Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1852-11-27
A Sketch from n !. Rural R['.l ] Life. il;s
!. L THE RED EAR: :sal7
Or, the IIasking Frolic.

.sofsr.n ilIlE SlEO iLAle.14i Ia,
1aa Or, the IIasking 'Frolic. &,
.tD-js BYfT. s.ARTHUR. q re
Inrural districts, the merrymakings
have a natural heartiness abo,ititllem
never seen in the cities. towns, nor
villages. Oyerweelling self.respecl
has not come III to fetter the7motions
Of the body, nor to smother tbeilangh
inits free utterance. Feeling and ac-
ton are in close relationship. You
come nearer to nature, antrammeled
by custom and unaffected by art. 2,,9
Gae A merrymaking PR excellence iis a
New England shusking frolic. The
huskingfrolic at the Southlis aldiffer.
ent affair altogether There, il Is a
congregation Of negro>sfrom the va.
rious plantations neariat hand, who,
while they work, make the air vocal
almost for miles around with their
rude melodies, few (which have
been rendered familiar 10 ears polite
by the sSerenadersn who have highly
amused the public duringthe past two
years. But at!the North the shusk-
ing like the quilting dra%stoge
the gentle maidens and loving sWains
Of a neighborhoad, who meett to enjoy
themselvesin their own way. And
such enjoyment US they have, in kind
and degree, is not to be met with eyi
cry day. In former times the "husk-
ing was a wilder affair than atipres-
ent. Straight-laced conyentionality
sgradually finding itsway beyond the
city limits, and binding the free spirits
Of our country maidens. 9 They meet
oftener with the city folks, gradually
falling more and norefnto thefrr rhabs
it's as they Spartake more and more Of
,theirspairit; and when they assemble
for enjoyment, they check their i'm.
pulses, restrain their movements, and
hush almost into silence the merry
iiaughterithat seeks to leap forth like
the singing waters of the lfcuntain.-
No; shuskings' are not what they
were. Instead ofseeing on the thresh:
ing floor q band Of young men and,
maidens, stripping from the bright
ears Of grain their leafy covering, a.
mid laughter, music, and mingling Of
sweet voices, as Of old, mere labor
comes in; too oftento perform the SER
vice, and silently and coldly does,thei
work. Yet, here and there, a farmer,
who cannot forget the pleasant times
when he was young, sends forth his
annual summons, aftertthe maize har-t
vest is gathered, and then comes q
merrymaking orold and young that
is enjoyed in a way never to 4bo for
gotten. ls5li lr3safi fiai
Old Ephraim Bradley was one of
this school. If his head grew white
under the falling SHOWS of many win
.ters. the grass was fresh and green
and the flowers ever blooming on his
heart. With him the annual "husk-
ing was never omitted. Itwas like
Christmas and Thanksgiving, almost
sacred thing, half inyokingsinIinits
omission. ~ ''al "A
Il IsatsSAI AIayflower, a wild romp Of a
ieIrl from Boston-atl least some inthe
ei.y regarded her such-was spend.
Sins a fswweeks in ID ,when invi:i
tpiions came to attend q husking par.
s;,yat Ephraim Bradley's. The old
,naIslived some three miles from the
yillasS. Kate had heard about husk-
inc I,arties, and her young spirits
lesp q up when the announcement
was dnde that one was to be held in
fbelniehborhood, ,eand that she was to
he prseat. Itwasa 'ffolic that, from
ali shiiad heard, would just suit her
s.empe,heht, and she set Oft, when
the tlH culue, " 'neNo c"e go, r. ;
sy. intimerriest possible mood,
r Eyeng had closed III on an gp..' arri- u
val Of o party from D, who
.ouickly lined some score or two OF
Young lople in large kitchen,
where la3leaped up, III the centre q
large pilef Indian corn. isgas !
,o.. AN tlia.olb he huskea?' whispered
Kate, as shsntered tho room. 7'
20, yes Il that and more, per-
haps,' was plrep1y, 'We have come
to work. y@|ow' s'9a ~ g..2y''l .,. !
..mNow, gals faid Old Mr., Bradley b
who stood'lo g as tho young folks
gathered, Wl lbight faces arount, !
aiithc golden gt4 now Tor a good old
fashioned timA If there isn't half . :
Z lozem wcdlinA between this and
Christmds,fl shd dsay there isno SI''
a TUE in red cars.