Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1886-01-14
THE HUSKING.


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 STRAIT
ford, where farmers reap as rich harvests
as are garnered anywhere in the Domin-
ION, programme of fun had been pre-
pared by the young men and women.
There were corn huskings where red ears
brought kisses, surprise parties where
nobody was surprised, straw rides, apple
pairing parties, and gatherings where the
stald cotillon was danced to the music of
violin. The first event of the fall was
an apple pairing. This whetted the ap-
petites of the country folks, and every
body was eager for the big husking that
was to bring all the beaux and bellies into
the big barn Of Farmer Treaette. 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
great many red grains of corn had been
dropped in the corn hills in the spring.
I7vUry rcc gIurn rrIvrsIfu esr1--xslI -01-
the same cclor, and every ear meant one
kiss to the finder, and perhaps more if he
could smuggle the ear forward again.
There was another circumstance that
added an unusual excitement to the husk-
ing. Sally Treuette was a rosy-cheeked,
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 afterward Red-haired jim
Radford, who owned forty acres Of fine
farmint land near st. Mary's, and Owen
Jones, sharp-featured chap, who had
opened'a country store near the railway
station in Stratford, had each sworn in
the most solemn manner to marry Sally
OF prevent her from marrying ANYBODY
else. Radford was tall, broad-shoul-
dered, and strong of limb, with muscles
hardened by work Jones was tall. slim.
and angular, with hectic cheeks. and a
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 neighborhood. The more they
settled and the worse they appeared the
stronger they were. Radford was al
ways nervous and i'll at ease when he was
in the presence of Sally, but Owen was
always able to talk streak and tell mar
velous tales and interesting stories Of
adventure that were very entertain
ing to the unsophisticated 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 inyigorting. a string oi
twinkling lanterns hung across Farmer
Treuette's barn yard Lanterns swung
from rusty nails all over the interior Of
the barn. The unhusked ears of corn had
been torn from the stalks and heaped in
great pile in the centre of the barn
Store boxes, upturned nail kegs, and
rough benches formed circle about tht
pile. The old rambling farm house
hundred yards away blazed with lights
It was crowded with elderly men and
women preparing in bustling, garrulous
way the refreshments. Sally, clad in th'
brightest calico purchasable in Jones
store, with punches Of bright ribbon a
her throat and in her hair, fitted abou
like speck of color in an ocean Of som
breness. Canadian farmers always max
as much noise as possible when they ar
out for jollifcation, and the jingling 0
bells, the clattsring Of wagons, and shout
from vigorous lungs made the night al
quiver. Young men and women 500
appeared in the farm yard, and peals Q
laughter were heard coming from tn
barn. Sally shook hands with everybod
who appeared and welcomed them all j
sprightly fashion. Then the work 0
husking began at once, for both men AM
women were eager for the dancing tha
was to follow it. Radford seated his BIZ
form, adjusted a hickory corn peg on hi
strong right hand, and soon strear
Of gistening ears was flying over his lei
shoulder Jones sat right opposite him
where the ears bulged out as if I
meet him. The others sat whereye
| they could find seats, or stood back an