Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-12-01

OAOoo Va uOoP ohoooWo duu UIlSuu liShe
in spots. 1t fell on laughing, bright
eyed girls and broad-shouldered young
men, in various unconsciously pictur-
esque attitudes; on the steady workers,
whose hands were busy at the husking
even while they watched with interest
the flight and effect of those soft bits
broken from the corn. ends, projected
with sure aim from one end of the barn
to the other; and on the faces of the
sober cows that stretched their necks
over to feed on the husks and stopped to
look, with mild-eyed wonder, on this in
terruption of the quiet they usually
know.
She was mechanically pulling off the
husks from an ear III her manu- uw4--,
admiring the picture, when suddenly
the two stalwart young farmers beside
her threw down their corn simultaneous
ly, and each placed on the one of her
cheeks nearest him rousing smack.
She arose, swelling vislbly" with min
gled Indignation and astonishment; but
when she understood that she had only
paid the penalty of having uncovered a
''red ear" it was impossible to keep
from joining in the laugh at her confu-
sion which followed, making the old
barn ring. And however much she may
have rebelled in her own heart against
this total overlooking of her schoolmarm
dignity, she dared not frown upon this
ancient custom which is incorporated
into the very being of the husking. To
be sure she observed it to be rule for
the girls to make lively show of re-
sisting the payment of their penalties,
adding to their muscular resistance the
very efficient aid of lung power; but
this only enlivened the scene, without
diminishing in any degree the determi-
nation of the gallant boys to see the law
carried into effect.
And there is another feature of husk-
ings which she found it not easy to dis
regard. Sometimes an ear is found
which has not ripened in the usual prop
er manner into hard yellow or even red
kernels, but, instead, is puny dark
cob. having its husks filled out with a
dry brownish-black powder, that is free
ly given off at contact, thus giving the
name of ''smutty ear" The finder of
one of these generally makes it known
by adding contrasting shade to fair
fesh-tints in drawing it across conyen.
lent face. 1t is passed from hand tc
hand; the girls use it as weapon of de.
fence, making white teeth CLEAN all the
brighter from dusky encircling; anG
the party assumes by degrees the ap
pearance of coal-heavers. So with "rec
ears" and 'smutty ears" and laughter
with sallies of homely wit and sometimes
a rousing song, the work went off rapid
ly, till at last it was finished, and aftel
they had taken turns at tie kitcheI
washbasin to clear their countenance
of the corn dust, they were admitted t,
fhn yuhfah fho n,athar1r, hnsfoe
had prepared for them. And such
supper There were large plates will
thick and long and wide slices of breat
piled to miniature mountains, and ball
of golden, homemade butter, stamped
with shield which proved noprotectioi
for it against the knives of the hungr,
vandals. There was the incest steamed
loaf of brown bread and two earthern
ware dishes filled with beans, with, t
save waiting. several spoons in each
Then doughnuts and "punkin pie" ant
"pandowdy." Oh. the pandowdy bake;
} in deep, rectangular pan, and cut, no
in the regular and uninteresting three
cornered shape, but into great cubes
The chief ornament to the table was
!, huge circular dish containing nobl
great brown Indian pudding. Wit
; sharp appetites and no ceremony what
ever, the company soon made large IL
roads on this bounteous repast
When supper was over the wome
/ cleared away the remains while the me-
! repaired to the barn and made livel
| work of clearing the barn floor by pitch
, ing all the husks back to the farthe
; end. That done. the gallants hurrie
r back to the house for partners from tn
, number of rosy-cheeked girls, and re
) turning, took their places for Virgini
reel. The singing master seated on
r barrel with his fiddle furnished th
} liveliest music; his own roguish son lie
5 the dance with the schoolmarm. an
with the most genuine goodwill tn
: lads and lassies followed up and dow
| through the length of the barn. 1t wa
] an interesting picture, and IN her m,
. ments of rest the schoolmarm locke
4 about her and wished she might pair
z it all, the barn the dancers, the fiddle
a and the few interested lookers-on, anon
? them the farmer host, whose cheer,
pleased face rlyalled one Of his own a.
9 Piles in ruddy shine. They danced, an
s then they played games, the old-fashione
S yet always new Copenhagen, and blin'
A,,G L.