The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-15

back In great fiffiing afmfuls. But
the most part of the real shuekefs,
black and white, hung on like bull
dogs, with still enough spare breath
to troll lusty ehofuses. By and by,
when the lanterns were fiafing OUT
their third sets of candles, the last
of the corn ramp slid down into along
low heap.
There Was Something Doing Whei,
the Pile Got Low.
How the shuekefs leaped at i'll
They could see each other now
Captain Jim and Captain Harvey were
almost face to face. 1t was beauti-
fui to see them reach and tear and
toss, iiehing forward all the time
The dividing line of fails had been
kept carefully true In spite of the
sliding. 1t was the aim of each cap
tain to clean up. all the corn upon his
own side. of 1t In time to reach over
and grasp ears still In husk from the
others territory Such gfasping
meant victory. No Olympian victof
ever stfeve more .ffianfully than these
two masses of aching muscle.
Captain Jim won out, but by two
ears only. So seaft a winning was
accepted by each side as draw. But
oh, the shouts, the yells, the chanted
triumph in greeting to it! Squire Ma
jors pulled off his hat to the shuck-
ers, saying with glance to the
east, George, boys! You've worked
like Trojans! ] never thought you d
get through that pile without another
Shocking; yet here's the last ear
cleaned up, and the moon just risin'
You've done me good nights work
the best sort-all of you. Now well
take a dram all around, then go and
|see about somethin' to eat"
AYE, aye, Marse John!" came
cheerily from the shuckers. Then a
few of the sauciest made a dash at
him, raised him upon their shoulders,
and marched houseward, with Buck
on ahead singing his best, and the
rest also singing, trailing after. But
at the last bars the song fell to a
droning wordless ehant-so much was
due to nfanners-were they not going
into the presence of women, to whom
corn songs were a rock of offense!
White men and black kept step, al
though each complexion paired with
its kind. At the back yard gate there
was gregation-the whites going
towards the back piazza, the blacks
toward the big log kitchen, a-gleam
with lights and full of savory odors.
When It Came Time to Eat Every
One Was Ready.
What boots it to tell Of the sup
per those good men ate?-the barbe-
cued pig, the boiled ham, the chicken
pies, roast beef, sweet potatoes-ever
so many more good things, including
pound cake, gingerbread and pies
without stint. To wash it all down
there was cider, buttermilk, coffee.
The whites got as good as the blacks.
the blacks as good as the whites, and
all were served by the womenkind,
each after his complexion. There was
no friction, no thought of strain-es-
peeially after supper, when again
Squire Majors was borne in triumph,
protesting yet laughing, three times
around his house "for luck" upon the
shoulders of the men who had work
cd for him hardest. They and the rest
had strength to spare after their labors
witness the leaping, the wrestling,
the games, and dances out in front OF
the cabins until it was nearly dawn.
1t was only the fear of dawn that at
last sent the jewellers home They
knew it would bring them the worst
sort of luck to let the new day catch
them still technically at the corn
shocking.