The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-02-03

aside her wraps, with her face broad and
smiling rs a sunflOwer.
Inwardly she wished the girl Mt the
bottom of the Red Sea, and was furiously
envious of her beauty and accomplish
ments.
The house was soon overcrowded with
company, and an adjournment was made
to the great barn that had been prepared
for the occasion. The inevitable tallow
candles were placed around in the most
convenient fashions, to drip their melted
and far from pure grease on those below.
A huge stack of unhusked ears rose in
the center of the floor, and pumpkins
! stood in yellow row around for seats.
These were, par excellence, for the "wo-
men folks" The male element was
working outside, save that now and then
some member of it dashed into the midst
of the girls on the discovery of red ear,
like hungry hawk into covey of
quails, only the girls were neither so
young, tender, nor easily frightened.
Many another kind of red ear, and many
face scratched as if dozen rampaging
cats had been at work, told the strength
of their arms and the sharpness and
length of their nails.
Tricks of all kinds were played. Many
jest so broad was uttered that Bertha
shrank back into corner, with affrighted
glance and cheeks of shamed crimson,
wishing with her entire heart that she
had never come. But the rest of the
feminine youngsters, with Kate Brown
at their head, reveled in the fun, and did
not seem in the least squeamish about
being handled so roughly. They bOasted
that they could give back as good as
they got, and woe be to him upon whom
half dozen pounced at the same time,
for he came out of the struggle looking
as if he had been put through sausage
and hetcheling machine.
1t was a very poor place for ribbons
and laces, and putting and futing, and
false hair, and bad one for clothes gen.
orally. Many girl had to $4,000" sud
denly for needles and thread, and many
of the boys made earnest inquiries for
pins, and disappeared round the corner
of the barn, distressed for rent and for
repairs"
But the work had to be done (and it
was hurried through after fashicn) be-
fore full swing could be given to the fun.
That accomplished, the great floor was
cleared, sprinkled and swept, and the
riot commenced in earnest.
Timid little Bertha was swept away in
the whirl, and, for time, scarcely knew
where she was what she was doing, or
what was being done with her. The
great clowns of Boys and unmarried men
made of her victim, and her ears
burned with fulsome praise and her
cheeks and lips with kisses and her
brain appeared shattered by the loud,
hoarse laughs that greeted her useless at
tempts to get out of brawny arms.
Fun, hain't it?" said Kate Brown, as
she dashed past, with her skirts tapping
like the sails of two masted schooner in
sudden flaw. "But don't be such a
little simpleton, Bertha. Give them as
good as they send. Hap and down
came all her top hamper of hair in the
clutch of a young man. "You will pay
for that, Tom Jones, see if you don't!'
she continued, with very sudden turn
ing of her tune, and eyes that flashed in
dignant fires.
One would have said that he did pay
for it to have seen him few moments
later, looking like plucked sheep or a
picked gander, without collar, and
only starched strings left for shirt
bosom.
eco it, Kate!" shouted her delighted
dad.
"Let me alone, pop. Pm enough for
them," she answered. And she was.
The arrival of the gloriied fiddler
brought lull for a time, and demoral-
lied garments and flying hair were re-
duced to something of decency again,
while the sable son of Africa was being
mounted on a cider barrel (empty of
course) and was tuning his kremanah." I"
Then such dancing followed Bold
Kate consented to dance with Tom
Brown, and danced until both were COM
pletely out of breath. Then he tried to
snatch kiss; she knew he was stronger
than her, and that her only safety lay in
fight, and out from the room they ran,
flying for dear life. The race of man
trying to catch train was nothing COM
pared to it. Down through the orchard,
through a field of uncut corn, over
fences, through blackberry bushes, and
over brook. Then somehow (he never
could account for it, as he didn't see
Kate give the plank kick) his footing
suddenly gave way and he fell "ker-
souse" to the very bottom, and dragged
himself out, dripping and putting, and
| Just in time to hear Kate laughing with
all her might. Then his "mad" was up
for certain, and wipiDg the mud from his
eyes, and wringing it from his hair, he
swore "by hooky, he'd make her pay for
it if he had ter follow her all over ther
arth %
In one respect he had the advantage
If Kate was the feetest of foot for a
distance, he had the most bottom, as the
turtles say, and she soon saw that he
was gaining. Then her woman's wit
took the place ofspeed. She kept crowd
ing on all sail, it was true, but he con-
tinued to overtake her, and at length
exclaimed:
ron 1--we I've gsos;,S got YOU my LADY, and I'll make
"Have your she answered saucily.
"Pll show you."
1t was queer kind of showing. Hardly
had he got the words out of his mouth
before she stopped and squatted suddenly,
and he, unable to check his momentum,
tumbled over her, and landed full length
upon his back.
SCOT me, have you ?" and she gath
cred up her tangled skirts, 80 as to run
the faster, and took bee line for the
house.
Her woman's apparel did not suit this
kind of locomotion, though. She was
fast getting out of wind, and knew that
his mans strength would conquer in the
end. 80 she determined to avoid close
encounter. But che calculated without