Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-03-11
TIE uess:or nu-nIas see.

That was the note received, and il
WAS answered IN person. II was the
only huskiDg Dec ever attended, and
the only one l ever expect to. The
evening was splendid, the moon shone
down through the riffs il the clouds
very .endeTly, and as appropriately as a
beacon on the verge Of the shoals. or an
Alaska diamond on the bosom of a
swell The cousins invited all the
Young people OF the neighbOrhood-25
miles each wsy-aDd all the lads and
lasSieS came.
The Thomson SISTERS "came over. =
There were four of them-two pairs Of
Vwins-ail old maids; one set was named
Roena and Trofena, the others Lorena
and Sofrena. All had red hair and light
gray eyes. Tuey were modest, well be-
haved country ladies'; but each appear
ed to lake d fancy to IheodOcia'S city
cousin. and TheOdocia was delighted
while suffered.
AT eight O'Clock the company had az
rived and all went to the field of action.
The boys and girls paired off and each
couple took shock. One iE every ten
of the men vas required to bind stalks.
and | proposed to be tenth man, in
spite Of the four half Invitations to husk
with the Thompson girls. L never
bound any stalks before that night in
my life, ana did not b.nd any then.
Lifting a big bundle up on TO my breast
1 tried TO put the bark band around but
could not reach 1t, and while running
after the blasted thing stubbed my toe
and fell headiong. 1 heard a giggle-
twas ROena- and L vanished.
To bind was not my taste, so 1 con-
cludsd TO huSk, and taking a shock
alone began After tugging away at
an ear for some time | got all the busks
stripped down in a thousand pieces but
I could not break II of. l took IL across
my knee. but no 20: could cut II off
with a knife, and while saving away
another giggle lifted my haIr-'twas
TTofeua. l left the work unfinished
and glided over into the meadow alone
and sat on stump.
Did you 90 to husklng bee, my pre-
ciOus resdeT2 Do you know how coun-
try people enjoy it or suffer from IL,
don't know whichg l never heard
sucn laundering rattle, clatter and
roer in all mg life. Seventeen LhOus-
Sixty-three hreshing machines, ninety
four railroad trains all in action, could
never drown the din of that ''husk.
Now and then above the roar would
come: .'She's got a red ear" Then
would follow a race, hundred war
WhOops, a crash, smash and explosion;
then matters assumed their wODted con-
fusion again.
At II O'Clock the two-horse COW bell
on top of the house rang and the field
was deserted, AL 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 10 the house 10 retire, but just at
the door met Cousin ThecdOcia, who
asked me if l would just step over the
way with the Thompson girls and see
them safely home. The four gathered
around ne just then, and being able to
frame no reasonable excuse, l went
with the charming t?) blondes.
We walked and talked, and talked
and walked 1 don't know how long,
when L TemsIked:
We must he near your hOuse?"
almost there" was the response.
After another long walk, | said
again:
I'VE must be very near your hOusef"
Yes, very" all answered.
After another miserable march Of
half an hour, interrogated:
How much farther is itl''
"NOt more than half a mile" an
swered Z ena.
About three-quarters," said Trofe-
Ia.
Its just about mile from the big
bridge back there" said LOrena
THAT light You see yOnder on the
hill is from our kitchen" added Sofre-
la.
''Merciful heaveDsi" sighed, wiping
nv placid brow, lust over the wayp'
Just pleasant evening walkl'
Delightful"
''ChaTmingp'
"RefreShingl"
| got there in scme manner, and
dragged my weary frame toward my
uneIe's house again, that stood lust
over the wayn-four miles distant.
Reaching the big bridge before men,
toned | saw an object enter one end as
did the other 1t looked like female
figure with wings, | moved, it moved;
| stopped and the figure did the same.
The chills Tn over me and NV hair
stood on end; / am not naturally super
stitiOus, but have been little so since
reading TiltOn's Life of Victoria
Woodruff -
sit may rot bs a specter,"I L reason
ed.
have said nothing against wOman's
rights, and Susan B. Anthony is Lot
dead; it cannot be ghost,
WHO'S there2" asked in a voice
made husky by binding corn stalks.
''Oh, Tom, is that your" the object
said, spreading her wings and adyanc-
ing.
"StOpI" / cried in laundering tones;
''stay whore you are. Why do you seek
me2
ITO take you home with me;'' an
swered the spirit, m Just such a voice
as specters use. --i
I'm not ready. TO 90 IN still in
ms I ii9 q q sil, I'm alive and well. plead
ed go back to your woman king
dom, to your ethereal haunts. and
beset me not again. Flee thee, haste
the awayI"
Again she advanced with broad wings
spread, crying:
"AIe you crazy, Tom?"
And just as she would grasp me l
leaped backward and outward. Down,
down l went until there came a thud, a
splash, and the next knew some one |
was helping me up tile bank out of the
water.
ARE you fool, TOm?" greeted my
ear.
Cousin TheOdOcia, how cams you |
ont here at this time of night?"
~ came to meet you, knowing that |
you would be lonely"
II saw through it all, the wind had |
made wings of TheOdocis's great gray
shawl.
Yes, Tn fool, " is all remember |
Of saying on the way home.
l 90 to no more busking bees and in
vitatIOns need not be sent.
Nearly Nine Feet OF snow.
Oregon has had a phenomenal expe- |
rienee this winter in the matter OF snow.