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Sept. 7-13
Hear Mr. Meade....On Monday go up to Ivy Creek where we are expected to see Mr. Pride and Sally made one... Kate Whitehead joins us at the University. Have a warm walk from the Depot to Locust Hill. Find the natives as busy as bees. Sally shows us all the wedding dresses. They are pretty and in good taste. Sue and I in a great dilemma about acting as bridesmaids. Sally has changed all her plans since we saw her. She is to be married at night and our dresses are morning but Sally is so anxious we agreed to lend a hand if she will take us as we are and make no more ado about it. The house full of young company in the evening. The girls ornament the parlor very prettily with greens. After tea, Kate and Henry Lewis, Lizzie and Charlie Wood and the groom elect come in. We are all eyes to see how the lovers will behave. He takes Woods' advice to put a bold face on the matter and hands Sally off onto the porch, where they have talk enough to settle the affairs of the nation. We have a nice time after supper. Lizzie Wood and I discourse on the effects of love. She gives a practical observation of the hard blows its followers sometimes receive. Sept. l0th [is] Sally's wedding day. A beautiful day. I make the bridal favors. We are in great excitement all day. Lizzie Dee comes on the cars. We are all very uneasy about a minister as Mr. Pride has none positively engaged. Cousin Met tells Sally she will have to choose between cousin Fielding (who is a magistrate) and Uncle Isaac ( a darky preacher). Sally gives the preference to the latter. Cousin Dabney Davis; however, drops in about the 11th hour and is welcomed by all. The bride and her attendants are dressed more than an hour before the groom and his men arrive. They are late in consequence of tight shoes and gloves. Mr. Pride has been at great expense and trouble in selecting his bridal trousseau, so of course he is dressed to kill, but a $5.00 breastpin outshines all the rest. Sally's dress is very simple but pretty. At last all is ready and we are told to forward. lst Betty and Mr. Lackey, a Kentucky greenhorn; 2nd Lizzie Wood and Henry Lewis; 3rd, your humble servant and Mr. Charlie Wood; 4th Sue Moore [Anderson] and Daniel Pride. We all get through our parts but Lackey who will insist on standing in the wrong places. He is right in a few moments and the wedding proceeds and the vows are now recorded by an angel's pen on high. We enjoy the supper. Charlie Wood and I take a social stroll together. Charlie gets the ring-thereby hangs a tale. [On] Sept 11th dinner at Mr. Woods. Not much company, only the bride and groom and their attendants, Kate W. and Jim Anderson. A pleasant day. Dinner a little stiff. My escort to dinner had lost his appetite (by later context, this is Henry Lewis) and I was ashamed to indulge mine without company. Go back to Locust Hill for the night. This is the winding up of the frolic for us, as tomorrow we turn our faces homeward. Suppose it will be the last we shall see of Sally for when she returns from her bridal tour, she will go South. I feel sorry to give her up. She is a person that I have [enjoyed] much being so perfectly sincere. Oh happy and bright may the destiny be of a creature so artless and tender as she. [On] Sept 12th bid adieu to the festive halls and take the cars for home. Lizzie Wood and Kate W. bearing us company, also Henry Lewis. Find a letter waiting me at home from Sally W., also another for Sue and I from Tom and a Missouri cousin who is personally unknown to us. Tom talks of going to Kansas to fight the abolitionists. Dull times after so much gaiety.
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