Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1829-09-03
THE HuSKING PARTY.


THE HUSKING PARTY.
There is not 'pleasanter thing in this
whole round Of country life than the good
old fashioned Husking party. Talk Of the
route-the masquerade and the card table
as much as you please, they are dull, heart.
less and insipid, coInpa red to this laudable
and useful custom Of our ancestors. Just
fancy to yourselfa warm mild evening in
autumn, when the harvest moon Is up among
the stars, and the streams and the hills and
the tall old trees, are touched with the illu-
mination and o group Of happy kind
hearted beings, from the gray haired old
man-to tho young and beautiful girl, are
assembled around the abundant fruits Of a
neighbours persevering industry. We have
heard the presence Of females on such oc-
casions objected to as highly improper and
unbecoming, but this wo deny. The rs
semblage is not one Of strangers-where
doubt and apprehension must fetter every
moment and seal every lip, but Of those
who have lived together even as children
Of one family from infancy upward-who
have met each other at oil times, and in all
situations, in the kitchen or the parlour-
the field or the workshop, with the same
frank smile Of Welcome. And pray where
Is the harm ofmirth, pleasantly, tempered,
as they are here, with pure unstudied, nat
ural modesty2 There IL no affectation in
such group-there 10 an openness, q
frankness, and buoyancy Of spirit, which
will be sought for in vain among those who
have mingled with the fashionable world,
and learned from its hollow mockeries and
popular vices, to tamper with the hearts
best feelings--to curl the lip at sincerity,
and betray without a scruple the artless and
unsuspecting. Mono nothing Of this.
The girl that seats herself at the huskipg,
and the honest plain dressed youth beside
her, have no sentimental and novcl-bor-
rowed nonsense 10 exchange-they are an.
der no restraint TO initiate the ridiculous
actions Of this or that heroine, or hero |;
they never read and sighed over the per-
melons pages Of Moore and Byron, nor
looked on, unblushingly, at any immodest,
theatrical representation. On the contra
ny they have drawn their beautiful notions
Of love and friendship from the praisewor-
thy example and maxims Of their ancestors.
Theirs 10 world Of reality--and pleas
ant one it 10 too, for they are little given to
day dreaming, and tho incidents Of life
its alternate light and shadow-are met
without the bitter disappointment, which
follow so closely upon the dreams Of the
romantic and idle visionary.
But we have grown sentimental on this
subject. and verify, 1t 10 one we cannot
talk about calmly. The good old days Of
our ancestors are pleasant to our memory
we love every song that century ago
rang among the wild woods Of New Eng
land.
"The days gone by--the days gone by, their memory
fingers still,
Like broken sunshine cleaning Ger the shades Of pre-
sent ILL
I, s,eaeth upward from the waste, which hurrying
Like fragrance ss e. lingering round the flower whose
AMERICAN Manufacturer.
A certain witty old lady, in market
town not twenty miles from this city. was
in the constant habit of frequen,ing dra-
per's shop, where she was strongly suspec.
ted of popping any little article that lay
on the counter into her reticule, in order,
no doubt, to save the shop-keeper the
trouble of putting it into his bill.-But this
light fingered fair one, being reputably
connected, and that too with some good
customers at the shop, It was deemed pru-
dent rather to keep strict watch upon her
than openly to expose her failing, though
OF her guilt there could be no doubt. One
day when she wanted some triflinC article.
the principal ofthe shop attended her him
self. and observed her secrete small hank |
Of common gray thread, worth about half |
penny. When she had finished her pur-
chase, and was about to depart, the shop
man politely begged her attention for one |
moment, and presenting her with needle,
10 said, !" beg Ma'am your acceptance oil
his; II win just suit the hank Of thread ii |
TOUR reticule. Al the same time | hope
10 offence" The old lady looked very
rave, and taking the needle, said, "Sir /
giIl not be offended. nlihnlnnh unar rnlne. I