Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-12-17

hAl u IfNllIa AMI IL uuiluGs. INTO
which the farmers aud their boys manag-
ci Ia pack considerable wholesome fun.
The WORK itself Supplied some opporiu-
nitics II merry-making. There was no,
much amusement IN holding the plow,
or In following the harrow. or IN hoelng
corn. ur in "sproutlng." or picking up
stones. bat the shecp-washlng and the
shesI,-shearlng ln the spring-time were
sometimes considered In the light of q d.
Ncrsiou. haviug-time was a time ~ lolii-
~, IN spite of M hard work, and the
corn-huskings and applc.bces Ncrc fr~
quenily social event. ot some Import
ancc. Asldr frum the.e homcly te-tl-
Nals ~ lalor. there vsrr oc,aslonal holi.
days dsy for Deriving. generally, In
some tau-e - harvest q nuiting eNcur-
sion in ths autumn; ani nov aud then
hunting ar hshing holiday. Fourth oi
july sud "Oeueril Training" W'rc high
days In the farmers calendar, the cir
cus also tempted him o. towu oncc or
twice a wear. unless his principles Werr
Vrr, flrm. aud the travelling menagcric,
wholly ulcontamiuai,i hy the wicked
clown aud the enti,ing acrobat, offered
him IA o,,'asional glimp.e ot geological
wonders. Aud when Ne think ~ .lell-
ing schDols. and siugiug-sChools, and
sleigh-rilcs in the Winter, Ne arr con-
strained o. admit that the farmer. life
6as not, lu The olicn time, altogether
duh ani ioylr.s.
Onv of the occasional festivliic. that |
rvall With pleasure Was the "raislng
Rsrns. in thDsc days. were rather formi-
dahlr structures. The fumes Nffv al
Ways II hrsn timber. sills, beams,
posts aud girlers Ncrc eat In the woods,
hauled o. thc lite 20 the barn, and thsrc
carefully scorri and hewn With the
hruad-aNe to the prppcr dimensions;
muftiscs anil lemons were cui. hracr.
wcrr fnmel. nnd ~ paris IT the 'krlc-
ton wcrv made rvady. theu the neigh
hors were hillsu to Come ani help in
rsi.lng ~ thc frame. They AT came.
uhltNas ccfvmony which was seldom
neglected. 80 the time ~ my earliest
regullcifious the whisky iug Nas con.
silfrtsl a nearly Indispensable 1csutn-
pauiment ~ the fnisiug. u was qur--
tion Nhsfhrr any considerable battling
could o. crrtfcd ithout u. insplraiiou.
I rrmemher we'll that the arst aislng
Which I strr attended Witnessed an iuno-
satinn uruu thi. well-c.iahlshrl cus-
tom 1lIe builder of the harm was not
uhl.kv drIukrr. ani D. pruro.e'i to
furnish unur tn his neighbour. They
Rtrr constrained 90 rrfrvsh Themselves
V lih e. milltr iletTrsg ge-NHtrr sNe''ien-
"a nud spiofai With ginger and nutmeg
aui a luncheon ~ ioughuuis anil gingrr-
bread hando,l rnuni in haskri. III"
n, .cofs with which this temperate ~
ferfinu Nas rrrri,e,i arr veil rvmcmi'rr-
Cd bt thr hst Who carried The hsskrt.
Hut b. uas not 40 all a.hsmr,i ~ thc
.mall tnu that he was permitted Q" take
. iu hr,akinr dovu a fooll.h anil hruialif-
ing cu.tem.
I nhe average harm II ths urighhorhood
Wherr ll,t.l ua. Constructed vhh four
"hrnts". cannot nnd that wori
''tsut" In ans ~ m, dirtlonafic-, hui u
/ a.. ti.s worl used hy the lo,al ctrpen-
trrs Zach lfut consisted ~ two p"sis,
surmuuutri ht hea,t h'am or ginier,
T frame,i tu ihr posts. With hncrs in thr
angles. Tir rhl.ing of thr-r tn their
pac-s wns thr work that rvluir~l thc
united strength ~ .eSrnl men. After
/ thr hsnNN .iils hnd h.ru Carriei AMI
pac,,l ui-,n thc foundation plrrs, thr
I fimi--rs ~ tlIr iruts vrrv hid upon tlir
ground and pinned together. the truon
90 thr f,,ui ~ each fust resting near The
morti.r iu thr .ill. Then came the iug
/ q var. Two meu With htnisplkrs
/ stosll near thr fout of each I.n-f in guiir
. th. trunn iuiu ths socket, as many si"ut
men al. couh 80 hold uug,'l thrms'l,c.
. lshlud thr fur heAm. anil .ioui rrldt
/ che i-fss-sarfruier with hls level in his
I haul. tuok hI. plac- over against them,
. ana gave ths uori. "ilrate, oh. hsire
Nas hi. crt. wiih strong accent on thr
/ li.t "hrs,c" whirh d. emphasized alsn
uiih his is,rl. lsaiing time With N, Ike
/ thr ariim-mt'ur With his stf. or the
. roniurtor Nth hi. aton The heavy
I timber came up 40 ths ilr.i call in the
height 80 thr knrr- 40 ihr s"cond. tn
/ the level of thr brra.t. 40 thc third, u
uas Iftri ahotv thr heads 81 The stall
wart ruk aud then thfve or four long
pike. were thrust against it from behind
I antl the strength ~ the llfters Na- traus-
7 frrr,i tn thr.c. ''llciyv, ola, hrlVr
/ .houtr,l the caueuirr. and little hf lli-
I tle thr heavy frame vent up. uutil ihe
rn.ts were crest. the lemons no their
/ ia.r- settled firmly into The sockets pre-
uarri fDr tlrm ou the .ills, the carpsn-
I tor. letrl determined them to he prfI"u-
dicular. snd diagonal hrtcrs nlllc'i from
ths .ill to each I.o.t hell theu hunly in
their placrs. Then each "bsnt' va
rrarr,l, AMI the heavy "plate-, "r idle
I heams. ufon hich the rfirr- ret. wrrc
ine,l and laid uppu the top ~ The heui.,
binding thsm al together. Ihls Nas
\ the mo.t difficult and Isrilous part oi The
undertaking When u vas accomplish
I'll. the commny greeted the sturdy
structure with a cheer. aud departed to
I their home-.
such a 'rai.iug" was social event ~
no small importance, The nrlghrors eu-
\ io,s-l coming together, the boy Werr
on hand o. bo.s the job; the iokcr of The
/ yIcluage Wa there, aud his rough Wit
cau.e,l great hiaflty; the critical juds-
ment ~ all the wise men VA freely ~
/ sr,i..sl uIon the lite. aud th" bulldlns,
\ aud the huilirr. thcr was just danger
enough to Afford little excitement, aui
I the sense of good vii and ueighhoriy
I cooperation Kept them AT goo'i-naiurrvl.
/ n l. simple and uurumantic myl,
/ this story Of tlr uti.ing yet there may
| h. here aud therv an old farm-boy, in
/ cltv or town, Who will not b. sorry to
/ r....ffN - american AurlrultuTtst.