The Penn's Grove record., 1885-03-07

~~N"-NA
Tat was the note / received, and IL
answered in person. II was the
only huski0g Oee ( ever attended, and
she only one / ever expect to. Tue
evening was splendid, the moon shone
down through the riffs in the clouds
very tcnderly, and as appropriately as
beacon on the verge eff the shoals, or an
Alaska diamond on the bosom of d
swell Tho cousins invited all the
young people Of the neighbOrhOOd-2J
miles each way-and all the lads and
lassies came.
The Thompson SISTERS "came over, 20
There were four of them-twO pairs Of
Jwins-all old maids, one set was named
ROena and Trofeua. the others Lorena
and S0frena. All had red hair and light
gray eyes. They were modest, well be-
haved country ladies; but each appear
ed to take a fancy to Theodocia's city
cousin, and TheOdOcia vas delighted
while / suffered.
At eight O'Clock the company had "a
rived and all went to the feld of action.
The boys and girls paired off and each
couple took a shock. One in every ten
OF the men vas required TO bind stalks,
and | proposed to be Il tenth man, III
spite Of the four half invitations to husk
with the Thompson girls. | never
bound any stalks before that night IN
my life, and did not bind Any then.
Lifting a big bundle up on to my breast
] tried to put the bark band around, but
could not reach 1t, and while running
after the blasted thing studded my Toe
and fell h~eadlOng. | heard a glggie-
Twas Rnpp4 and I vanished.
10 bind wa not my taste, so ] con-
Guided TO husk, and taking a shock
alone began. After Juggling away at
an ear for some time | got all the husks
stripped down in a th0usand pieces but
J could not break 1t off. I took It across
my knee, but no 90, | could cut it off
with IA knife, and while saving away
another giggle lifted my halT-'twas
Trofena. left the work unfinished
and plided over into the meadow alone
and sat on q stump.
Did you go to a huskIng bee, my pre-
cious reader2 Do you know how coun-
try people enjoy it or suffer from it,
/ don't know which? / never heard
such a laundering rattle, clstter and
roar in all my life. Seventeen thous'
and alarmed geese, one hundred and
sixty-three threshing machines, ninety
four railroad trains all in action, could
never drown the din of that ''husk.
Now and then above the 0 a would
come: She's got a red ear" Then
would follow a race, a hundred wal
wboops, a crash, smash and explosion;
then matters assumed their gonted con-
fusion again.
At IL O'Clock the twO-hoTse COW bell
on top OF the house rang and the field
was deserted, all repairing to the door
yard where they stood up IN rows
around the fence while the pumpkin
pie, cheese and regrets that there is no
cider, were passed. An hour later and
the crowd dispersed, and telling tired [
stole TO the house TO retire, but just at
the door met Cousin TheodOcia, who
asked me if / would just step over the
way with the Thompson girls and see
them safely homo. The four gathered
around me just then, and being able to
frame no reasonable excuse, l went
with the charming ~ blondes.
We walked and talked, and talked
and walked I don't know how long,
when / remarked:
We must be near your bOusef"
almost there" was the response.
After another long walk, l said
again:
I'VE must be very near your houseF"
Yes, very" all answered.
After another miserable march Of
half an hour, l Intercepted:
How much farther is iU2"
"Nos more than half a mlle,n an
sWeTed R-ena.
About three quarters" said Trofe-
ma.
Its Just about a mile from the big
bridge back there, said LOrena
That light you see yonder on the
hill is from our kitchen, - added Sofre-
Ia.
''Merciful heavens!' i sighed, wiping
my placid brow, Just over the wayH'
Just a pleasant evening WAIKIKI
''Delightfull'
"Charmingp'
''Refreshingl"
/ got there in scne manner, and
dragged my weary frame toward my
uncle's house again, that stood lust
over the way''-four miles distant.
Reaching the big bridge before men,
toned l saw an object enter one end as
/ did the other. 1t looked like a female
figure with wings, | moved, 1t moved;
l stopped and the figure did the same.
The chills I'm over me and my hair
stood on end; / am not naturally super
stitious, but have been a little SO since
reading Tilton's Life of Victoria
Woodruff"
'It may rot be a specter,"I reason
ed.
I have said nothing against wOman's
rights, and Susan Il. Anthony is Lot
dead; it cannot be a ghost.
"Who's therepn l asked in a voice
made husky by binding corn stalks.
"Oh, Tom, is that your" the object
said, spreading her wings and advanc-
ing.
''Stopp' | cried in laundering tones;
''stay where you are. Why do you seek
me2
ITO take you home with me;' an
swered the spirit, III just such a voice
as specters use.
Tim not ready to go. I'm still in
the q sh, I'm alive and WE'LL plead
ed. $50 back to your woman king
dom, to your ethereal haunts, and
beset me o again. Flee thee, haste
the awayl'
Again she advanced with broad wings
spread, crying:
Are you crazy, Tomp'
And Just as she would grasp me /
leaped backward and outward. Down,
down / went until there came a thud, a
splash, and the next 1 knew some one
was helping me up the bank out of the
water.
Are you q fool, TOMB" greeted my
ear.
cousin TheOdocia, how anne you
out here at this time Of night?"
Il came to meet you, knowing that
you would be lonely"
II saw through it all, the wind had
made wings OF Theodocia's great gray
shawl.
"Yes, rm a fool is al l remember
Of saying on the way home.
90 to no more husking bees and in
yitatious need not be sent.
Nearly Nine Feet of snow.
A--a