The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-23
THE End Of THE HARVEST.
QUAINT OLD CUSTOM THAT - NAP.
lpLr nnCoMlNC OnsoLErE>
En~aash harvest uome-leo Recent
CeleAroaaon IN the County -
survey - unlluiteA supplies -
Free Eatahles, Beer and Tobacce.

Machinery, model farms and the spread
Of education. which has tended to make
farm lahorcrs' children intent on better
inxss themselves have dealt serious blow
to the oad-fAshicned festivities which fsw
wears AFRO marked the end OF the harvest
Then. when the sheaves Of golden grain
had been safely garnered and the last
Mad home was the occasion Tor mild al
fresco Incorporating. tho farmer. his waIe
and daughters. with every man. woman
and child On the farm. looked eagerly TOR
ward 10 thu harvest eupper and dance
which should mark the farmers gsatituoe
for the good things bright harvest had
promised
Little by little this old custom has dle0
out and ono finds but few places in M
land nowadays where master and man glve
themselves up TO pleasure for one night In
tho year, ak least. together.
Such gathertng& however, exist yet, and
a Daily Mail representative has just been
q guest at one. In tho most picturesque
portion Of Surrey. on the estate OF n north
country peer. which stretches for miles
amid rolling hillocks. glorious woodlands
and stubble-fielda. where already the ptow
II turning great ridges Of warm. hard soll.
the tenants and the laborers were in .
keen state Of excitement on the day pre-
ceding their annual harvest supper. Won
drous tales of the viAnds the cook was
preparing up In the big house. made
ones mouth water. and eurly laborers
smiled even more expansively than Is the
went OF their kind ~ they told Of tho
beer and bsccy which were free to al
corners.
The Eating.
The scene In the village institute on the
night Of this annual dissipation was quaint
enough The long room, decked with q
wealth OF green bougho and placArds bear
ing somewhat fNlsoma euloKiea Of the
virtues Of the lord OF the manor and hto
family. was ranged with long tables liter
ally groaning under the weight OF the
viands. Great joints Of tho finest beef.
hams. fowls. pies--and such pies-lay amid
banks OF flowers and ferns A dosen or
more ruddy-faccd villagers, with their hair
oiled down until Il seemed to have been
painted on their heads. their Sunday
clothes covered with spotless white aprons,
stood ready to act their part as walters
A son OF the house was at the head Of
the comfortable and the others were pre-
sided over by the steward, haiiiff. local
ecclesiastical dignitaries and ether men Of
weight and standing In the little commu-
nifty. while the seats were filled with ap-
ple-chesked lasses and sturdy men and
bowed and wrsnkled "granfers." How
they did eati Pie followed beef. and beef
gave way 70 chicken and ham. and then
fakes In the sun before this onslaught.
There was little talking: the rattle Of steel
against china and the ciink Of 9iasses
were all we heard until the wreck only
| OF the array OF viands remained. and q
great. unanimous sigh Of confentment went
up to the rafterp. Then another hour was
devoted 10 speech-making and song. and
| the serious business OF the evening was
over. Tables wefe cleared like magic. 4
mr. Ira - nj
and a flddle-was erected. and then basket
fuls Of ecraped candles were trodden int
| the floor TO prepare for dancing.
When all was ready the guests began TO
arrive-the rector with his daughtsrs: local
worthsea. In morning dress and pumps:
their female relatives. decked In dainty
dinner hlouses. which lent 4 touch Of color
and festivity to the scene, and village
maidens. whose finsry ran to little more
than new ribbon on church going frockx,
or knot Of flowers In their hair. One
young man was deckei In 4 painfully new
dress suit, cut in 4 model Of perhaps forty
years. antiquity. and he looked exceeding
Is proud OF his Isolation.
The dances were curious enough; the
young lady vls!tors HAD managed 70 coax
a few waltzes into the programme. hut
square and country dances prcdcminated.
These last. with names such az would
strike wonder into the heart OF fAshion-
able young man. were not without their
pcturesqneness They were generally
modelled on Sir Roger" and were danced
with = vigor that was tommendable. tho
couples from each end Of the timetables
one side. men the other--dcwn the center
back again. courfesyinx and jigginx mer-
riiy for an interval which wculd suffice
for three ordinary dances.
While the young ones danced the elders
sat ana gossiped and the men folk alb
sorbed beer and tobacco In gigantic guam
titles In an adjoining room. to the accom-
paniment OF dolefui and inserminahre
songs. generally sung with the least pos
s.ble regard 10 tune But they enjoyed
themselves. as did every one. Enjoyment
was the keynote Of the whole affair. bright
eyes and smiling lips testified TO the hap
ptnsss OF men and maidens, and IL was
with a sigh Of regret that they ~ last
stood 10 ring God Save the Queen" and
then melted slowly away into the shadows
cast by the silver moon shining brightly In
the haxy lights that told OF the approach
=