Crawfordsville Review, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, 16 October 1897 — Page 6

[L

f-

w, vvw

1-.

CORN HUSKING TIME

DR. XALMAGE DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM THE TEEMING HARVESTS.

Vivid Pen l'lcluni of the HusklnR Bee—

9

Death ilut Blen«lng of Ulrsslngs to the Good Man—The Chill of the Frosts Followed by

Gladness.

".i

This sermon by Dr. Talmage is peculiarly seasonable at the present time, when the teeming harvests all over the land are awaiting the husbandman. His text is Job v, 26: "As a shock of corn cometh in in his sea-

(.-uos

Going at the rate of forty miles the hour a few days ago, I caught this

sermon. If you have recently been in the fields of Pennsylvania or New Jersey, or New York, or New England, or any of the country districts, you know that the corn is nearly all cut. The sharp knife struck through the stalks and left them all along the fields until a man came with a bundle of straw and twisted a few of these wisps "of straw into a band, and then gathering up as much of the corn as« he could compass with his arms he bound it with this wisp of straw, and then stood it in the field in what is called a shock.

It is estimated that there are now several billion bushels of corn standing in the shock, waiting to be husked. Some time during the latter part of next month the farmers will gather, one day on one farm, another day on another farm, and they will put on their rough' husking apron, and they will take the husking peg. which is a piece of iron Willi a leather loop fastened to the band, and with it unshcth' the corn from the husk and toss it into the golden heap. Then the wagons will come along and take it to the corncrib.

How vividly to all those of us who were born in the country comes the remembrance of husking time! We waited for it as for a gala day of the year. It was called a frolic. The trees having for the most part shed their foliage, the farmers waded through the keen morning air to the gleeful company. The frosts, which had silvered everything during the night, began to melt off of the top of the corn shocks. While the farmers were waiting for others, they stood blowing their breath through their fingers or thrashing their arms around their bodies to keep up warmth of circulation.

Roaring mirth greeted the late farmer as he crawled over the fence. Joke and repartee and rustic salutation abounded. All ready, now! The men take hold of the shock of corn and hurl it prostrate, while the moles and mice which have secreted themselves there for warmth attempt escape. The withe of straw is unwound from the com shock, and the stalks, heavy with the wealth of grain, are rolled into two hundles, between which the husker sits down. The husking peg is thrust in until it strikes the corn, and then the fingers rip off the Shpathilig of the ear and there is a crack as the root of the corn is snapped off from the husk, and the grain, disimprisoned, is hurled up into the sunlight.'

The air is so tonic, the work is so very exhilarating, the company is so Withe, that some laugh, and some shout and some sing, and some banter, and some tease a neighbor for a romantic ride along the edge of the woods in an eventide, in a carriage that holds but two, and some prohpesv as to the number of bushels to the field, and others go into competition as to which shall rifle the most corn shocks before sundown.

After awhile the dinner horn sounds from the farmhouse, and the table is surrounded by a group of jolly and hungry men. From all the pantries and the cellars and the pcrchcs of fowl on the places the richest dainties come, and there are carnival and neighborhood reunion and a scene which fills our memory, part with smiles, but more with tears, as we remember that the farm hands gather in the fields, and many of those who mingled in that merry husking, scene have themselves been reaped "like as a shock of corn comcth in in his season."

There is a difference of opinion as to whether the Orientals knew anything about the corn as it stands in our fields, but recent discoveries have found out that the Hebrews knew all about Indian maize, for there have been grains of the corn picked up out of ancient crypts and exhumed from hiding places where they were' put down many centuries ago, and they have been planted in our time and. have come up just such Indian maize as we raise in New York and Ohio. So I am right when I say that my text may refer to a shock of corn just as you and I bound it, just as you and I threw it, just as you and I husked it. There may come some practical and useful and comforting lessons to all our souis while we think of coming in at last "like a shock of corn comcth in in his season."

It is high time that the king of terrors were thrown out of the Christian vocabulary. A vast multitude of people talk of death as though it were the disaster of disasters instead of being to a good man the blessing of blessings. It is moving out of a cold vestibule into a warm temple. It is migrating into groves of redolence and perpetual fruitage. It is a change from bleak March to roseate June. It is a change of manacles for garliiiuls. It is the transmuting of the iron handcuffs of earthly incarceration into the diamonded wristlets of a bridal party, or, to use the suggestion of my text, it is only husking time. It is the tearing off of the rough sheath of the body that the bright and beati-'i-l.'

sou' maV

free. Coming in

Jike a ^shock Of corn cometh in in his season. Christ broke up a funeral pro­

cession at the gate of Nain by making a resurrection day for a young man and his mother. And I would that I could break up your sadness and halt the long funeral procession of the world's grief by some cheering and cheerful view of the last transition.

We all know that husking time was a time of frost. Frost on the fence. Frost on the stable. Frost on the ground. Frost on the bare branches of the trees. Frost in the air. Frost on the hands of the huskers. You remember we used to hide behind the corn stacks so as to keep off the wind, but still you remember how shivering was the body and how painful was the cheek and how benumbed were the hands. But after awhile the sun was high up and all the frosts went out of the air, and hilarities' awakened the echoes and joy from one corn shock went up, "Aha, aha!" and was answered by joy from another corn shock, "Aha, aha!"

So we all realize that the death of our friends is the nipping of many expectations, the freezing, the chilling, the frosting of many of our hopes. It is far from being a south wind. It comes from the frigid north, and when they go away from us we stand benumbed in body and benumbed in mind and benumbed in soul. We stand among our dead neighbors, our dead families, and we say. "Will we ever get over it?" Yes, we will get over it amid the shoutings of heavenly reunion, and we will look back to all these distresses of bereavement only as the temporary distresses of husking time. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." "Light, and but for a moment." said the apostle as he clapped his hands, "light, and but for a moment." The chill of the frosts followed by the gladness that cometh in "like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season."

Perhaps, now, this may be'in answer to a question which I asked one Sabbath morning, but did not answer, "Why is it that so many really good people have so dreadfully to suffer?" You often find a good man with enough pains and aches and distresses, you would think to discipline a whole colony, while you will find a man who is perfectly useless going around with easy digestion and steady nerves and shining health and his exit from the world is comparatively painless. How do you explain that? Well, I noticed in the husking time that the husking peg was thrust into the corn and then there must be a stout pull before the swathing was taken off the ear and the full, round, healthy, luxuriant corn was developed, while on the other hand there was corn that hardly seemed worth husking. We threw that into a place all by itself and we called it "nubbins."

Some of it was mildewed and some of it was mice-nibbled and some of it was great promise and no fulfillment. All cobs and no corn. Nubbins! After the good corn had been driven up to the barn we came around with the corn basket and we picked up these nubbins. They are worth saving, but not worth much. So all around us there are people who amount to nothing. They develop into no kind of usefulness. They are nibblpd on one side by the world and nibbled on the other side by the devil and mildewed all over. Great promise and no fulfillment. All cob and no corn. Nubbins! They are worth saving. I suppose many of them will get to heaven, but they are not worthy to be mentioned in the same day with those who went up through great tribulation into the kingdom of our oGd.

You remember also that in the time of husking nt dartmartmr marmtmamm of husking it was a neighborhood reunion. By the great fireplace in the winter, the fires roaring around the glorified back-logs on an old-fashioned hearth, of which the modern stoves and registers are only the degenerate descendants, the farmers used to gather and spend the evening, and there would be much sociality, but it was not anything like the joy of husking time, for then all the farmers came, and they came in the very best humor, and they came from beyond the meadow, and they came from beyond the brook, and they came from beyond the regions two and three miles around. Good spirit reigned supreme, and there were great, handshakings, and there was carnival. and there was the recital of the brightest experiences in all their lives, and there was a neighborhood reunion the memory of which makes all the nerves of my body tremble with emotion as the strings of a harp when the fingers of a player have swept the chords.

The husking time was the time of neighborhood reunion, and so heaven will be just that. There they come up! They slept in the old village churchyard. There they come up! They reclined amid the fountains and the sculpture and the parterres of a city ceme' tery. There they come up! They went down when the ship foundered off Cape Iiatteras. They come up from all sides —from potter's field and out of the solid masonry of Westminster Abbey. They come up! They come up. All the hindrances to their better nature husked off. All their physical ailments husked off. All their spiritual despondencies husked off. The grain, the golden grain, the God fashioned grain, visible and conspicuous.

Yes, heaven, a great sociable, with joy like the joy of the husking time. No one there feeling so big he declines to speak to some one who is not so large. Archangel willing to listen to smallest cherub. No bolting of the door of caste at one heavenly mansion to keep out the citizen of a smaller mansion. No clique in one corner.'David taking none of the airs of a giant killer. Joshua making no one halt until he passes because he made the sun and moon halt. Paul making no assumptions over the most ordinary preacher of righteousness. Naaman, captain of the Syrian host, no more honored than the captive maid who told him where he could get a good doctor. O my soul, what a country! The humblest man a king. The poorest woman a queen. The meanest house a palace. The shortest lifetime eternity. And what is more strange about it all is, we may all get there. "Not I," says some one standing back under the galleries. Yes, you. "Not I," says some one who has not

been in church in fifteen years before. Yes, you. "Not I," says some one who has been for fifty years filling up his life with all kinds of wickedness^ Yes, you.

There are monopolies on earth, monopolistic railroads, monopolistic telegraph companies and monopolistic grain dealers, but no monopoly in religion. All who want to be saved may be saved, "without money and without price." Salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ for all the people. Of course, use common sense in this matter. You cannot expect to get to Charleston by taking ship for Portland, and you cannot expect to get to heaven by going in an opposite direction. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Through that one gate of pardon and peace all the race may go in.

All the shocks coming in in their season. Oh, yes, in their season. Not one of you having died too soon or having died too late or having died at haphazard. Planted at just the right time. Plowed at just the right time. Cut down at just the right time. Garnered at just the right time. Coming in in your season.

Oh, I wish that the billions of bushels of corn now in the fields or on the way to the seaboard might be a type of the grand yield of honor and glory and immortality when all the shocks come in.

I do not know how you are constituted, but I am so constituted that there is nothing that so awakens reminiscences in me as the odors of a cornfield when I cross it at this time of the year after the corn has been cut and it stands in shocks. And so I have thought it might be practically useful for us to-day to cross the cornfield, and I have thought perhaps there might be some reminiscence roused in our souls that might be salutary and might be saving. In Sweden a prima donna, while her house in the city was being repaired, took a house in the country for temporary residence, and she brought out her great array of jewel? to show a friend who wished to sec them. One night after displaying these jewels and leaving them on the table and all her friends had gone, and the servants had gone— one summer night—she sat thinking and looking into a mirror just in front of her chair, when she saw in that mirror a face of a robber looking in at the window behind her ancl gazing at those jewels. She was in great fright, but sat still, and hardly knowing why she did began to sing an old nursery song, her fears making the pathos of the song more telling.

Suddenly she noticed while looking at the mirror that the robber's face had gone from the window and it did not come back. A few days after the prima donna received a letter from the robber, saying, "I heard that the jewels were to be out that night and I came to take them at whatever hazard, but when I heard you sing that nursery song with which my mother so often sang me to sleep, I could not stand it and I fled, and I have resolved upon a new and aii honest life."

Oh, my friends, there are jewels in peril richer than those which lay upon that table that night. They are the jewels of the immortal soul. Would God that sortie song rolling up out of the deserted nursery of your childhood or some song rolling up out of the cornfields, the song of the huskers twenty or forty years ago, might turn all our feet out of the paths of sin into the paths of righteousness. Would God that those memories wafted in on odor or song might start us this moment with swift feet toward that blessed placed where so many of our loved ones have already preceded us. "as a shock of corn cometh in in his season."

Wisdom In Nuggets.

It often makes a man hot when'you tell him cold facts. The wise man doesn't wait for fortune to knock at his door be goes out to meet it.

Some people go without what they wanit in order to get something they don't want.

About the only difference in a saloon and in a cafe is the price charged for drinks.

All the money dropped in speculation is dropped by men who are trying to pick it up.

The use of mourning envelopes does not render a person liable to arrest for blackmail.

Some statesmen are self-made, but the majority of the politicians are ,machdnemad'C.

If you start on a journey and forget to take an umbrella with you it is a sure sign of rain.

There are unlimited opportunities for a man who is determined to make a fool of himself.

The sensible man never complains. If lie breaks his leg he is always thankful that it isn't his neck.

It's a poor recommendation for her biscuits when a widow tells how fond her late husbanid was of them.

Some men are indifferent as to what others think of them but what they say of them is another matter.

A base ball nine is called a team, but what the team sometimes call the umpire wouldn't look well in print.

A man likes to refer to himself as an idiot at times, but it makes him mad if anybody else agrees with him.—Chicago News.

Bits of Knowledge. 'A-H'..*.--

When teacups become discolored a little salt rubbed on will remove the stain. If soot is spilled on a carpet it may be readily swept up if covered first with salt or Indian meal.

Among the pretty souvenirs of the summ-er's outing are picture frames of birch bark, the corners being fastened with little clusters of pine cones or needles.

In packing the children's lunch-bas-kets remember that a cluster of fine fat raisins contains a large amount of nourishment, and is much to be preferred from a hygienic point of view to cake or pie served ad libitum.

Competent laundresses assert that the first rinsing Water should be tepid, for the reason that there is still more or less soap on the clothes, and soap in solution uniting with the dirt makes a dirty, gummy solution. Rinse1 in hard water, say they, using an ample supply.

ARMIES OF EUROPE.

WHAT GEN. NEIiSON MILES OBSERVED AMONG THEM.

Hli Comparison of tie Military Strength of the Various Countries—Our Country's Resources—The Mlllealuin Mot Vet

Hand. .'C\-

London cable: Gen. Nelson A. Miles, with MrS. Miles and aide-de-camp Captain Maus, sailed for the United States on the A*merlcan line steamer St. Louts to-day. The commander of the army has been in Europe since May on his tour of military observation, and has Inspected everything of military Importance, from the great powers in field action down to "balloons and bikes," as he remarks.

Incidentally, General Miles has met most of the rulers of Europe, Including Queen Victoria, the Czar of Russia,, the Emperor of Germany, the Sultan of Turkey, and the President of France. The President of the French republic, however, he considers to be In every characteristic the peer of the royalties fit Europe. "Presldeivt Faure Is one of the most courtly, dignified and accomplished men I have met in Europe," he said, and added that the French republic need have entertained no misgivings as to how its chief magistrate would comport himself during his recent visit of state to the Czar, a question which at one time deeply agitated the press of France."

General Miles talked interestingly to a repreeentatve of the Associated Press of his tour, although he declined to give any opinions on certain questions. "When I left Washington the war between Turkey and Greece had assumed serious proportions, and it looked as though neighboring provinces would be drawn into It and possibly one or two of the great powers of Europe," General Miles began. "No one realized at that time that Greece had assumed hostilities when she was wholly unprepared for war nor did any one anticipate that Turkey would in forty-five days mobilize a great army of 600,000 men. When I arrived at Constantinople an armistice had been declared and war was practically over, although the armies remained In hostile attitude, and it has taken three months to agree upon the conditions of peace for a war that had been fought in five weeks. "But as my mission had only partially concerned that war, and as the President and Secretary of War had authorized me to visit such countries as I might think advisable for the purpose of military observation, I continued my journey, looking over the principal armies of Europe, many of the most important establishments, the principal gun factories and foundries, where the material of war Is constructed from the most mlnut* small caliber projectile* to the heaviest armorplate. "I have seen all the gTeat armies of Europe excepting the Spanish army, and if Spain ever declares war against the United States I may possibly have an opportunity of seeing that. Of something over three million men under arms I have seen nearly 400,000, in barracks and in garrison and in field maneuvers, besides nearly 100,000 men engaged in the construction of war material. "What I have seen does not Indicate that the mlllenium is at hand—when swords will be beaten Into plowshares. There never was another time in the history of the world when so much energy and wealth were being devoted to war purposes. "It so happened that important events occurring in Europe this year have contributed to my opportunities for observation, giving me chances to Bee the best of the armies of all the great powers. The celebration of Queen Victoria's sixty-year reign brought together 50,000 of her army and 38,000 of her navy. Ttw field maneuvers in Russia were conducted on a large scale, and were exceedingly Interesting. "Though her government !as been autocratic and her people are behind the age In enlightenment, only 8 per cent. of.the population being able to read, the rays of Intellectual enlightenment are penetrating that vast region, and there Is a great .future for Russia. What the headlight of the locomotive has done for our Western country in the last generation Is now to some extent being done for that country through the construction of a railroad across Siberia, one of the greatest enterprises of modern times. "Remarkably enough. It is being built under the direction of a self-made Rus!on prince, who served his apprenticeship In the machine shops of Philadelphia, but, like Peter tho Great, has become master of his trade, and Is now contributing Immensely to the material welfare of Russia. The Russian army is composed of strong, hardy men, and its officers are highly educated and skilled officials. "Germany is one vast military camp. It Is geographically in stJch a position that It is compelled to maintain a great military force. On one side Is Austria that they have overrun, and France that has been conquered. On the other side stands tho grept Russian bear, and between these two Germany finds it necessary to keep her powder dry. The German army is kept under rigid discipline, is welldrilled, makes the finest appearance on parade, but its lighting qualities are no better than tho English, Russian or French armies.

I saw part of the French maneuvers ir-ar St. Quentln. The French army is not spectacular In appearance, yet it has a solidity and earnestness of purpose which indicate that it is well equipped for war. Its uniforms are not so handsome as those of the German army, but are serviceable, while its officers are skHiful and lnteoady In earnest. Tfeere were 70,000 well equipped, well disciplined troops, and the review by the President was one of tho finest displays I ever wttaossed. The army of 70,000 men passed the reviewing stand In a li»t4o more than two hours' time, and the entire b»dy of cavalry, tea thousand strong, charged across U« field In one so»W mads and halted but a few yards from tho President in almost perfect line and splendid order." "The Hamburg maneuvers were praotlcaUy a great drill, to sftme extent spectacular. They looked very grand, but there la no school of war except war.

The difference between blank Cartridge! and leaden bullets and shotted cannon as marked as that between spectacula scenes of the drama and the real, llvlnj Issues of life. "What might seem to be practical 11 maneuvers might be wholly impractlca ble In a condlton of actual hostilities There are hundreds If not thousands men in the United States who have beei engaged In the same maneuvers wltl. brigades, .divisions, corps or armies In practical drill nearly every day for four years, and at the same time have beei\ in more desperate, hard-fought battles than any men in Europe. Still', maneuvers are useful and accustom men to see and to command large bodies of troops and teach bodies of soldiers to move together."

To a questlo/i as to whether the United States under Its present military policy would be able to cope with a European power. General Miles replied: "In any population, It Is estimated, one man out of five is capable of bearing arms. That would give us an army of twelve millions. Our people are strong, physically, and generally intelligent and well Informed, beside that each citizen Is a sovereign, and personally Interested in the welfare of his government, and serves voluntarily without being fcrced into service by a military despotism. "We have many thousands of men still living who have seen more war, and have participated In more battles than any men in Europe. But it is "another thing to equip an army with modern appliances for the defense of a coast, where we would have to use high power guns and modern projectiles, which it takes years to construct, while small arms are not to be made in a few days or weeks. Modern rifles are different from the squirrel guns with which our Revolutionary fathers went to war. The rar^e of modern arms is very great, and their projectiles weigh from 700 pounds to a ton of steel. The rapidity of tho rapid fire machine guns, the Maxim and Gatllng, is 400 and 600 shots a minute. Although these are American Inventions, they are largely used In European service."

"Reading tho Proceedings." He had been carriage driver for his master for thirty years, and "white folks" being members of the Episcopal church, he had never seen the inside of a church of any other denomination in all that time. After he was set free and his master could afford no longer to go to church in a carriage, he began to knock around and attend all the churches. He became a professor of religion, but when he came to join the church he thought it would be the most congenial thing to do, as well as a compliment to his old master, to join the Episcopal church. 'S®

Meeting his master one day at a public place, he informed him of .the fact that he had chosen his church as the one to which he would attach himself. His master complimented him on his chojcq and expressed some satisfaction concerning it.

In a year or so he met his master again and with considerable embarrassment told him that he had made a change. "What! have you left the Episcopal church?" "Ya-as, suh, I'se done changed!" "What have you done?" "I'se jimed d« Mefodis'. suh." "Why did you do that?" "Well, suh, 'cause I likes 'em bettah." "In what respect?" "Well, I'll tell you, marster you know when you goes to a Mefodis' church, jes' as soon as you gits inside dey settle right down to business, a-preaching of de gorspul, whilst in de 'Pisperpul church it takes 'em too long to read de perceedin's o' de last meetin'l"—Selma Times.

A QUEER FACT.

The Greater Part of London Has No City Government.

In the first place the world's metropolis is unique in being the only city known to civilization that has existed for centuries without a uniform or organized government. The city of London proper is only about one mile square and has a population of less than 37,000, while the London we are accustomed to think about covers an area of 500 square miles, with a population of 6,000,000 or more and embraces parts of five other counties Middlesex, Kent, Surrey, Hertfordshire and Essex. This vast area and this multitude of souls massed closely together have no municipal existence as we understand that term, and as it is applied to other civilized cities. Notwithstanding this anomaly the people have moved on and expanded at a marvelous rate, unconscious of their own condition, without stopping to think how they were governed, or whether they are governed at aill. It is a safe assertion that 75 per cent, of the people who are living within the metropolitan district could not explain their municipal system correctly if they were required to do so. It is the most extraordinary phenomenon thai is presented in the history of civilized governments.—London Cor. Chicago Record. —:—:——_

After Hawaii's Annexation. "It is a disgrace to the party," said the soo-goo. "The idea of such a man for Vice President! Why, he is a moral leper!" "That's just it exactly," replied the practical politician. "Haven't we got to do something to attract the leper vote? Have you forgotten the last return* from Moiokai?"—Judge.

Absurdly Quiet.

"That dead millionaire over the way appears to have led an absurdly quiet life." "What makes you think so?" "He left only two widowa."—Cleveland Plain Dealer,

.FAIR^AND FASHI^H fcf

which to build a monument *Vtb mother of Gen. Robert E Lep°

association formed forth»

0

Au

has the matter ia cCj1'"g* proposed to erect the moauiW

ls

the churchyard of Christ m, In Alexandria,*Va.

church,

Princess de Polienan Winnaretta Singer, daughter r!Th' sewinpr machine man, fi said

the best amateur musician

0 h"

in

par£®

TAFFETA GOWN.

Mrs. Robert Anderson, widow ol Fort Sumter's hero, is living in ushington. She possesses the flas against which the first shot of th« civil war was fired by.the South Carolina battery.

TEere is a naval organization in New York, composed of young women. It ia called the Youne Ladies'. Naval Guards, and has

for

its object the protection of th« American flag from insult and injury. \v

Carriage costumes of reseda wool the skirt trimmed with points oi ecru lace yoke of lace, with draper* of the wool the back is full. Seven yards double-width material.

Gov. Morton, of New York, has contributed a pen to a collection that is being gathered at the homi of Mrs, Mary H. Hunt, of Boston. The pens in this collection have all been used by Governors of States io signing temperance education laws.

There is a growing interest among women in the question of life insurance. Within a few years some of the leading companies have abandoned their contention that women are bad risks, and they are beinj) admitted on the same terms as men. A list of women now carrying bis insurance includes the names of Mrs. J- Sloat Fassett, of Elmira, Mrs. George Hearst, of San Fraucisco, Mrs. Hamilton Disston, of PhiladeU phia, and Mrs. Jenness Miller.

GOING TO NEWMARKET RACES IN 0LDES DAYS.

The Cincinnati Sand Plan. Troy Times. Cincinnati will have no more bowlegged children if the philanthrope women of that city can prevent it. The latest Bcheme is to provide great piles of sand in convenient vacant lots where children may play, the idea being that in thus keeping them off the hard pavements the development of parenthetical limbs will be greatly reducedThe plan is good in more ways than one. It will promote cleaniness,sand being much'cleaner than the mire of the gutters, and it will cause happiness, for nothing is more dear to the heart of the average child than the opportunity of playing

dirt.

tb#