Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-07-21

kept nearly full by the inpour of
sap, and the bilin' over is prevented
by this constant feeding. When
enough syrup is thus made for a
batch" an indeterminate quantity
meaning as much as can safely he
boiled down to sugar in one of the
great kettles, a sugarin' off, takes
place. The fires are let down. the
kettles are carefully washed. the
syrup is strained and poured into
the kettles and the fires are re-
newed. The syrup boils and rises
in the kettle and is kept from boil
ing over by constant dipping and
regulation of the fire. The aroma
is that of maple sugar boiling in the
woods. Nothing else in nature is
like it, and nothing is more delicious
to the boy that is sugar-hungry;
and this is the time of year for
sugar-hunger. Later in the season
when the days are warmer and the
drifts have disappeared, Judge
Markham sends out invitation UjUG
UOce, to come out to the sugar bush
to a sugarin' off, with the further
information that the batch will be
done at about tire O'Clock.
Promptly on time the guests-old
men and young, matrons and maid
ems, come from the village. A good
ly supply of cups and saucers have
been brought from the house, and
some borrowed from the neighbors.
The young lads produce their jack
knives and make paddles or carve
out wooden spoons for the ladies to
eat the sugar with, as it is good
form to eat sugar in the woods only
with a paddle whitfield out from a
chip of maple. Hunter John is one
Of the early arrivals and he says to
the judge, "Naow, judge, you let
me handle the dipper and watch the
fire, n you chassez around among
the folks in gen'ral. I'll be 'spon-
sible that there amt no bilin' over
ner burnin' down"
The judge accepts the offer, know.
ing that Hunter John, no matter
how much his tongue may run in
original remark or merry tepartee
will keep close watch on the mass
that surges in amber bubbles in the
kettle. There is merry laughter
the hearty haw-haw of men, the
shrill shouting of boys, the musica
laughter Of girls and the merry but
subdued, mellow laugh of the ma
irons. The boys had been out into
the secluded places where the drifts
fingered and found some clean snow
which was packed and brought into
the camp in tin pans or sap bucket;
to be ready for the moment wher
the sugar, as it approached the last
stage of boiling, would be ready tt
wax.
Look O. there" said Hunte,
John, see it apern. Its ready t
wax now. Throw a few buckets o
snow under the kettle to slow down
the bilin'. Now pass in your cup
n sarcers, n We can eat till you
sugar-teeth ache. This is preciou
nice batch, n its goin' to make som'
/ O. the incest sugar that ever melted
on tongue" Soon everyone will
a cup or saucer full of the amber
hued sugar was cooling it with pad
dies and eating the sweet, TIL,
young were having great fun il
waxing on the snow by pOurini
quantities over the pure surface an
congealing it to a wax so tenacious
ly plastic or waXy as to fasten tn
teeth together when one ma5ticate
the sticky mass. The conversatio
was too desultory and savored to
much of local gossip to be edifyinl
Rumors of marriage, the accident
in breaking colts or steers, the late,
sales Of land, the birth of calves an
lambs, the arrivals that affected tn
census, the loss of jack-knives ar
other trivial events. A few of tn
elderly personages talked of tn
political situation, and the spir