The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-10
MOVING THE MARSH.
Annual Meet Of the Scythe Wielders
Of Hampstead.
Uncle Tine Watts-Some Reminiscen-
ces OF . Veteran Reaper.


the dull haze on the horizon seaward griz-
zled and hronzed Uncle Tino Watts sound
ed reveille with milestone on scythe
blade that caused the common meadows OF
Hampstead. on Long Island, to spring to
lifG From couches Of new mown grass
striplings and hardy old timers ranged
themselves along the stretch Of meadow
grass that rose and fell I'm gentle biilows OK
green under the pressure Of a soft east
wind. Keen scythes glistened In the hands
of the silent army. With flourish that
made the scythe blade ring Uncle Tine
brought the reveiile to a finish.
"Be ye all ready" he asked.
"Aye aye, SIR" returned the nautical
farmers, I'VE be, !" and the scythe blades
all swung back with military precision.
"Then, let 'er goi Cut, ye clam diggin
sons o. guns, cutp'
A hundred blades glinted In tho morning
haze, then sank deep into the great green
field before them, and the work Of cutting
the hay on the common meadows Of Hemp
stead began.
Back and forth over these very meadows
for 600 years or more have the natives Of
the town Of Hampstead each season swung
their scythes and harvested q crop of mead
iloged routes for cutting the grass have
descended with no one to dispute the time
honored custom.
The common meadows comprise about
200 acres along the bays, creeks and marshes
of the water front Hundreds Of tons of
hay are every year cut from these meadows,
and the cutting season is eagerly looked
forward 10 by every farm boy and veteran.
Every resident Of the town Is privileged To
cut, but those who make business Of
gathering this hay yearly camp out on the
ground the night before In order to be
ready for the outing, which begins at the
break of day
This year the cutting was set for month
earlier by order of the town board, and
Monday nighs found a small army, carry
ing scythes and provisions, journeying TO-
ward the camping ground. This was tho
army of which Uncle Tine toolS command.
Despite his 90 years or more, Uncle Tine Is
the crack mower of the town.
Campflres were lighted, and the night
was spent In story telling and singing
songs. After dark the encampmcnt re-
scmbled an army outpost. Before them
wss the silent morass, behind them the
tapping waters of the creeks and bays, and
I'm the far distance the booming surf echoed
weirdly.
Fer nigh onter 60 year er more" said
Uucie A hc Jones, 4. hev cut grass ON this
medder, barrin the years / spent helpin ter
rev the kentry. Fust time leftthese med
ders wuz way back when went to help
lick thcr Mexicans. Ye see, ther were lot
NV us boys ter hom, and dad, he says, says
ne, One of ye brats has got ter help the
government lick them fellers down ter
IL III n s.<A-
sot in his ways, so just packed my kit and
listed. And many n time when I wuz far
from here my mind turned to these med
ders But / never wished fer 'em wurse
then when wuz in the hospital nursing a
hole them Mexicans put inter me. got
back and came here to NOW ag In, and I
foun the medders just ther same, only
some of the boys were missin. Some were
sloepin i'm ther ehurchyard; others had gone
away.
For years moved here ev'ry season,
never thinkin of leavin the medders.
Young uns grew up and wuz happy and
contented Mansions and riches never
troubled Uncle Abe-just home comforts
and happiness. Ii was mowin along, now
in along, every year until 1861, when
shouldered my old musket and went out
To help sew the kentry az in. Nancy and
the children wanted me ter stay ter home,
but tell we that a feller what has once fit
under the flag can never sit still and see 1t
torn down without feelin like flttin ag in.
Ye all know that my sons Billy and Pete
ran away and went too. Billy came back,
but we never heard what happened to
Pete. When the war wuz over, comes
back here to NOW ag In, and still finds the
medders unchanged. i hev moved here
ever since"
According TO custom, tho mower owns
all the grass within the swath he can cus
between sunrise and sundown, and no one
has the right TO trcspass or step upon grass
cut by another. Thus late corners ara
crowded out, as they cannot get at the
grass without stopping upon or over tho
swath cut by tho mower who has gone be-
fore. Hundreds Of tons of this hay are
gathered annually. 1t is worth from 81 to
sS a ton. AS the grass is heavy and some
times wet three and four acres "a day is all
n good man can cover. The grass Is used
for bedding and feeding cattle, and Is also
sold for packing crockery
Among the reapers today were Samuel
Eldridge, who is about 90 years old; David
jackson, who Is between 90 and 40 years
old; Captain Topper 90 years old; the De
Mott boys, the Abrams boys, the Watts
boys and scores OF other natives.
Uncle Tine Watts beat them all. From
sunrise to sunset he swung his scythe
without once looking around Under his
sturdy strokes the grass curled over like
combing waves on the surf line.
"Goshl just look at thct old mowin
merchine," said Captain E. Upper as he
wiped the sweat from his face and pointed
20 Uncle Tine. "It goes along without a
hitch er a stop"
All day Uncle Time led the little army
and all day the marshes rcsoundcd 10 the
merry music Of the milestone on tho
Il.