Glass High School - Crest Yearbook (Lynchburg, VA)

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THE ORITIC' 151 Here the great gong which was used to call in the Held hands rang out, and they both hurried to the feast awaiting them. The big basement seemed transformed, there was a long table in the middle of the floor, and there was a smaller table on each side. They were covered with snowy cloths and oh, that banquet was enough to make any nigger roll his eyes and smack his lips! There seemed to be everything heart could wish, and the tables fairly creaked and groaned! There were turkeys and chickens and pie and cakes and everything good! The negroes seated themselves, all the while gazing hungrily at the tempting dishes. And then the Reverend James Peters, who had come over to perform the marriage ceremony, asked the blessing, Which, to the impatient negroes, seemed terribly long. Indeed, Mirandy Jane's little boys were unable to wait till the finish and grabbed a piece of cake before the 4'amen. Lucindy and Mose sat at one end of the big table, and Andy and Maria at the other. They ate until they began to think they would have no room at all for Lucindy's wedding cake. ' Finally the last one got up, and all except Lucindy, Mose and the other attendants, adjourned to the carpenter shop where Dr. Peters conducted prayers. Lucindy was arraying herself in her full glory. The four little .flower girls, dressed in white with huge pink bows on their 'heads and pink sashes around their waists, were prac- ticing their march as importantly as if they were the bride. But Mose, what of him all this time? An unfortunate mental picture of a full decanter of amber wine formed in his brain. He had no resistance against this tempting imageg so he sneaked upstairs. He proceeded without delay to the sideboard, Where he stretched out a loving hand to the darling

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150 THE CRITICS' a bright light on the scene below. Suspended from it was a big bunch of mistletoe, its wax-like berries gleaming in the light. Great hickory logs blazed in a big fireplace at one end of the room. ' ' Jim Hunter, the favorite iiddler in the country, who had come over with his master, was tuning up, so ,the negroes chose partners and waited impatiently for the first dance. Lucindy and Mose were dancing together, and Mose's best man, Andy, danced with Maria, the maid of honor. Those who were not dancing at the start changed their minds and shook a foot. Jim's fiddling could not be resisted. There seemed to be countless numbers of little pickaninnies, all with braids sticking out in every direction and eyes as big as saucers. They were hopping in everybody's Way and squealing with excitement. There Was a great scuiiie under the mistletoe as the constantly changing figures swept back and forth at Jim's command. When the dance was over, Mose made a bee-line for the sideboard in the big house, where he knew that a large decanter of most excellent wine and another of whiskey was kept for the guests of the Colonel. Mose's 'drst drink was not his last. In fact, he drained the Wine bottle. It had been only two-thirds full, for the sideboard was a most popular resort for the gentlemen. And so, seeing that the Wine was no more, and that the Whiskey was not up to its usual stan- dard, he went in search of Jeems, the butler. Jeems, when Hnally found, was accosted with rebukes. I Lookahere, you Jeems, you sho' es done fall down on yo' job. Dar dat decan' empty an' all dem white-folks pinin' fer de wine. Whyn't you 'ten' yo' bus'ness? You' s gittin' mighty lazy these days. Moses, J eems replied knowingly, don't fegit you's gwine to be married tonight. An' you bettah be 'tendin' to yo' Lu--.

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152 THE CRITIC' of his heart. The erring Mose should have been following the example of his bride-to-be by dressing for the wedding. About an hour later, Lucindy was receiving the last touches from Ole Miss herself, and soon, accompanied by the be- ribboned flower-girls, she went to the basement room which had been cleared of the tables. The audience was already there. Lucindy stood at the side door waiting for Mose and making a great fuss over the long,white train attached to her dress. Time passed swiftly and the appointed hour for the wedding was long since gone, when iinally Andy was sent in Search of Mose. First he hunted in all the quarters and then hurried up to the big house. Suddenly he heard a bass voice singing spasmodically Down by the Riverside. Guided by the singing, he came upon Mose leaning heavily against the side- board. Mose, you scon'el, don't you know we's all waitin' an' you ain' eben dressed no nothin! Come on hyah quick, Lu- cind'1l be a-comin' after you. Mose stopped singing and smiled. He said something to Andy, slowly and punctuated with hiccoughs. But he al- lowed Andy to lead him hurriedly down stairs. He was half- pulled, half-pushed to Andy's cabin, where he began to put on his new black suit, Andy helping him the while. Sud- denly he sank back on the bed, dead to the World. Andy, after repeated attempts to arouse him, hurried back to the now desperate Lucindy. He rushed up to her and cried, Mose say he ain' ready, and then amidst the consterna- tion which followed, and on an impulse, he added, But Ise ready, Lucindy, ef you'11 jes' hab me. And so the next day, Mose found himself dethroned, and in his stead, Andy was crowned king of Lucindy's ickle heart. i I