THE WEDDING: POST #31

It was July 24, 1958 when the wedding took place in the 'big house' at Herman Junction. I had asked Barbara Jean Earls to marry me in April of that year and she said, "Yes" and so we had been planning it during that span of time. In those days a couple desiring to marry had to get a blood test and wait for three days before the license would be issued. I hate needles! I might have joined the Army had it not been for having to take all those shots that I heard about. But, I had the blood tests as required and the license was granted. Floyd Earls, Barbara's Dad was working so he just told Dad, "Herb, you just sign for both of them" and he did. The County Clerk was Ted Spurlock, the guy that I was named after so he had no problem just letting us have the license under those terms.

We went to Jonesboro to look for a ring shortly after I had come home from working in the fields in Dekalb, Illinois. My Lady went to Jonesboro by herself and shopped for her wedding dress as the wedding day approached. July 24 was getting close and we were excited. Barbara's Father Floyd, brother Pete, and sister Lin, my Mom, Dad, sister Laura and brother Jack, best man Jim Isbell, and maid of honor Myra Kendrick, and of course the bride and groom, were all there waiting for the wedding to take place. But, there was a hitch!

My older brother, Harvel had been invited to officiate at the wedding. The time was set at 6:00 in the evening. Harvel didn't show up at 6:00! Or, 7:00! There was no phone to call him nor email to send him a message. A few minutes before 8:00 I started to Bay to see if Melvin Elliott, the preacher could come down and perform our wedding ceremony. On the way to town we met Harvel so we turned around and followed him to the house where the wedding finally took place more than two hours late.

Do you have any idea where he had been? EATING SUPPER! Barbara Jean Knight will never, ever, forgive him. There were a few pictures made but they were destroyed because the anger on her face was so clearly seen. So, there is no pictorial evidence that we got married. I'll bet that if she ever gets married again she won't have Harvel to do it.

Barbara's older sister, Shirley and her husband Benny were living in the old Hyneman house in Bay right beside the pool hall and the yellow jacket cafe. They let us have their house for the night of our wedding. It rained and stormed like crazy all night but for some reason we didn't pay much attention and we sure didn't go to the storm house!

The next day was one that I will not forget either. I got up early as I always have and went to Carl Taylor's grocery store and bought a pound of sausage and a can of biscuits. I don't know why I bought those biscuits because My Lady is a fabulous biscuit maker and was even then. We had a wonderful breakfast and then went to her house to take her Dad's truck to him. A little later she needed something from town and her brother Pete and I took the truck and off to town we went. Of course, we had to stop by the station and see what was going on at school. We learned that the baseball team was playing a game at Childress, just outside of Monette and we decided to go over and watch the game. Some other guys jumped in the truck with us and off we went. We didn't get home until much later than My Lady expected us. When we walked in the house there sat Floyd as quiet as a mouse. Floyd wouldn't have gotten excited if someone had thrown dynamite under the house so I knew that everything was OK with him as far as I could tell. But, when I walked in that kitchen I saw the same look that I had seen the night before when Harvel was late for the wedding. She was as mad as a feist dog in high oats and made me feel like somebody's red-headed step child. I was as confused as a three legged chicken because I didn't think that I had done all that much wrong. Here I had been married less than 24 hours and was up to my ears in trouble with the new bride. Well, as I looked back on it I could see that I should have done better and we made up and all was well. I don't have a clue who won that ball game.

You might think that a wedding like that would not help a marriage to last very long. In fact, we got a letter from one of the older residents of Bay just a few years ago and she told us that she would not have given a nickel for that marriage. But, it has lasted now for more than Fifty years and if she will behave I think that I will keep her. In spite of the way that it started that night, that marriage helps me to know that all is well at Herman Junction.