The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-05-02
ROMANCE OF A HUSKING.

ROMANCE OF A HUSKING.
Farmer Jenkins husking Zee the
other night was the rolickingest,
jolliest, merriest and gayest In the
first place, the farmer has the biggest
barn and the prettiest daughter in
the whole township, and in the sec
ond place, his wife makes the sweet
est doughnuts and the thickest
pumpkin pies and the richest mo-
lasse5 cake of anyone near here.
And, in addition to all these attrac-
tions, pretty little romance was
brought to a charming finale in a
most original and quaint manner
just before the husking was done.
Jane Jenkins is most bewitching
bundle of wilfuI womanhood, with
delicious, demure little ways that
win your heart, but with a certain
proud dignity that commands 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 l0oN 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
torteits no daring rustic laddle ever
presumed to claim his rightiul kiss
from Ianie, for she didn't believe in
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 sail her
own crazy skiff over the waves in
summer, and thought no more of
going out in the pasture t. catch
and mount the v,xenish, perverse
mare she would persist in riding.
| (hough not man on the place
could handle herr than other girls
think OF picking a bouquet of roses
for their corsage.
Everyone felt little bit of awe in
Janie's presence, even the old bid
dies who knew she never would
amount to anything because she
would not learn to bake and brew !;
and the honest country boy who ad-
mired her afar off, and couldn' t
understand when she smiled on
them. But lhere was one person
who wasn't afraid of Miss jamie, and
that was Harrison Wilkins, whose
mothers farm joined her father S
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 six years old.
1t was Harrison who carried her
little shiny dinner pail to the school
wnen she E1InitttGS went &c lleearu her 4 B Cs;
who taught her how to steer the sled
and sail the boat who buried her
kitten when it died who helped h
break the spirit of the tractious
mare, and showed 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 May flowers came in the spring
time who showed hr where the
first strawberries ripened in Jure,
and who shook the first Chestnuts
down for her in October who
helped her with her sums in arith-
metic and fought her battles, and
who never feared or needed her
pretty imperious ways at all Per-
haps it was the care that his father s
death brought to him as a child that
developed his strength and hrmness
and tearlessness perhaps it was only
the dignity of his great love for
jamie that made him her master.
The day they buried the kitten he
told her not to cry, for she would be
his little wife some day, and when
she Indignantly lisped her vow never
to be anybody's wife, he only
laughed and said: : That's all right,
Jennie, for now, but you'll change
your mind some day"
Every one in Wilton thought jamie
and Harrison were to be married.
| that is, every one but Janie-when
.here came upon the scene Adol.
| phus Comstoc'- ~ = g distant CITY,
who was the son F-her fathers o.d-
est friend. He came for fishing and
sketching, but he stayed tor some
thing else.
He knew only through the con-
ventional formal Medium of society,
and was such an exasperatingly
cynical and indifferent creature that
he plqued most women into display
ing their frivolous and least attrac.
tive Characteristics to him. He cared
more for his sisters chatterin
friends ; for a trout brco'
and flies than