Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-12-02

The sap was brought in buckets from the woun
ded trees, and poured into great rauldr N
which hung over 4 not fire from Il stout h IriZUn
tai pole supported at each end by an upright
stake planted in the ground. Since that time
they have built in every maple grove II sugar
house-a little building in which the process OF
making sugar is carried on with several Ingeni-
GUS contrivances unknown ut that time, when
everything was done IN the OPT
In autumn, the task of stripping the husks
from the ears OF Indian corn was made the occa-
sion of social meetings. III which the bows took
was called so husking.' - to which he invited his
neiEhbOrs. The ears OF maize in the husk some
tunes along with part of the stalk, were heapcd
on the barn floor. In tn. evening, lanterns
were brought, and, seated on the piles OF dry
husks, The men and boys stripped the ears Of
their covering, and breaking them from the
stems with u sudden jerk, threw them into bas-
kets placed for the purpose. 1t was often II
merry time; the gossip OF the neighborhood was
talked over. storIus were told. jests went round:
ami at the proper hour the assembly adjourned
te the dwelling house and were treated to pump
kin pie and cider. which i'll that SEASON had not
been so long from the press As TO have parted
with Its sweetness.
Tie cider-making season in autumn was, at
the time Of which 1 am speaking, somewhat
correspondent to the vin5sSe in the wine cum
tries OF Europe. Large tracts of lani IN New
England We're overshadowed by rows # apple
through that region was journey through u
wilderness Of bloom. In the month of October
the whole population was busy gathering apples
under the trees, from which they Tell in heavy
showers as the branches We're shaken by the
strong arms of the farmers. The creak of the
cider.mll ,trraed by horse moving in circle I,
WAS heard in every neighborhoOd As one oil The
most common of rural sounds.
From time to time the winter evenings, and
occasionally q winter afternoon, brought the
young people OF the parish together in utte ndancs
Upon slnging-schoOl. Some person who pos
sesscd more than common power OF voice and
skill in modulating it, WAS employed to teach
psalmody, and the boys We're naturally attract
ed to his school as recreation 1t often hap R
pened that the teacher was All enthusiast IN his
vocation, and Numbered forth the airs set down
in his music books with feryOr that was conta-
glous. A few of those who attempted TO learn
psalmody We're told that they had no aptitude
for the art, and were set asiie. but that did not
prevent their attendance rs hearers OF the 9TH
ers. In those days set of tunes were IN sil-
| ion mostly OF New England origin, which have
since been laid aside in obedience to L more las
\ tidious taste.
| The streams which bckered through the mar
| rowed glens Of the region IN which i lived Were
| much better stocked with trout in those days
| than now, for the country had been newly open
| ed 10 settlement. The boys were all III glers.
sport, as no longer call it. Ihave long Sine,
| been weaned from the piope lslty OF which
speak; but haye no doubt that the instlnc
| which inclines many to it, aud some of then
| wild nature OF man. Another sport, to which
| the young men of the neighborhOoi sometime:
| admitted the elder boys, was the autumna
squirrol-hunt. The young men formed them
| selves into two parties equal in number, AM
liked day for the shooting. The party whlcl
| on that day brought down the greatest number o
squirrels WAS declared the victor, and the con
test ended with some sort OF festiylly IN III,
| evening.
| l have not mentioned other sports and gam,
OF the bows OF that day.-hat is to say of sevent,
| ming, lealing. base ball, and the hkr, for it
| these there was nothing to distinguish then
| from the same pastimes at the present daS
I-tWilliam cullen Bryant. st. Nicholas for DE