the contents. During our correspondence very often when he would call we would spend a part of our time entertaining the old folks and ourselves and ourselves with music, I would play the little organ that GrandPa had given me, and we would sing Church or Sunday-School Songs. In those days Sacred music was always in place and enjoyed in the homes as well as Church or elsewhere. Then very often GrandPa would amuse us by telling us of Slave and Ghost-Stories, a few of which you will find in print on the opposite page elsewhere in these pages. These we would enjoy very much.

One may think that our Courtship days were very unpleasant and embarrassing in regards to the old folks and their peculiar rules, but not so, we fully understood these from the beginning and we were mostly always contented to abide by the same, as we just had it to do, "Oh those were the days. And we knew that the future would bring around a change. So we very willingly and patiently abided by their rules until by marriage vows, the

View a full size image of this page.

View a double size image of this page.

glorious changes were made and all were well and satisfied.

View a full size image of this page.

View a double size image of this page.

Proceed to the next section or Return to the Index