The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-12-18
r HARVEST.FETE,
a Festival Devoted to Thanksgiving and
harmless Merry.Naking.

is celebrated by the ''Ernte-dankfest,"
or harvest thanksgiving. 1t is not 8
general festival like its American rels-
tive. In New England each farmer is
owner and master OF the bit of land
from which, by the sweat OF his brow,
he keeps the thorns and thistles, and
thus all the little proprietors may be
united and centered like a composite
flower. and blossom out into one gen.
eral thanksgiving. But in Germany
the land remains chiefly in large estates.
and the extent of these domains places
the owners so far asundcr that it would
be difficult to unite them in one COM
mon idea.
Each proprietor having many people
under him-often hundreds
the harvest festival as lest suits his
convenience. 1t is in reality a merry
making for his retinuc of servants.
When the granted is ready to yield up
its last load of treasure q large cart is
drawn into the yard of one of the peas
ants, and the young people gather
about it and trim it with wreaths, how-
ers and leaf-festoons. To this are at
tached six or eight horses likewise
decked with garlands. The cart is
taken to the field, where the loading Of
1t goes on more as sport than as work.
When the last sheaf has been tossed up,
a pole. surmounted by a gay wreath, is
stuck in the load, and the fanciful, but
heavy-laden vehicle, rumbles and sways
on its way to the village, followed by
an ever-growing crowd of ONE and
children.
When the parsonage Is reached the
cart stops, the pastor comes forth with
his little black skull-cap on, and a hush
falls over the merriment, while the good
man returns thanks for the bounty of
the harvest, and graves q blessing upon
its use. Then the gay procession re-
sumes its jollity, and its line of march
toward its destination. The whole day,
and often two, are given up to merry.
making and feasting, for Which many
hands have been busy for days prepar-
ing the viands. One evening at least is
devoted to dancing. Some large, airy
barn is selected as a ballroom. The
floor is swept, the walls, the hay-mows
and the stalls of the cattle are pro-
fusely decorated with houghs of the
linden and oak, relieved by bouquets
and garlands of bright flowers. The
girls bring forth the treasures of their
wardrobe, and appear with bright kerr
chiefs fastened tastefully over their
tlghtly-br.id ed tlayen locks, or with an
immense stiff black bow attached to the
back OF the head, as taste or custom die
tates. Often a bodice worn over q full,
light waist. and these, with the bright.
colored short petticoats made of heavy
wooden stuff, add greatly to the pictur.
esqueness of The whole scene The old
tiddler-for there seems ALWAYS
have been one since the time of the
with his violin, and
furnishes the muse with q capacity for
endurance which could have only been
evolved by beer and sausage. One can
not rightly say that 1.-THE light fantastic
toc' grows upon such broad practical
'eet as 60 jumping over the barn floor.
Their daily walk is over LIES toughest
paths, and that in wooden shoes; but
here is a spontaneous grace to youth.
wherever found. and the enjoyment Of
he older ones, who have grown stiff in
aithful service, seems not in the less
narred by the sense of a lack of it.
often the servants Of neighbOring es-
ates come as guests to the festivities.
The sons from the castle leave their
ignity for once, and are found turn.
ng the pretty peasant girl in the dance.
he ladies, who usually are present as
pectators. often have a dance or two
nth the overseer. who is almost always
person of some culture; but as he is
OF noble, to dance with him is a con-
ascension for these danes, who roll
leir family ''von" as a sweet Morsel
nder their tongues, Schiller refers to
lie harvest festival in his Song of the
ell."-M y. Observer.