The Icelandic connection - 01.03.2018, Page 39

Vol. 70 #1
ICELANDIC CONNECTION
37
exciting to think about. I had not attended
a wedding since Joa’s and Steve’s and then
I was too young to remember much about
it.
Baking started with cookies about the
middle of the week and the tantalizing
smell of baking fancy edibles kept me on
my toes. Friday the preparations went on
as before but one of the brides turned up
to help. Saturday morning everything was
going at once and then Thorlakur (one of
the grooms) came to see if he could do
something. The other bride came about
noon and the other groom came just after
dinner. Next came the minister near coffee
time and after 5:00 PM guests started
coming in buggies, democrats and lumber
wagons. Every Icelandic person in the
community was invited. Nearly all came
and then people from other communities
from where the brides came from arrived.
There were so many horses and wagons.
I was very anxious not to miss anything.
Then came the big event. The brides
came in dressed alike in nice afternoon
dresses and they looked radiant. The
minister opened his book and read, asked
a couple of questions and they answered.
So this was getting married, I discovered!
After there was a lot of handshaking and
kissing, laughter and talk. Then everybody
had supper. Oh, such a lot of good
things to eat. More talking and laughing
and things that grownups entertain
themselves with until quite late, then
more coffee and goodies. Neighbours
went home but those who came a long
way stayed the night for the minister was
going to hold a service the next morning.
The way the people were put up was that
the upstairs in the lumber house had not
been finished so hay was carried upstairs
the day before and two huge beds were
made along the sides of the room. These
were covered with blankets and sheets
and what not. The women rested on the
hay bed on one side of the room and the
men on the other side and all got a good
night’s sleep.
Come morning, everybody was fed
breakfast and at 11 o’clock the service was
held. The people who left he night before
were all back for the church service. After
the service, dinner was served to most, a
very few of the neighbors went home but
came back after dinner for coffee and fun.
After the coffee, the minister left for his
home and charge some thirty miles away
and then the people started enjoying
themselves. The party lasted until very
late and all or most had slept in the loft
the night before were there again but left
Monday morning after breakfast.
By noon, all the guests were gone.
Another incident that happened was
an accident. On a Saturday afternoon
the farmers around us went to Grafton
to do some shopping and to take some
crop to market. It was a lovely day and
as the minister was to hold a service the
next morning at our place they expected
to bring back a number of people. Soon
after the noon hour the people that were
coming were ready and the two loads of
people in lumber wagons got started, one
a little ahead of the other. The first one
had eight or nine people. They had taken
as many as the wagon could hold. All
were happy and started singing as soon as
they got underway. They drove maybe a
couple of miles in this happy mood when
a pair of runaway bronco horses came
from behind so close that when the driver
of the wagon had noticed it and got the
team to veer over to one side enough to
get out of the way, this run-away team was
upon them. They struck the wagon box on
the back, swept it over. This threw a man
that was standing in the corner out of the
box and also a woman who was sitting
on a back seat. The driver of the wagon
had been able to guide the horse a little