The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-11-07

up our hearts in silent prayer, with
the certainty that our supplications
will be heard, and that this harvest
the Lord will surely bless"
Then, one by one, silently and
swiftly, they set to work. There was
no talking, and there could be no
racing, for there we're SO many OBJ
stacles that each one worked as she
could
At midnight they ate their dinner,
and never meal tasted sweeter than
that by the light of moon and stars.
Then they got to work again, and
as the first cock crew, away in the
cluster of low houses in the bend of
the brook, the grain was fiat, and they
made haste for home, all agreeing to
kindle fire and to go at once about
breakfast under the pretence of the
men having a hard day before them
and needing an early start.
1t was not yet sunrise when the
men of the neighborhood set out for
the mountain, each man with stone
jug and sickle.
They were cross from the excuses
of the day before, and Dragged and
boosted and bet as to who would do
the most, and argued as to who
should strike in first, as if they were
to reap on the smooth velvet sward of
the meadow.
AS they reached the great fat rock
where the women had eaten their
lunch they set their jugs in row
and "chose up" with two smooth
sticks, to see who should have the
first stroke.
1t fell to Will Battles, and, as he
seized reaping hook and ran for the
field, he swore great oath that no
man should hit his heels.
One after another they rushed after
him, SO that he should not get a
stroke ahead; but stopped, appalled,,
at the edge of the field, for not a
single golden head of grain was
standing to nod welcome to the ris
ing sun. The great black stumps
and logs we're everywhere, and all
about among then the rough ground
was covered with a carpet of yellow
sheaves.
"This field was never cut by hand
of man." said Colonel Emerson.
"How short the stubble isl Tab
Wells and Madam Vaughn must
have reaped it with their tailoring
shears. 1t is witches work."
"We will see," said old Gideon
Fisk. Witches work always proves
itself. Grain reaped by witches can
not be bound. 1t comes heads and
butts-heads and butts That is
how the witch shears cut"
"That is right" said Sam Fletcher,
who was master pious" when he had
been drinking. SIT must have been
cut by angels. Some one has been
prayin'."
$50 they. have" said little Ed
Trask, the Youngest one in the com
pany, Il heard them yesterday when
1 came up from the distillery after
dads jugs. There was powerful
meetin' at Tabs. / heard Madam
Vaughn pray that confusion might
take the rum jugs, and that the har-
vest might be made without liquor"
"Well," said Sam Fletcher, 81 will
tell you what think. That prayer
must be answered. We won't say
word to the women folk, but we will
leave the jugs where they are as long
as the hill shall stand, and we will go
to work and bind this grain, and
never as long as we live let the we
men know we have found it cut for
u.s."
So to work they went with will
and soon the women, looking out,
saw rows of sheaves dotting the edge
of the field, and they could see that
the men were piling the logs into
heaps about the stumps.
When at length they came to din
ner, the women were gratifed, but
not surprised (for they had prayed in
faith), to see by the department of
men, young and old, that they had
abstained from liquor during the
morning.
As they started again for the noun
tain, one waited for another under the
great white ash-tree in the center of
the neighborhood until all were as
sembled, and they had a conclave.
At length little Ed Trask was sent to
ask the women to join them, and
ana when they came, thoroughly as
tonished now, for they were not in
the habit of being considered by the
men, Colonel Emerson said:
81 happened once to hear my kins-
women, Madam Vaughn, tell of