The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-06-25

MhRt nave you IN your cary NY
- SDosnrt . knaw. you? Load o grow
"GroSwder? What is It for, my ludP"
"scroobin floars, my SON..
"What do you get for it2"
Same Of drug-hap'ny tub" And
then with an unearthly whistle and n
"Goas long dunk ~ both directed to his
shaggy little beast, away he goes with
his cSirt.load Of stuff resembling as much
loose tapioca in his cart-box:
In few moments he will be found
before the window OF the miners cot
tage with the growder-seller's question
OF time immemorial,
"Growder to-day, mawther?"
"Hown't a sellen' un to-day, my
SOM" is her ancient answer.
The reply forever has been the same
as to me-
Same old drug:
HRpn'y tubl"
which Is both tine sense and poetry in
Cornwall. For, by drug" Is meant
task. labor, drag or burden; and hap
my" or q half penny, tub. which
holds about peck, has been tho price
OF growder since twenty thousand
Cornish men" started for London sing
ing, "And shall Trelawney die% A
handful Of growder IS scattered upon
the soiled table and sprinkled with
water. There ia q Swish" OF tho
housewife's brush, and in an instant
more the whole top is foaming with
lather. Once each week every square
inch Of the Cornish home is so
"scroobed" with growder that for the
time the entire interior toams and
fathers like turbulent geyser.
One OF the most fascinating pleasures
Of the road in Cornwall will be found in
lettering alongside groups of Cornish
boys engaged in their various games.
Chief OF these arc "toe-stones" and
"cob-nutting." Both are played where
ever the spirit Of emulous battle over
takes these sturdy little embryo miners
and fishermen; and their pluck, per-
sistercy and pertinacity are unsur-
passed.
In "toe.stones," a diagram, similar TO
the one chalked on dock for "ship-bill-
iards," with q rounded end like that Of
a bagatolle board, is drawn in tho road;
and the game consists in kicking with
the left foot, the right foot being al
ways held in the right hand, o round
fiat stone from the approaching line
from ono space to another, but never
over but one line, clear around the en-
tire thirteen spaces, and out again,
without ever once having dropped the
right foot. Tho little fellows become
wonderfully expert in this difficult
feat.
"Cob-nutting" isan all-the'year-round
sport. Much Of its zest comes from the
dangers in securing the nuts necessary
for tho years supply. Common hazel
nuts are used. These are got at great
risks from the demesne copses and for.
est edges. The prizes, with the "shucks"
still on, are stored away in the attic and
dried with the greatest care, so that the
nut-fbre becomes hard and horny. The
hazel nuta are allowed to literally fall
out of their sheaths. All the round,
smooth, ripe, shiny nuts are preserved
sacredly for "cob-nutting" 1t is often
a Cornish boys entire winter employ
ment and diversion to prepare the cob
nuts for the rest OF the years battle for
superiority with his fellows. The sport
takes its name from the ''cob" or shell
OF the nut.
The cob.nuts are prepared by boring
q hole through each side Of the nut. re-
moving the Kernel and filling the hol-
low shell with lead orshoemaker's wax,
the latter being preferred. The shoe.
maker OF the village is consequently an
almost revered parsonage with all Corn
ish boys. A "waxed-end" drawn
through the loaded cob" or shell, and
held By strong knot, completes the
cob.nut; and you cannot find a boy in
all Cornwall who has not one ready
strung for contest, and pockettul
ready for stringing for reserve contin-
gencles.
Ties are drawn for first "crack." The
loser throws his hat uponethe ground,
and lays his cob.nut in little hollow
upon It's top. Then the ''cobber" or
striker, holding his cob between the
ends Of his fingers Of his left hand and
the end OF the attached waxed.end in
his right, after many tetnts, motions
and Sights" brings his cob with al
most the force OF bullet upon his op.
ponent's. One or the other is "scated"
or broken. It is turn and turn about.
Generally one OF the lads has his entire
stock Of reserve cobs destroyed. Nor
will no then yield. He borrows and
begs OF his companions to the limit .ot
his power, until perhaps superior
cob Is found aud by his spirited "cratk-
ing" he at last triumphs over his adver-
sary.
this parish, and most interesting and
ancient Cornish custom was observable
in Clowance Park, on tho noted st. Au-
byn estate. The path and gardens ara
open to all on "Taking Sunday" One
OF the glories of this park is magnltl-
cent mall, bordered with some OF the
noblest beech trees In all England.
On tho afternoon Of the Sunday two
weeks before Mazard Fair--which de-
rives its name from the mazard-cherry
fair annually held at Praze in the latter
part OF June, when tons OF this lucious
fruit arc disposed OF by the farmers Of
the surrounding country-thousands OF
Cornish youths and maidens may be
found promcnading in this CIowance
Park mall. They sometimes como from
distance OF ton and twenty miles.
Cornish young men resort here to
choose their "pairdners' or company"
for Mzard Fair; and here the bloom
ing lasses como TO be taken" that is,
pledged for Mazard Fair day.
Many an exultant or broken heart re-
turns home that night, successful in its
secretly-cherishod hope, or singing
from bitter disappointment But
Mazard Day come, the lad walks miles
for the. girl has chosen on Taking Sun
a.. III -. ~. I.nt.,tA NUM-. Pr.