The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1874-01-29
Che Circuit Rider:
IA TALE OF THE HEROIC AGE.
BY EDWARD EGGLEsToN,
.4uthor ef'" The Hoosier School Nae
ter" End ef the World" &c.
From the Christian Cnion.l
CHAPTER II.
THE FROLH.

The supper was soon dispatched
the huskers eating with awkwsrt
embarrassment, as frontiermen ii
ways do in company-even in tn,
company of each other. To eat witt
decencv and composure is the fna
triumph Of civilization, and th,
shuckers of Hissawachee Bottom GO
through with the disagreeable per
formance as hurriedly as possible, ths
more SO that their exciting strife hat
given them vigorous relish for Mrs
Lumsden's chicken fxen's," and
batter-cakes, and .'punkin-pies." The
quilters had taken their supper ar
hour before, the table not affordine
room for both parties. When supper
was over the s'things" were quickly
put away, the table folded up and
removed to the kitchen-and the
company were then ready to enjoy
themselves. There was much gawky
timidity on the part Of the young
men, and not little shy dropping d
the eyes on the part Of the young
women; but the most courageous
presently got some Of the rude, coun-
try plays a-going. The pawns were
sold over the head Of the blindfold
Mort Goodwin, who. as the wit of the
company, devised all manner of PEN
alties for the owners. Susan Tom
kins had to stand up in the corner,
and say,
.Here stand all rugged and dirty,
Kiss me quick. or I'll run like q turkey"
These lines were supposed to
rhyme. When Aleck Tilley essayed
to comply with her request, she
tried to run like turkey, but was
stopped in time.
The good taste Of people who en-
joy society novels will decide at once
that these boisterous, unrefned
sports are not a promising beginning.
It is easy enough to imagine heroism,
generosity and courage in people who
dance on velvet carpets; but the
great heroes, the worlds demigods,
grew in Just such rough social states
as that Of Ohio in the early part Of
this century. T! ere is nothing more
important for an ov,r-re6ned genera
ton than to unders, md that it has
not monopoly Of the great qualities
Of humanity. and that II must not
only tolerate rude folk, but some
times admire in them traits that have
grown scarce as refinement has in
creased. So that ! may not shrink
from telling that one kissing play
took the place of another until the
excitement aud inerrimcnt reached :
pitch which would be thought not
consonant with propriety by the soci-
ETY. that loves round-dances with
roues, and '.the German" untrans-
lated-though, for that matter, there
are people old-Iashioned enough to
think that refined devil,ry is not
much better than rude freedom, after
all.
Goodwin entered with the hearty
animal spirits Of his time Of life into
the boisterous sport; but there was
one drawback to his pleasure-Patty
Lumsden would not play. He was
glad, indeed, that she did not--he
could not bear to see her kissed by
his companions. But, then, did Patty
ike the part he was taking in the
rustic revel? He inly rejoiced that
his position, rs the blindfoid Justice,
melting out punishment TO the owner
of each forfeit, saved him, to some
extent, the necessity of going through
the ordeal of kissing. True, it was
quite possible that the severest pre-
scription he should make might fall
on his own head, if the pawn hap
pened to be his; but he was saved
by his good luck and the penetration
which enabled him to guess, from the
suppressed chuckle of the seller,
when the offered pawn was his own.
At last, ''forfeits" in every shape
became too dull for the growing
mirth of the company. They ranged
round the room on bench
es and chairs, and began to sing the
old song:
'OAts, peas, beans, and barley grow
Oats, peas, beans. aud barley grow
You nor l, bat the farmers, know
Where oats. peas. beans. and barley grow.
Thus the farmer sows his seed.
Thus he stands and takes hts ease,
Stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And whirls around and views his lands.
sure - grass grows In the field.
Down on this carpet you must kneel,
Salute your true love, kiss her sweet,
And rise again upon your feet
It is not very different from the
little children's play-an old rustic
sport, doubt not, that has existed
in England from immemorial time.
McConkey took the handkerchief
first, and, while the company were
singing, he pretended 10 be looking
around and puzzhng himself to de-
eide whom he would favor with his
affection. But the girls nudged one
another, and looked significantly at
Jemima Huddlestone. OF course,
everybody knew that Bill would take
Jemima. That was foreordained.
Everybody knew it except Bill and
Jemima. Bill fancied that he was
standing in entire indecision, and
Jemima-radiant peony!-turned her
large, red-cheeked face away from
Bill, and studied meditatively q knot
in Aoor-board. But her averted
gaze only made her expectancy the
more visible, and the significant litter
o. the company deepened the hue
and widened the area Of red in her
cheeks. attempts to seem uncon-
sc,ous generally result disastrously.
But the titteripg, and nudging, and
looking toward Jemima, did not pre-
vent the singing from moving .on;
and now the singers have reached
the line which prescribes the kneel.
ing. Bill shakes off his feigned in.
decision, and with a sudden efurt
RECEIVERS from his vacant and wander,
ing stare, wheels about, spreads the
handkerchief" which he holds, 4,
the feet Of the backwoods Hebe, anC
di fiden,ly kneels upon the outel
edge, while she, in compliance with
the order of the play, and with re
luctance only apparent, also drop
upon her knees on the handkerchief