The Arizona sentinel., 1886-02-13
LOVE AT THE HUSKING.
The Mean Trick by Which Jones
 Got All the Red Ears.

1Ob All OA0 ISSO E6T5s
 The corn had all been cut and piled away in great stacks in the huge barns. The Canadian landscape had been clothed several times in silvery frost. The rye was peeping up through the upturned fields, and the first week of the farmers season of leisure had passed. In that great stretch of level country about Stratford, where farmers reap as rich harvests as are garnered anywhere in the Dominion, a programme of fun had been prepared by the young men and women. There were rn-huskings where red ears brought kisses, surprise parties where nobody was surprised, straw rides, apple-paring parties and gatherings where the staid cotillon was danced to the music of a violin. The first event of the fall of 1882 was an ap- ple-paring. This whetted the appetites of the country folks, and everybody was eager for the big corn-husking that was to bring all the beaux and bellies into the big barn of Farmer Treuette It was known to the young, hard-fsted farmers that Sally Treuette, the only daughter of the old farmer, was to guide the course of events during the husking, and that a great many grains of red corn had been mingled with the white grains that had been dropped in the corn hills in the Spring. Every red grain of corn meant an ear of the same color, and every ear meant one kiss to the finder, and per- haps more if he could smuggle the ear forward again.
 There was another circumstance that added an unusual excitement to the husking. Sally Treuette was a rosy checked, plump, raven-haired lass whose roguish eyes had made sad havoc with the hearts of nearly all the young men for miles around. There was hardly one of them whom she had not smiled upon at various times, and whom she had not snubbed numerically after ward. Red-haired Jim Radford, who owned forty acres of fine farming land near St. Mary's, and Owen Jones, a sharp-featured Yankee, who had opened country store near the railway station in Stratford, had each sworn in the most solemn manner to marry Sally or pre- vent her from marrying anybody else. Radford was tall, broad-shouldered and strong of limb, with muscles hardened by work. Jones was tall, slim and angular, with hectic cheek and sharp cough that told of weakness and disease, but lied every time they told it. He was like many of the old stone houses in the neighbor- hood. The more they settled and the worse they appeared the stronger they were. Radford was always nervous and ill at ease when he was in the presence of Sally, but Owen was always able to talk streak and tell marvellous tales and interesting stories of adventure that were very entertaining to the un- sophisticated Sally. She liked Radford for his worth and Jones for what he seemed to be.
 The night of the huSking came at last. The silver crescent of the new moon hung in the west The air was just frosty enough to be invigorating A string of twinkling lanterns hung across Farmer Treuette's barn yard Lanterns swung from rusty nails all over the interior of the barn. The un- busked ears of corn had been torn from the stalks and heaped in a great pile in the center of the barn. Store boxes, upturned nail-kegs and rough benches formed circle about the pile. The old rambling farmhouse about hundred yards away blazed with lights. It was crowded with elderly men and women preparing in a bustling, garrulous way the refreshments. Sally, clad in the brightest calico purchasable in Jones' store, with punches of bright ribbon at her throat and in her hair, fitted about like speck of color in an ocean of somberness. Canadian farmers always make as much noise as possi- ble when they are out for jollification, and the jingling of bells, the clatterlng of wagons and shouts from vigorous lungs made the night air quiver Young men and women soon appeared in the farm yard, and peals of laughter were heard coming from the barn. Sally shook hands with everybody who ap- peared and welcomed them in aspright- ly fashion. Then the work of husking began at once, for both men and women were eager for the dancing that was to follow it. Radford seated his big form, adjusted a hickory corn peg on his strong right hand, and soon stream of glistening ears was flying over his left shoulder. Jones sat right opposite him, where the ears bulged out as if to meet him. The others sat wherever they could find seats, or stood back and dragged little piles of ears toward them. Almost the first ear that Jones husked was a red one. He arose deliberately, walked over to where Sally was sitting, and kissed her before she knew what his intentions were. She uttered little scream and Radford half sprung from his seat.
 ''Whatcher doin'?" he asked, angrily.
 Keep cam," said Jones, smilingly; ''yar's red ear.
 Everybody laughed uproariously ex- cept Radford. Jones had hardly seated himself again before he found another red ear, and again he kissed Sally with an junction that filled Radford's heart with envy. Jones found the red ears