Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 December 1908 — Gave Free Wood a Belling. [ARTICLE]

Gave Free Wood a Belling.

Freeman Wood and bride arrived here Monday morning from MontiCello, where their wedding took place Sjmday evening at the Christian church. The MonticelTb Journal gives an account of the wedding, that the church was crowded with people who wanted to witness the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. Wood went to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Julius Taylor, who were married only three weeks ago, and spent the day there, while they were completing the furnishing of their own home. At about 8 o’clock in the evening a great crowd of men and boys gathered at the home of Mr. Taylor and employed various methods of noise making, using cow | bells, rifles and shot guns. They kept | up a din for a half hour or more beI fore Free put in an appearance and made a nice little speech, stating that he would go down town and get some cigars and candy and meet them at his own home. The crowd then adjourned to his residence and later Mr. and Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Wood came over and when Free got back from town with his arms full of cigar boxes and candy bags, the doors of the house were thrown open, the cigars and candy deposited on ti e center table and a moving procession started, the involuntary guests entering the dining room and going into the parlor and around the center table and out of the parlor door. About 200 were served, each wishing Mr. and Mrs. Wood a happy and prosperous life and he in return thanking them for calling and. Inviting them to come back. As Mr. and Mrs. Taylor were so recently married they were made a party to the charivari, and the entire affair was a very enjoyable one and the hosts and hostesses as well as the uninvited gusts seemed to enjoy it Rensselaer now has two very estimable colored couples, the husbands being industrious and thrifty and the wives being good looking and coming well recommended as excellent colored women. The increase in the alien population of the United States in the year ending September 30, last, was only 6,298. According to Secretary Straus, 724,112 foreigners came to this country in the years between October 1, 1907, and September 30, last, but during the same period 717,814 foreigners left our shores for their own coun- | tries.