Connecticut western news., 1901-11-28
THE HARVEST HOME.
THANKSGIVING IN OLD ENGLAND IN
 THE LONG AGO.


 In the old simple days of England. before the natural feelings of the peo- pie had been checked and chilled of by Puritanism in the first place and what may be called gross commercialism tn the second, the harvest home was such a scene as Horace's friends might have expected to see at his Sabine farm or Theocritus described in his "Idyls." says the Montreal Star. Perhaps 1t really was the very same scene which was presented in ancient times. The grain last cut was brought home in its wagon, called the hook cart, surmount- ed by figure formed of sheaf with gay dressing, presumable representa- ton of the goddess Ceres, while a pipe and tabor went merrily sounding In front and the reapers tripped around in a hand In hand ring, singing appro- priate songs or simply by shouts and cries giving vent to the excitement of the day.
 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 were carried by those riding on the last load. and the following rhymes were sung:
 The boughs do shake, and the bells do ring.
 So merrily comes our harvest in,
 Our harvest in, our harvest in.
 So mernly comes our harvest in
 Hurrahi
 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 tie services. Soin. Ilmes the image on the cart instead of being a mere dress- cd up bundle of grain was a pretty girl of the reaping band, crowned with flowers and hailed as the maiden" Of this we have a description in ballad of Bloomfield's:
 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 and that the wagon reeled.
 And never queen rode higher;
 Her cheeks were colored in the field
 And ours before the fire.
 Tn some provinces-we may instance Buckinghamshire-it was favorite practical joke to lay an ambuscade at some place where a high bank or a tree gave opportunity and drench the hook cart party with water. Great was the merriment when this was cleverly and effectively done, the riders laughing while they shook themselves as merrily IS the rest. Under all the rustic jocosi- ties of the occasion there seemed a ba- sis of pagan custom. but 1t was such as not to exclude a Christian sympathy. Indeed the harvest home of old Eng land was obviously and beyond ques- ton piece of natural religion, an ebul- lition of jocund gratitude to the divine source'of all earthly blessings.
 In the north there seemed to have been some differences In the observ- ance It was common there for the reapers on the last day of their busl- ness to have contention for superiori- ty In quIckness of dispatch. groups of three or four taking each ridge and striving which should soonest get to its termination.
 In Scotland this was called a kemp ing, which simply means a striving. In the north of England 1t was a mell which. l suspect, means the same thing (from French melee). As the reapers went on during the last day they took care to leave q good handful of the grain uncut, but laid down flat and cov- cred over. and when the field was done the ''bonniest lass" was allowed to cut this handful. which was presently dressed up with various servings. tyings and trimmings, like doll and hailed l as a corn baby. It was brought home ! In triumph. with music of fiddles and bagpipes, was set up conspicuously that night ut supper and was usually pre- served in the farmers parlor for the re- mainder of the year.
 The bonny lass who cut this handful of grain was deemed the harvest queen. In Hertfordshire and probably other districts of England there was the same custom of reserving a final hand full but it was tied up and erected un- der the mane of a mare. and the reap CTS then one after another threw their ! sickles at 1t to cut It down. The sue i cessful individual called out, "I have herr' What have youT' cried the rest. "A mare. mare. a marer' he re ! piled. What will you do with herr' was then asked. "We'n send her to John Snooks," or whatever other name. referring to some neighboring farmer who had not yet got all his grain cut | down.
 This piece of rustic pleasantly was called 'crying the mare." 1t Is very curious to learn that there used to be & 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 the name of goabb!r bhacagh (the cripple goaO, to the next farmer who was still at work upon his crops. 1t being. of course, necessary for the bearer to 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.
 | We'll Roasted.