Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-06-22
Husking Bees.

Husking Bees.
At this season of the year, the corn
crop is being harvested, and while the
farmer strips the white husks manually
through the livclong day, we propose
to resale his mind by husking over a
husking-bce all of the olden time.-
Though We did not live then, our
sources of information are good, being
none other than the testimony of an
octogcnarian girl of remarkable memo
ry. Tie early settlers, in the absence
of such luxuries as books and papers,
combined instruction with sociability,
and pleasure with profit, in wonder
full degree. If the work of the house
or the farm began to drive, as all work
will sometimes, the whole village came
to the rescue.
"Many hands make light work" and
"merry hearts make willing hands"
were the notices Of our fathers. There
were fewer fashionable calls then than
now, but more visiting where the par
ties worked and talked too. Perhaps
one reason why the old fashioned fami-
" greetings were so cordial, was be-
cause they helped one another more.
Each felt common interest in the well
fare of all, and when by sickness or
calamity one member of a community
was stricken, the kind offices of the
Meighbors did much to repair the
breach.
Now for the husking. The evening
is fixed. The farmer and his sturdy
sons notify their friends of the time,
and redouble their diligence in the
field to gather the 'mighty maize. -
The good housewife and her bouncing
girls bake stacks of doughnuts and
pumpkin pies. III those days family
meant something. None were of any
account unless there was a bakers doz-
Ell, half of either sex, and in every vii
lage there were special cases where the
number ranged from 10 to %. The
kitchen, the largest room in the house,
is the theatre of action. A huge pile
of unhusked corn occupies its centre.
Monstrous red and striped pumpkins
are placed around tie pile at regular
intervals for seats. Whole neighbour
hoods assemble. The men put on their
frocks, and the women wooden aprons
There is no hesitation in taking hold.
Each feels that he or she has something
to do, and they work with will. Sto-
ries and laughter, sweet cider and re-
freshments, alternate the hours. The
Young men cast sheep-eyes, and the
maidens return bashful glances. The
host bushes herself with emptying over
flowing baskets into the swelling crib,
and the dame snuffs the candles and
passes the delicious eatables around.
THE corn pile grows beautifully: less,
and about the good hour of 9 it is fin
ished. AS if by magic the long kitchen
is quickly cleared of its litter and husks.
Refreshments are again served. The
fiddle is introduced, and the dance be-
gins. Light hearts chase the merry
hours with flying feet, and when this
pleasure pals all 60 counting home
ward.
A score of huskings like this were
often annually attended in single viii
LACE. Such was the simple life of our
grandsires led in the Indian harvest
DAYS. No wonder that their eyes sparkle
with pleasure and their lips are wreathed
with smiles as they recount such scenes
as these. No wonder that they love la
Dor and have hardy constitutions under
such training. The spring-time of life
spent in such frugal pleasures, may be-
come, in age, serene and mellow as the
light Of an October sun.-SprinDfeld
RepublicQn.