The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1897-10-21


them all along the fields until a man
came with a bundle of straw and
twisted a few of these wisps of straw
into band, and then gathering up as
much of the corn as he could compass
with his arms, he bound it with this
Wisp of straw, and then stood it in the
field in what is called a shock.
1t is estimated that there are now
several billion bushels Of corn standing
IN the shock, waiting to be husked.
Sometime during the latter part of next
month, the farmers will gather, one day
on one farm, another day on another
farm, and they will put on their rough
husking apron. and they will take the
husking peg, which is piece of iron
with leather loop fastened to the
hand, and with it unsheath the corn
from the husk and toss it into the
golden heap. Then the wagons will
come along and take it to the corn
crib.
How wildly to all those of us who
were born in the country comes the re-
membrance of husking time. We wait
ed for it as for a gala day in the year.
1t was called a frolic. The trees hav-
Ing for the most part shed their foliage,
the farmers waded through the fallen
leaves and came through the keen
morning air to the gleeful company.
The trOsts which had silvered every
thing during the night began to melt
OH OF the top of the corn Shocks
While the farmers were waiting for
Others, they stood blowing their breath
through their fingers,or threshing their
arms arOunds their body to keep up
warmth of circulation.
Roaring mirth greeted the late farm
er as he craWled over the fence. Joke
and repartee and rustic salutation
abounded. All ready, now! The men
take hold the shock of corn and hurl
At PROSTATE, while the moles and mice
Which have secreted themselves there
for warmth attempt escape. The withe
or straw is unwOund from the corn
shock, and the stalks, heavy with the
wealth of grain, are rolled into two
bundles, between which the husker sits
down. The husking peg is thrust in
until 1t strikes the corn, and then the
myers rip off the sheathing of the ear,
and there is crack as the root of the
corn is snapped off from the husk. and
the grain, disimprisoned, is hurled up
into the sunlight.
Ihe air is so tonic, the work is so
very exhilarating, the company is so
.bllthe, that some laugh, and some shout
and some sing, and some banter. and
some tease a neighbor for a romantic
ride along the edge of the woods in an
eventlde, in carriage that holds but
Two, and some prophesy as to the num-
DER OF bushels to the field, and others
go into competition as to which shall
rifle the most corn shocks before SUM-
down
After while, the dinner horn sounds
from the farmhouse, and the table is
surrounded by a group of jolly and
hungry men. From all the pantries
and the cellars and the perches of fowl
on the place the richest dainties come
and there is carnival and neighborhood
reunion, and a scene which fills our
memory, part with smiles but more
with tears as we remember that the
farm belongs now to other owners, and
other hands gather in the fields. and
many OF those who mingled in thai
merry husking scene have themselves
been reaped like as a shock Of corr
cometh in in his season."
There is difference of opinion as tc
whether the Orientals knew ANYTHING
about the corn as it stands in orr fields
but recent discoveries have found ont
that the Hebrew knew all about Tndiar
maize, for there have been grains Of the
corn picked up out of ancient crvnt,
and exhumed from hiding places whert
they were put down many centurie.
ago, and they have been planted in M,
time and have come up just such Indiar
maize as we raise in New York anf
Ohio; so am right when I say that m,
text may refer to a shock of corn ms
as you and bound it, just as you and
threw it, just as you and I husked If
There may come some practical an,
useful and comforting lessons to al
our souls, while we think of coming i,
at last like shock of corn coming il
in his season."
1t is high time that the King Of Ter
rors were thrown out of the Christia,
vocabulary. A vast multitude of neo
pie talk Of death as though it were thu
disaster of disasters instead of helm,
to good man the blessing of blessings
Ut is moving out of cold vestibule in
to a warm temple. It is migratin,
into groves of redolence and perpetual
druitage. It is change from blea]
March to roseate June. It is a chang
OF manacles for garlands. It is tn
transmitting of the iron handouts o
earthly incarceration into the diamond
ed wristlets of a bridal party: or to. us
the suggestion of my text, it is onl
husking time. It is the tearing off Q
the rough sheath Of the body that tn
bright and the beautiful soul may g
;, Tree. Coming in like a shock Of cor
cometh In in his season." Chris
broke up a funeral procession at th
gate of Main by making resurrection