The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-03-18
THE Rushing.


THE HUSKKNG.
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 har-
vests as are garnered anywhere in the Do
mlnlon, programme of fun had been
prepared by the young men and women.
There were corn huskings where red
ears brought kisses, surprise parties where
nobody was surpr ed, straw rides, apple
parlng parties, an cath rings where the
staid cotillon was danced to the music of
a violin. The first event of the fall was
an apple pairing. This whetted the ap-
petltes of the country folks, and every
body was eager for the big huskng that
was to bring all the beaux and bells into
the big barn of Farmer Treuette 1t
was known to the young, hard-fisted
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. Every red grain of corn meant
an ear of the same color, 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 unuSuaf oyoitorao,,t h., b,,I.
ing. Sally Tr uette was rosy-cheeked,
plump, raven-h ired lass whose rocuish
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 pom at various
times, and whom she had not snubbed un-
mercifully afterward. Red dhaired Jim
Radford, who owned forty acres of fine
farming land near St. Marys, and Owen
Jones, sharp featured chap, who had
opened country store near the railway
the most solemn manner to marry Sally
or prevent her from marrying anybody
else. Radford was tall, broad d-shOuldered,
and strong of limb, with muscles hardened
by work. Jones was tall, sim, and an
gular, 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 always ner
vous and i'll 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 unso-
phisticated Sally. She liked Isadford tor
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 unhusked years of corn
had been torn from the stalks and heaped
in a great pile in the centre of the barn.
Store boxes, upturned nail kegs, and
rough benches formed circle about the
pile. The old rambling farm house a
hundred yards away blazed with lights.
1t was crowded with elderly men and
women preparing in bnstIing, garrulous
way the re.reshment' Sally, clad in the
brightest calico Il cha BILE in Jones'
store, with punches of bright ribbon at
her throat and in her hair, fitted about
like a speck of color in an ocean of SOM
breness. Canadian farmers always make
as much noise as possible when they are
out for jollitication, and the jingling of
bells, the clatte ing of wagons, and shouts
from vigorous lungs made the night air
culver. Young men and women soon
appeared in the farm yard, and peals of
laughter were heard coming from the
barn. Sally shook hands with every body
who appeared and welcomed them all in
a sprightly 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 hickory corn peg on his
strong right hand, and soon a stream of
glistening ears was flying over his left
shoulder. Jo. es sat right opposite him,
where the ca 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 sprang from his
seat.
"Watcher doin' ?" he asked angrily.
"Keep CAM" said Jones, smilingly !;
vars a 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
persistently, but nobody else succeeded
in getting any, and the laugh that had
heralded his success finally gave place to
mutterings of discomfort
"Look YER" said Radford, suddenly,
e all those yer ears must be left whar all
kin see 'em. No repeatin', mind YER"
A little applause greeted this, but it
was hushed when Jones said, sarcasti.
calIy. :,