Connecticut western news., 1909-10-14
OcTOB ER

October IS here Beautiful October! .and every day the master hand of the .lnimitable painter, Nature, is adding exquisite touches to her glorious picture, Autumn" The mountain sides are
 becoming sublimely beautiful in their nnixed colorings. Already the leaves rare dropping from the trees ill showers. The small children rejoice, for they can snow romp and play ill the leaves and make leave houses.
 It is at this time of the year that the ~'corn huskin' bees" sould commence. The good, old-fashioned huskin' bees, ywhere the one who.is lucky enough to find the red ear gets the kiss-apd what lis better than kiss in Autumn at a corn huskin' bee?-where you dance to :the music of Uncle Si first fiddle) and Bill Jones (second tiddle) and wind up with a good old-fashioned feed, with rplenty of clder.
 We attended huskin' bee once, up in Vermont, and we shall never forget shat night. Such time as we did have! Twas red letter day tor night, rather,) iin our careers. Twas night of music, red ears, beautiful country maidens and cider. Nowadays, a regular old-fash- doned corn huskin bee is rare thing. Even the common country dances are mot so numerous as in years gone by; and they lack the collaborating atmos- phere of the old-time dance. In bye gone days, the farmers used to assemble at the "tavern." If the ball room was GOT kitchen was large enough, they would use that; if not, the barn would be cleared for the dance. At the present time, the farmers gather at the town hall. But we look in vain for Uncle Si lfirst fiiddle) and Bill Jones (second fiddle). These men are still alive.
 Father Time has iberally sprinkled Etheir heads with silver dust, and they are perhaps a little bent-but that is all 'Ihey are still 'just as young as they used to be" and can rip off, with all their old time vigor, the same rollicking melodies that they played long ago-and 's they haven't forgotten how to "call off Why is it, that they do not play snow? "Why, bless you, they are back numbers" say the present generation. We must be up-to-date." Therefore, 7 they hire the orchestra from the big 7: town or nearby city to play. Go to .s country dance to-day and you hear, almost exclusively, round dances mostly two-steps and waltzeS. There is 4a so-called "barn dance," which is quite apopular; but "barn dance" ill a town ; hall is farce. trayesty, a sham! There :. are no rollicking quadrilles and lancers. v Oh TO! Why, they would be too old P style, don't you know. Old-style, or 2 not, the participants in the old-time .barn-dance got more genuine pleasure and enjoyment out of the favorite .quadriIles and lauCers than the young , country folk of to day get from their > tH'sweu affairs" And just few words with reference to the matter of music
 City orchestra? BDsh! We'd rather hear Uncle Si (frst fl l,u ] and Bill Jones (second fiddl,) any time, than an orchestra from Hartford. Uncle Si and Bill Jones may play ln both bad time ~and tune-iu fact, they invariably do but the rafters of the barn, the swing ang, blinking yellow lanterns, the piles of pumpkins, the heaps of corn, the full
 haymow, and the chatter and noise ot the cowhide boots and dainty shoes of the dancers catch tAe fiddle notes first; and by the time that the music reaches the hearers ears it has been shorn of all dts rough edges, Melody? Why it's glorious melody-sublime harmony-a yyeritable golden symphony of life and happiness. Oh for the old-time country .dance-and the huskin' bee, too-and, eof course, Uncle Si (frst fiiddle) and Bill Jones (second fiddle).