Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-01
A HUSKING ROMANCE.
Finding a Red Ear Compels a Pretty
Vermont Girl to Decide
BETWEEN TWO EAGER SUITORs.
She Had Promised That Her Answer
Should be Kiss.
HIGH FUN AT AVERMOST HUSKIEG BEE
rooRREspoNpFNcr or rur DISPATCH. !

rcoRREsPoNDENcE OF THE DIsPATcH.1
LAKE ST. CATHERINE, VI, November
30.-"Dancing in the barn" has been IA
vorite fashionable diversion in the society
that spells its name with a capital S ever
since Mrs. Vanderbilt gave the initiative
barn ball at Newport, and Lenox hastened
to seal the ceremony with the sign of poDu-
lar approval, but no swell stable festival
could equal in picturesque effects and genu-
ing enthusiasm the series of old-fashioned
harvest revels and husking-bee carniyals
that have been given here during the past
month. Mrs. Vanderbilt requested her
guests to leave their diamonds at home, we
are informed. The country maidens haven't t
any to bring; but they don't need them, for
glowing cheeks and sparkling eyes, laugh
ing red lips and shining tresSes that all the
Newport diamonds could not buy or lease,
need no adorning; while shy, sweet grace
Of bearing, and the quaint dignity of unaf-
fected simplicity in demeanor lend to
| gingham gown and calico frock piquant
charm and beauty.
Over the dun, barren fields, through the
rustIing golden glory of fallen leaves, and
beneath the soft splendor of the late Octo-
Der moon the country lads and lasses hasten
to the huskings with swift and willing
steps. One, two, and even three miles they
walk, though horses stand idly in the
stables, for who would ride when the jol-
lest part of the whole proceeding is the
walk home With your best girl after it is
over, and the lingering good night at the
gate The yellow corn shocks are piled
high against the old barn walls, where, 'iD
swaying festoons Of aromatic cedar, lanterns
fash out of the dark and make heavy
shadows on the bright flushed faces OF the
merry workers; fringes and tassels Of pine
droop from the dark brown rafters, and
through it all subtle sweet odors drift from
the hay NOW, whose summit is lost in the
gables High up IN a corner of the peaked
roof is fastened a wreath of cedarS, where
never a girl would dream one would be
hung, and If any unsuspecting maiden ven
lures unconsciouslv beneath it, or is in
veigled by some mischievous youth into
its vicinity, she pays a mistletoe-b -bough
penalty to whatever swain happens to be
quickest at her side.
A KISS TO BE PRICED.
How the sweet. glad voices ring through
the rustling Of the dry stalks as swift brown
fingers strip the husks away and toss the
ears over their shoulders into golden, glow
ing heaps, which the men carry away in
basketsl What a shout and mad chase
when the red ear is found, and the fleet.
footed finder runs from her pursuers, brand
ishing it aloft, and how graciously and
sweetly, when the race is over, she lifts her
moist, warm lips to the swiftest runner in a
kiss that is kiss, with smack to it that
you can almost taste yourself the other side
of the rooml
And when the work is done how quickly
room is made for the long table, improvised
out Of barrels and boards, where Jugs of
cider, heaped-up plates of brown dough-
nuts, great square tins of pumpkin pies,
and piles of red and yellow apples
are placed, while crazy seats of cornstalks
accommodate the guests, who are served
from the plenteous storei We reverse the
conventional order of proceedings here. and.
instead of a lot of stupid men tearing dis
tractedly about the table and spilling most Of
the viands they try to secure for their ladies.
the men are seated themselves, and the
light footed maidens, with their de;t. skillful
hands, serve them, and afterward sit down
beside them to share the feast. Once it is
dispatched, men and maidens alike help
to clear the floor, the fiddler mounts a
rickety platform, and all join in the old
fashioned country dances with the joyous
abandon of children until the moonbeams
get tangled in the distant treetops, and
warn them that it is time to pair of, like
birds in May, and start on the long walk
toward home.
But of all the frolics Farmer jenkins
husking bee the other night was the rollick-
INCEST, jolliest, merriest and gayest. In the
first place, the farmer has the biggest barn
and the best cider and the prettiest daugh-
ter in the whole township, and, in the sec
ond place, his wife makes the sweetest
doughnuts and the thickest pumpkin pies
and the richest molasses cake OF anyone
near here. And, in addition to all these
attractions, a pretty little romance was
brought to a charming finale in a most
original and quaint manner just before the
husking was done.
A RURAL BELLE.
jamie Jenkins is most bewitching bum
die of willful womanhood, with delicious
demure little ways that win your heart. but
with certain still proud dignity that COM
mands your respect If ever She lifts her
long, dusky lashes and reveals the wistful
depths of her wonderful eyes, you feel like
taking her in your arms as you would a
baby that is sObbing; but if you SO much as
touch the tips of her fingers she flashes a
look Of scornfui defiance from those same
depths that would right about face a whole
regiment of men. Even in her childhood's
merry games of forfeits no daring rustic
laddie ever presumed to claim his rightful
kiss from jamie, for she didn't believe in
kissing and nonsense and would have none
of it, but she was a blythe, brave, bonny
little maiden, who knew how to steer her
own sled down the sparkling snow crust in \
winter and sail her owp crazy skiff over the
waves in summer, and thought no more of
going out in the pasture to catch and mount
the vixenish, perverse little mare she would
persist in riding (though not man on the
place could handle herr than other girls
think of picking bouquetof roses for their
corsage.
Everyone felt little bitof awe in Janie's
presence, even the old biddies who knew she
never would amount to anything because
she would not learn to bake and brew: and
the honest country boys who admired her
afar of, and, flushed with strange. eager
joy, they couldn't understand when she
smiled on them. But there was one person
who wasn't afraid of Miss jamie. and that
was Harrison Wilkins, whose mothers
farm Joined her fathers, and who took
her out in her little cart on the first journey
she ever made in this world, when she
was six weeks and he was years old. 1t
was Harrison who carried her little shiny
dinner pail to school when she went to learn
her b c's; who taught her how to steer the
sled and sail the boat; who buried her kitten
when it died; who helped her break the
spirit of the fractions mare, and showed her
how to sit the saddle firmly and hold the
bride we'll down in her firm little hand. 1t
was Harrison who took her where the first
May flowers came in the springtime;
who showed her where the first straw
berries ripened in june, and who