The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-09-23
LIFE ON A CRANBERRY SWAMP.

Life on Cape Cod is now at high tide.
The cranberry season has opened and
everybody is upon the scene of action.
irrespective of age, color or former CON
dition. Excitement and hustle has pre-
vailed in homes the past two weeks, for
everybody has been getting ready for
the campaign.
Homework must be done in advance.
! Not that breakfast dishes are washed or
beds made over night, but all extras
must be finished, company disposed of
and summer boarders well settled in city
homes.
Cranberry hats-acme of millinery skill
must be purchased, trimmed and made
to suit, gloves and finger-stalls without
number fashioned and collected, besides
sleeve and wrist protectors. Then there
are cold-daY suits and warm-day suits,
dry and wet weather rigs indeed, one
with difficulty recognizes his nearest
| friend when arrayed in these fantastic
costumes. There is also certain wild
ness of manner, dress and face as WELL
enthusiasm and interest reach a certain
pitch, which adds to the strangeness of
everybody.
At midday walking down the broad
main street, or through country lanes
and byways, deserted village" in
deed, presents itself. If by chance some
humble inhabitant is left, for best rea
sons obliged to remain behind, he is
greatly pitied. But at morn and eve a
widely different aspect prevails. The de-
serted village abounds with life. Every
body, apparently, is on the move. 1t is
hurry up the road and down; it is run to
the grocery, market or post office.
Where's my hat, and oh, where's my
measurep' and soon the last lingering
picker has departed When the sun
sinks and twilight shades are falling,
home they troop, tired, hungry, with sat
isfaction of counting tickets" Then
the house doors fly open, smoke curls
from chimneys, and soon the odor of
supper issues. Dinners for the follow
ing day are prepared as far as possible,
and then sleep and oblivion reign over
ALL"
Perchance late summer visitor loiters
still, extending his stay into beautiful
September. Eagerly he joins the merry
company, and finds life on his knees
teeming with possibilities.
Invalids, seeking recuperatiOn, college
students heaped with honors, the lady of
honors, the lady of leisure in her ances-
trail home, are among the number. One
hears such expressions as these: such
glorious weatherl'' "What splendid
ptckingl" and ''How do you like the
overseer?' Be it known that the "over-
scer' on cranberry swamp is man of
much Importance. At no time in his
future life will he, in all probability, rise
to greater eminence; if already well on
in years, it Is doubtful if he has attained
such distinction in the past. He gives
the word when to Ego on in the morn
ing, when to leave at noon and night,
how much time shall be used at moon
ing" and settles all questions and details
that arise, besides keeping ORDER"
which last condition is no small point.
To be sent off the swamp is considered
the great disgrace of cranberry picking,
and this rarely happens among well-man-
nered people.
Cranberry gathering is the great at
traction just now of Cape villages, and
the world outside is also greatly inter-
ested, judging from the number Of visi-
tors to some swamps. Better health and
fuller pocketbooks is the result of life at
food-tide on the Cape!