The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-11-27

Harvest home harvest home,
We have plowed we have sowed.
We have reaped, We have moved
We have brought home every load.
Hip, hip, hip. harvest homel
So they sang or shouted. In Lincoln,
shire and other districts hand bells
We're carried by those riding on the
last load, and the following rhymes
We're sung;
The hougha TO shake, and the bells do ring
So merly comcs harvest in,
Our harvest in, harvest in.
So metrily comes our harvest in.
Iurahi
Troops of village children, who had
contributed In various ways to the
great labor, joined the throng, solaced
with plum cake In requital of their lit
lie services Sometimes the image on
the cart instead of being II mere dress
Cd up bundle of grain was pretty girl
of the rcapiug band, crowned with
flowers and hailed as the madden" or
this we have description In n ballad
of Bloomticlds.
Home came the iovial hockey load
Last OF the whole years. crop,
And Grace among the green boughs rode.
Right plump upon the top
This way aud that the wagon reeled,
And never queen rode higher
Her cheeks were colorsd in the field
And ours before the FIRE.
In some provinces-we may instance
Bueltinghamshre-i was favortc
practical Joke TO lay an amhuscade at
some place where high bank or tree
gave opportunity and drench the hook
cart party with water. Great was the
merrment when this was cleyerly and
effectively done, the riders laughing
while they shook themselves as mcrrily
as the rest. Under all the rustic jocosl-
ties of the occasion there seemed ba-
sis OF pagan custom, but it was such as
not TO exclude Christian sympathy.
Indeed the barvest home of old Eng
land was obviously ind beyond ques-
tion a piece OF natural religion an ebul-
ltion OF joeund gratitude to the divine
source Of ali earthly blessings.
In the north there seemed to have
been some differences in the observ-
nnce. 1t was common there for the
reaperH on the last day of their bust
lltHh W nav & n NbliltIllbll lbl buIitIlDIl-
ty In qulckness Of dispatch. groups of
three or four taking each ridge and
striving which should soonest get TO
its termination.
In Scotland this was called n kemp
Ing, which simply means n striving. In
tho north OF England It was IA nell
which, ! suspect, means the same thing
went ON during the last day they took
care to leave a good handful Of the
grain uncut, but laid down fiat aud Gov
crod over, and when the field was done
the "bonniest lass" was allowed to cut
this handful, which was presently
dresHcd up with various servings tyings
and trimmings. like doll and hailed
as Il corn baby. IL was brought home
In triumph, with music of flddlcs and
bagppes, was set up conspcuously TINT
night ut supper and was usually pre-
served In the farmers parlor for the re-
malndcr of the year.
The bonny lass who cut this handful
of grain was deemed the harvest queen.
In Hertf0rd5hirc aud probably other
dl5iItlh VI iAuBidIIu iu'If WIS tuc
same custom OF reserYing final hand
ful, but It was tied up and erected un-
der the name Of Il mare, and the reap
crs then one after another threw their
siclsles at It to cut II down. The sue
cessful individual called out, II have
herr what have your" cried the
rest "a mare, mare, marcp he re
Piled what viii you do with herP
was then asked. "Well send her TO
John SnoolSs," or whatever other name,
referring to some neghboring farmer
who had not yet got all his grain cut
down.
This piece OF rustic pleasantly was
called "crylng the mare" 1t is very
curious to learn that there used TO be Il
similar practice in so remote district
as the Isle Of Skye. a farmer having
there got his harvest completed, the
last cut handful was sent, under tho
name of Roabblr bhacaRh 0hc cripple
goaU, TO the next farmer who was still
at work upon his crops, II being, Of
course, necessary for the bearer 10 take
some care that on delivery he should be
able Instantly TO take TO his heels and
escape the punishment otherwise sure
TO befall him.