The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-15

DaCk IN great fllllluS di hllu D"l
the most part of the real shuckers.
black and white, hung on like bull
dogs, with still enough spare breath
to troll lusty choruses. By and by,
when the lanterns were 1aring out
their third sets of candles, the last
of the corn ramp slid down into long
low heap.
There Was Something Doing When
the Pile Got Low.
How the shuckers leaped at it!
They could see each other now.
Captain Jim and Captain Harvey were
almost face to face. 1t was beauti-
full to see them reach and tear and
toss, inching forward all the time.
The dividing line of rails 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 it in time to reach over
and grasp ears still in husk from the
others territory Such a grasping
meant victory. No Olympian victors
ever strove more marfully than these
two masses Of aching muscle.
Captain Jim won out, but by two
ears only. So scant winning was
accepted by each side as draw. But
oh, the shouts, the yells, the chanted
triumph in greeting to It'll Squire Ma
iors pulled of his hat to the shuck-
crs, 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 rlsln.
You've done me a good nights work
the best sort-all of you. Now we'll
take a dram all around, then go and
see about somethin' to eat"
aye, aye, Marse JohnP 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
droning wordless chant-so much was
due to manners-were they not going
into the presence of women, to whom
corn songs were rock of offense?
White men and black kept step, al
though each complexion paired VITA
its kind. At the back yard gate there
was egation-the whites gong
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
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 straln-es-
pecially 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
ed 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 or
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.