Recalling the past with Mrs. Charlie Wiley Reed
Serenading the newly wed
Notes by
Norman E. Reed (dates unknown)
As told to
Norman E. Reed by his mother Mrs. C. W. Reed (Mrs. Charlie Wiley Reed)
Serranding (Serenading) the newly weds
The first thing they all gathered under the bedroom window
and had double barrel shotguns pointed out in one direction. They all fired
them at the signal, all the guns went off at once.
The farm bell rang all the time except the time it took to
shoot the anvils. During all of that a group was marching around the house with
a circle saw on a pole. They beat the saw with two sledge hammers while the
other two carried the saw.
Others were taking the buggy apart and putting it on top of
the two story barn.
It was a problem to find all the parts of the buggy the next
day. They hid the wheels. Robe (sp) and harness all in different places. This
was a beautiful new stick back buggy with wide arm rest. The harness was made
of patten (sp) leather. None of this was harmed.
To shoot the anvil they had to turn one upside down and set
the other on top of it. They filled the hollow space with gun powder. When the
fuse was lit a signal was given to stop the farm bell and saw. They were all
silent until the blast went off. This could be heard 14 miles away.
This kept up until two in the morning.
The negroes on the place were standing by to help get things
back together the next morning, the serranders (sp) didn’t come back.
Sent by N.E. Reed’s son, Don Reed to Tom Reed 12-2021.
Retyped into Word.
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