Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-05-30

a mewymakiag par ercellencs Is q
Nes England iius ling ffolic. The husk4
Ing frolic at the South ID different az
fair altogether. There. IL Il conkre-
CATION of negroes from the various plan
iaiions near 1t hand, who, while they
work. make The an vocal alposk for
miles ardisnd with thairruds naelodies, q
iew Of which have been rendered Arl
miliar 10 ears spoIise ~ tise esshs "
Nho have IS Hi. ss.lased tke public
iuIllss tie past tive e. three years.
Bot, at The North, the tshaaiinz,s ike
she saaiifing, draws together the gem
tie maidens and loving swainsofa neigh
borhood, who meet. toenjoy themselves
in their own way. And such enjoy
ment as they have, in kind and degree,
is not TO be met with every day. In
former times, the 'shusking" was a
wilder affair than at present
Straight-laced conventionality is grad
nally finding its way beyond the city
limits, and binding the free spirits of
our country maidens. They meet Of
tener with the "city folks" gradually
falling more and more into their habits
as they partake more and more of their
spirit; and, when they assemble for en-
ioyment, they check their impulses,
restrain their movements, andahpsh al
most into silence the merry Aughter
that seeks to leap forth ike the singing
waters Of the fountain. No; shuskings"
are not what they were. Instead Of
seeing on the thresbing-hoor troop OF
young men and maldens, stripping from
the bright ears of grain their leafy COW
eFings. amid laughter, music, and the
mingling OF sweet voices, as of old,
mere ''labor" GENES in too often TO per-
form the service, and silently and cold
ly does ITS work. Yet, here and there,
a farmer, who cannot forget the pleas
ant times when be was young. sends
forth his annual summons after the
maze harvest is gathered, and then
comes merrymaking for old and young
that as enjoyed in way never to be
forgotten.
Old Ephrain Bradley was man Of
this school. II his head grew white
under the falling SHOWS of many win
tiers, the grass was fresh and green, and
the flowers ever blooming on his heart.
With him, the annual "husLlng'' was
never omitted. Ii was like Christmas
and Thanksgiving, almost sacred
thing, halt involving sin in the omis-
sion. nnaSsun.. ....a
: 8.l9 -! ]
from Bostonx- sEast some in the city
regarded her as such-was spendinga
few weeks in D., when invitations
came TO attend husking party at Eph-
rain Bradley's.- The old man lived
some three miles from the village
Kate had heard about husking parties,
and her young spirits leaped up when
the announcement was made that one
was to be held in the neighborhood, and
that she was invited to be present. II was
a frolic that, from all she had heard,
would just suit her temperament, and
she set off, when the time came, to make
one of the party, in the merriest possi-
BILE mood.
Evening had closed in on the arrival
of the party from D., who quickly
Joined some score or two of young peo-
Pile in the large kitchen. where lay
heaped up in the centre huge pile Of
Indian corn.
"All that to be huskedp' whispered
Kate, as she entered the room.
"0h yes; all that and more, perhaps"
was the smilingreply. 1--WE have come
to work, YOU know
"Now, gals, said old Mr.. Bradley,
who stood looking on as the young folks
gathered, with bright faces, around the
golden grain, ''now for good old-fash-
Ioned time. IL there are not halfa doz-
en- weddings between this and Christ
mas | shall say there rs no virtue in red
ears"
As he ceased, down dropped, amid
gay voices and laughter, the whole COM
pany upon The floor, an all graceful and
ungraceful positions, in circle around
the pile OF corn. Kate alone remained
standing, for the movement was SO sud-
den that she could not act with II.
"Here's room for you. Kate" cried
one OF the glrls who had come with her,
making place BY her side; and down
sank Kate, feeling, for the first time, a
little awkard and confused. Beside
her was a stout, rough country youth,
whose face was all merriment, and
whose eyes were dancing with aniicipa-
ted pleasure. The city gIrl eyed his
rough brown hands, coarse garments,
and unpublished face, with slight feel
ing Of repulsion, and drew little f1om
him towards her friend.
"Oh. plenty Of room, missl Plenty
said he turning broadly around,
and addressing her with familiar leer.
"The tighter we ct in, the better
Lay the brands close, ifyOu want good
FIRE."
Kate could not help laughing al this.
As she laughed, he added
All free and easy here" lie had
grasped an ear Of corn, and was already
stripping down the husk. "a red ear,
by iingo !" suddenly burst from his lips,
in tone Of triumph; and, as be spoke,
he sprang towards, or rather upon Kate,
with the grace Of . young bear, and
kissed her with SMACK that might
have been heard dozen rooms off,
Ere she had time to recover from the
surprise, and, II must be admitted. in
occasioned by this unexpected
assault upon her lips, the hero Of the
IT, A-n -.