Newark post., 1914-01-14
The Social Side Of Farm Life
FAD AT RECENT GRANGE MEETING BY MRS VIM TELLER

doors, and | think, must always
stand as the emblem of hospitality.
In Scatland many of the cotters
houses have little more than a
but and "ben," but never
shall | forget with what delight we
used to walk two or three miles to
some of these places for our coun-
try product, and the welcome that
always awaited us in these simple
homes. 1t was not in the cities
more polished terms, but the warm
greeting, "Eh, but I'm gled to see
We. Come ava in. A chair was
placed and before we knew, the
lovely scones, butter and milk were
placed on the table. That brings
me to one difference between these
two countries-the walking and
the driving. People palk there.
The young man doesn t take his
horse and rig to take his sweet
heart out. He takes her walking.
When you go around either III
country or town you don't see Il
hitching post. They are not allow
ed OH the streets; and | wondered
what they We're for when first |
saw them. Another great differ
ence is between the length of the
evenings in the two countries. In
winter, lights are lit by 4 p. m. but
in summer we have the long twi-
light and many night during the
longest days, you might read a
newspaper outside at nearly 10
p. IN. And in fact, sometimes the
dawn comes before you can say
there has been complete darkness.
Besides this, seeing there are no
mosquitoes and few flies, the sum-
mer evenings allow much outside
enjoyment, and | really think that
Nature has intended that we take
many of our enjoyments with no
other canopy than the sky or trees.
Walking in these country roads of
a summer evening it is no uncom-
mon thing to come across a COM
pany of farm lads and lassies hav-
ing their recreation in the form of
a dance to the strains of concer-
tina or melodion; or the young
men may be playing quoits, and the
young women gathered, | suppose
we would say gossiping, but all the
time busy knitting, and | can as
sure you the knitting wires are 60
ing as quickly as their tongues in
many cases.
In the winter when the weather
provides the ice, skating is, of
course, a common form of recrea-
ton, both during the day and ev-
ening, and when the moon is want
ing, lanterns are often provided to
give the necessary illumination.
We see good skaters of both sexes
Then there 5 the curling-which is
termed the Roaring Game and
is mostly taken part in by the mid
dle-aged and older men. You
would probably think that some of
the players had gone bit crazy if
you witnessed the game, for you
see the old men with their brooms,
sweeping the ice to make a clear
way for the Stone, while others are
giving voice to their feelings in
such an expression as "Soop her
up, and the oldest man there is
just as enthusiastic and excited and
noisy as any schoolboy over his
game.
Throughout the winter. too.
there's s the Fox Hunt. This sport
is taken part in by a great many of
the leisured class, tho the working
farmer takes his share in it also,
whenever opportunity occurs. The
sound of the horn, the barking of
the dogs is just enough to make
many man quit everything, ex-
cept leave his team to follow the
hounds. My husband might tell
you good deal about that part.
But to see the Hunt is certainly a
fine sight. | only once witnessed
the Meet itself. This is the gath
ering of all those who intend TAX
ing part, either on horse, or foot, or
driving. The hunters on their well
groomed horses are certainly very
attractive looking in their red coats
white breeches and the jockey caps;
the ladies in their riding habits.
Tho Naat takac plaoa in front of