The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-04-04
Candy.Pulling.

Il Is understood, of course, to be q
custom supported by the young folks.
The old folks have passed that suscepti-
bic age when the manipulation OF iatfy
in any form is considered necessary to
their peace Of mind, and are content to
sit at home and wonder who slim" or
"Sal" is "sparkin' with tonight" Tho
entertainment is given by ono OF the
girls at the home of her parents, and
she invites such of her friends ~ sho
plcascs. Usually the cotcric of young
people eligible for society purposes in
New England country village is not so
large but that all can be Invited to each
social entertainment, and thus is avoided
that bitterness of feeling and social
"cli1uc cry" which IL apt to arise In n
large community where "thc lines must
be drawn somewhere" The young
people assemble early in the evening,
and all sit down together TO n generous,
J home.lko supper, to fortify Themselves
| for the labor which is TO come. There
j. no mincing Of dainticS with alternate
prongs Of aesthetic forks, and slipping
from cut-glasS thimbcS, and dipping of
fingers in pcrfumed finger bowls, but
each sturdy lad and lass lays hold with
an honest appetite and eats what is set
before them with zeal which causes
the good housewives face TO shine like a
winter nights moon. After supper they
al 90 ont into the big kitchen. He tho
"help,n with cheeks all a-iire, is stirring
n great kettle of golden molasses which
stands on the stove. Already 1t has be.
come so thick and rich that the iron
spoon leaves n s.owiy-closing furrow boz
hind it ut every revolutions; and the
help avows that her "arm is broke"
and pronounces the mixture done to a
turn and "ready for the coolln'." on
comes the big kettle, and goes stcamng
out The door for bath in the snow
Now, with much laughter on the part Of
the girls and bashful blushing on tn,
part of the boys, an astounding rumbe
of antiquated aprons make their appear
ance, and presently every lad is trans
formed into an anomalous creature
whose sex you are at perfect liberty I
question. Then the girls tic on thei
own dainty little protectors, and pro
coed TO roll up their sleeves.
There is one reason, ut least, why tn
fair sex in the country will be aycrsc t
. giving up candy pulls, and that is be
cause the occasion affords the only or
poriunity they have to display 18th
dimpled roundness Of their arms" I.o'
neck and short sleeves are tabooed |
the country. Being adiuncts only of tn
most fashionable extreme in dress, the
, are very properly considered out
4 place anywhere except in large town
4 and cities. So what would the girls d
I but forever hide one of their princip
: charms if it wasn't for the delightful
!, unconventional candy pulp The bo
J. awkwardly follow suit by pulling {
their cuffs and turning back their wri'
l. bands and coat sleeves, and by this tin
IS the caldron of sirup returns from QUIT
h.. doors in somewhat cooler conditio
e Plates of melted lard and butter q
(, then brought out, each person taking
l. little of the unguent to smear his or !
l. hands so that the strands of molas'
lc will not stick to them. Now from va
n Gus parts OF tho room may be heard I
low-voiced query, "Nlay lpull with "
IS Miss -" "lIas any one asked y
it to pull with him?" Gradually all p
II off, except here and there an ovcr-ba'
IN full lad and retiring maiden, who, AZ
Iy many dcprecating Chances, are fins
ha brought together and mado incxpres
We bly, happy in saccharine par,ncrsh
Ms The lailc, deep plunged in the gol,
o. mass, and broughtup with viscid sire
to lrickling slowly from point and siC
no furnishes each pair of canJy-pnllers "
49, u ..ropon to tic and unite between th
with all the curious figures OF the cord
knot of youthful fancy. To and
they go, drawing out the golden Stra
and doubling it again, hand TO hi
ne eye to eye, drawing and doubling, tw
OF ing and folding, winding and brcaki
until ut last the amber-c0lorcd T.
T. grows white and hard, mud takes Ii
p united strength to draw it ont. The
es is carefully pulled into n long slen
C. rod and laid upon the table, and chip
or into sticks of the proper length. WI
Oh nj! the buttered plates have been III
y. with the crisp bits, the cpndy-pull
O. wash their hands, resume their &C
n pany gArb and demeanor, and return
ne the parlor or sitting-loom, where t,
a. regale themselves with the fruit of II
'lc labors till fairly surfci'ed with swe
~ Then come the games of the evenin
'u- blind mans buff, drop the hand
ON chief, throw the cushion, button, but
'te- who's got the button, foIieir, quits
rer- half dozen other extremely tran,
bit ent methods of getting the opp
poles of the human battery Together
zeal effecting on exchange OF e!ectr
rect After this kind of thing has lastec
eat nearly midnight, the sudden appear
nan of the good lady of the house, vi
J he certain unmstakable restraint i,
ent. manner, announces that the festi
and are or ought to be at an end. The
crows very uninteresting all of 3
eak- den, and a general devastating b'
I aJ, In ten minutes tho house is desc
.lna and nothing remains to tell OF IN
heo' cent festivities, except some empty
-: tered plates and five or six hall N
Inoi, sticks of candy c]nging to the
ld OF snrend and troddcn into the carp
} the | sp'e''" - Ut.o,, IN " Times.