Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-11-03
WHOLE NUMBER 20.

distance is footed. From all directions, they
come. At first, a few younkers sneak in, and
select their places--not to be kept. A huge
pile extends on one side of the floor; along the
other are arranged the lights-pumpkins for can
d!e-stcks, which are held by pitchforks thrust
into the hay-buk. The older members of the
settlement arrive one after another, and the fall
ing of ears begins A litter outside tells Of the
arrival of the girls; and now the focking in be-
comes general, till no more space can be found
All is activity. The noise of the labor is in
cessant. Tongues as well as hands, are busy
sometimes whispers are exchanged, with peep
ing under bonnets, and close proximity of fa-
ces. l.
A staunch, gray-headed settler, the hosts an
cestor is seated in chair in the corner, busily
braiding corn into q" rists" A lad hands him the
ears, who teazes to be off where his little CON-
rades are boisterously engaged in another place.
Grandfather will not consent. The lad impor-
tunes; daddy is not to be moved. Urchin coax
es-threatens to cry All of a sudden he is
missing.
Busy are they all--and right merily and
faithfully progresses the work Whack goes
candle out, another-the ears, longer than
donkey's ears fly thick and fast, and woe to him
who attempts carelessly to walk along the pile
but if coward, the worse for him. Who
ever ran the gauntlet of a busy husking with
out being hit
The pile husked out, the company repair to
the house, not luxurious one--this would be
out fplace with the tmes--but log building
all secured and trim, with big wood fire on
the rude, wide hearth, and, of course lots of
pumpkin pies, yellow as gold, piled upon the
table. These are, passed round--and round
and round again. Nut cakes are not wanting;
or, luckier sometimes, table meal is spcad--
afterwards the play--then the dispensing, diff
ferent, however, from thu gathering in. They
come in nots--they leaves in pairs, hat and
hood strangely attracting one another. In all
directions are couples seen divergng--through
orchards, where heaps of apples invite snatch
for lips to touch, (redder than the apples them
seves,) to say nothing Of those other lip
snatches--through stumpy fields and blacken-
ed fallows and woods, where, somehow or 9TH
er, the path would get lost, and thep--the girl
is privileged to cling closer to her support, for
the forest is shadowy, and beasts of prey will
prowl about.
The husking bees generally take place in
log barns--but when frame building, usually
larger than the former, is to be the rendezvous
the thing becomes grand affair The tidings
60 out far and near, till every clearing within
reach, for many miles around has word On
such an occasion, fiddler is engaged--and
spree, to be broken up by daylight, is the re.
suit. 1t is on such occasions that the exposures
of some particular localities-the bellies of those
days--are sure to be met, and the best home
spun is worn, and eyes speak brighter, and bo-
SONS beat more tumutuously.
Though still found in the new districts, the
old fashioned husking has long since and forev-
er disappeared among us--yet a recurrence in
this place is what was once an idol of the peo-
pie, some of whose eyes yet tighten up at its
mention, will, hope, be pardoned by those
who were never the participants of this pas
time. ~ Y. Times