The Globe-republican., 1890-01-01
MERRY HUSKERS.
Romance That Grew Out of a Yer
mont Gathering.
The Pretty Girl That Found the Red Ear
had Promised her two Suitors That
her Affirmative Answer
Would be a Kiss.

The Pretty Girl That Found the Red Ear
had Promised her two Suitors That
her Affirmative Answer
Would be a Kiss.
Over the dun, barren fields, through
the rustling golden glory of fallen
leaves and beneath the soft splendOr of
the late October 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 jolliest 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, in swaying
festoons of aromatic cedar, lanterns
flash 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 raft
ers, and through it all subtle. sweet
odors drift from the hay NOV, whose
summit is lost in the gables. High up
in a corner of the peaked roof is fasten-
ed wreath of cedars where never a
girl would dream one would be hung,
and if any unsuspecting maiden ven
lures unconsciously beneath it, or is in
weighed by some mischievous youth into
its vicinity, she pays mistle-toe-bough
penalty to whatever swain happens to
be quickest at her side.
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 Shout
ders into golden, glowing heaps, which
the men carry away in baskets! What
shout and mad chase when the red ear
is found, and the fleet-footed finder runs
from her pursuers, brandishing 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 could almost taste yourself the
other side of the room.
And when the work is done how quick
ly room is made for the long table, i'm
provised out of barrels and boards, where
jugs of cider, heaped-up plates of brown
doughnuts, great square tins of pumpkin
pies and piles of red and yellow apples
are placed, while crazy seats of corn
stalks accommodate the guests, who are
served from the plenteous store! We
reverse the conventional order of pro-
ceedings here, and, instead of lot of
stupid men tearing distractedly about
the table and splitting most of the viands
they try to secure for their ladies, the
men are seated themselves and the light
footed maidens, with their soft, 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 rickety platform and all join
in the old-fashioned country dances with
the joyous abandon of children until
the moonbeams get tangled in the dis
tant tree tops, 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
rollickingest, jolliest, merriest and gay
est. In the first place, the farmer has
the biggest barn and the best cider and
the prettiest daughter in the whole
township, and, in the second place, his
wife makes the sweetest doughnuts and
the thickest pumpkin pies and the rich
est molasses cake of any one 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.
jamie Jenkins is the most bewitching
bundle of willful womanhood, with de-
licious, demure little ways that win
your heart, but with a certain still
proud dignity that commands your re-
spect. 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 baby
that is sobbing; but if you SO much as
touch the tips of her fingers. she flashes
. look of scornful defiance from those
same depths that would right about
face a whole regiment of men. Even
in her childhood's merry games of for
feits no daring rustic laddie ever pre-
sumed 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 blithe
brave, bonny little maiden. who knew
how to steer her own sled down the
sparkling snow crust in winter, and sal
Nor own crazy skiff over the waves il
Summer, and thought no more of going
ont in the pasture to catch and noun
; 80 yixenish, perverse little mare sht
uould persist in riding. Though not ,
- on the place could handle her) thai
w. girls would think Of picking [
- q rnoas tce their ooenego.