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 THE rORN-HFSKING. 
 
 A FARCE. 
 
 BY E. S. WAITPJ. 
 Berea, Ohio. 
 
 Copyru/ht hij E. S. Walte, 1<S91 
 
 BEREA, OHIO: 
 
 1891. 
 
THE CORN-HUSKING 
 
 A FARCE. 
 
 BY EfS. WAITE. 
 Berea, Ohio. 
 
 Copyrufht by E. S. Waite, 1891 
 
 
 
 BEREA, OHIO. 
 1891. 
 
4^ J) 
 
 
 rMP92-007589 
 
THE (ORN-HUSKING. 
 
 A FARCE. 
 
 In'^ K. T. WAITE. 
 
 CHARACTERS. 
 Deacon Rising Bustweather. 
 Privelege Bustweather, his Wife Quakeress. 
 Silence Bustweather, their Daughter. 
 Timothy Roundabout, the Lover. 
 Zeke Tannerhorn, Hired Man. 
 Anxious Hetchel. 
 Cousin Sophia Ashpenny. 
 Aunt Comfort Hetchel. 
 Martha Washington Jefferson, small Col- 
 ored Girl, 
 Ike Skinner. 
 Tophrenia Button. 
 Sol Riseup. 
 Ducan Hitstrait. 
 Anaxasia Fiddlebone. 
 Parson Snowunder. 
 Jack Olderbum. 
 Aunt Polly Ketchum. 
 Jerusha Mint. 
 Abram and Diana. 
 SuKY Hilt. 
 
 HUSKERS. 
 
2 THE HUSKING-BEE. 
 
 COSTUMES. 
 
 Deacon. Powdered wig, old stN'le coat and ri<;. 
 
 Mrs. B- Quakeress costume, drab, plain dress, white 
 cap, spectacles, black silk apron. 
 
 Silence. Old style bride's costume. 
 
 Timothy. Sraart costume for young man of ye olden 
 time. 
 
 Zeke. Overalls, old hat and frock. 
 
 Jack Olderbum. Brown short coat and blue pants, 
 jean. 
 
 Aunt Polly Ketciium. Gay flowered dress, shoulder 
 
 shawl and gray hair. 
 
 Jf:RUSHA Mint. Red and white brocaded calico dress, 
 hair dow^n. 
 
 Abram and Diana. In grotesque negro costumes and 
 immense carpet bag. 
 
 SuKY Hilt. AVhite dress, pink sunbonnet or hat. 
 
 Anxious. Gay dress long white muslin tie, long ear- 
 rings. 
 
 Cousin Sophia. Sunbonnet, trimmed in red roses, 
 black shawl, blue dress, band-boxes and bundles. 
 
 Aunt Comfort. Yellow straw bonnet, trimmed pro- 
 fusely, white shawd, green dress. 
 
 Martha. Red dress, yellow apron, red turban. 
 
 Parson. Silk hat, huge shirt front, long black coat. 
 
 HusKERS. Old fashioned costumes of all kinds. 
 
 SITUATIONS. 
 
 R, means right, as the actor faces the audience; L, left; 
 C, center. 
 
 SCENE: — Barn. Hay hanginr/ from mon-^ JmUerna luimjinq 
 around and candles in different parts of barn,. iScijthes, rake^^ etc. 
 Old-fashioned mirror hung for V He on occasion,. Pumpkins and 
 milkinr/ stools sitting around. Two or three shoeks of com 
 standing {if corn cannot be obtained change to an Apple Bee). 
 
 \_Enter R. Mrs. B. icith pan of doughnuts and kniff- 
 ing, humming in a high key, "Bonny Doon, Ye banks 
 and braes o' Bonny Doon."] Dearie me, these dough- 
 nuts are light enough for any husking bee, (puis pan 
 on a shelf,) and surely they are light enough for a wed- 
 ding (sits knitting.) A wedding, did I speak aloud? 
 If Silence were here she would put her linger on her 
 
THE HUSK1NC4-BEE. 3 
 
 li}) and say {raises hand to mouth) hush, thee dear 
 mother. Silence is something of a quakeress, though 
 not as much as I would like. She does not say thee, 
 and thou only when she speaks to me; but Silence is a 
 good girl, a good girl. I wonder where she can be now, 
 up in her room thinking of her lover, Timothy, I'll 
 warrant, and he will come, he will come; but Oh! the 
 wrath of Rising Bustweather (raises both hands. Goes 
 to the door and caUs) daughter! daughter! 
 
 Silence. Yea, mother, I am coming. [Xoise out- 
 side. Zeke, makes a racket.) 
 
 MiiS. B. What noise is that^ (Zeke singiny,) What 
 melody! (Zeke, Sings) 
 
 Silence, she is the gal for nie, 
 She IS the gal I hke to see. 
 
 Zeke (Enters at ii. witli pail a)ul sjjills seeds on the 
 ■floor.) Pot-hooks and splinters! Every time I gets to 
 singing I spills sunthin'. 
 
 Mrs. B. Yea, thou art very clever and handy, 
 Zeke, and Silence, thou knowest, admires those quali- 
 ties. 
 
 Zeke. Oh! I knows you don't favor my courtin' 
 your gal, but the Deacon is anxious enough; he knows 
 that I can husk more corn than any other hired man 
 he ever had or seed. 
 
 Mrs. B. Anxious Hetchel wert thou talking about? 
 
 Zeke. Oh, drat Anxious Hetchel. I wouldn't 
 give an English tu})pence for her hull body. Why 
 Silence is 
 
 Mrs. B. There, thou -hast said enough. (Enter 
 I.. Silence. Points to jjuinpkin sseds). 
 
 Silence. What! mother, is this the preparation for 
 the husking bee? A floor of pumpkin seeds to dance on. 
 
 Mrs. B. Yea, yea, daughter, that is the preparation 
 of thine admirer Zeke! 
 
 Silence. Well I'll not pick them u])- -of all the 
 loitering, unhandy 
 
 Mrs. B. Tut, tut! Daughter, thou canst polish the 
 spoons against the time of supper, wliilst thou are 
 wasting words with Zeke, and he can take himself and 
 pail away. 
 
4 THE HUSKING-BEK. 
 
 Zeke. And that I will and you'n.- can pick up tli6 
 seeds yourselves. [Ax//. 
 
 Silence, There mother, he has gone and left it 
 for us. 
 
 INIks. B. Vrdl I will see to it. He may not be so 
 high stepping and independent when Timothy comes. - 
 
 Silence. Thou art right mother, and I wish he 
 were here now, I am tired to death of that Zeke Tan- 
 nerhorn. He is a blunderer and just good enoujjh for 
 Anxious Hetchel. [Exif. 
 
 Deacon B. {Enters hi (/reut hade atul hudle). Have 
 you got the ])ui<ipkin pie baked and the doughnuts* 
 fried, mother? I kalculate this to be the finest husk in' 
 
 ever had in , and my gal to be the finest gal in 
 
 town. There is many a youth a wanting her. Sy. 
 Bumble, Tobias Husun, Ike Coon, and a dozen more, 
 All of them is good lads, but none of them is up to 
 Zeke Tannerhorn, he can husk more corn and husk it 
 better than any two in these ))arts. 
 
 Mrs. B. And has the least brains in his head of 
 any one in these parts. [^E.rif. 
 
 Deacon {railing after her). What is that you say 
 Privelege? There is no keej)iug these women quiet if 
 they are quakers. (Goe>< to door and Ivdhofi) Privelege! 
 Silence, light the candles, the buskers are coming. 
 (^Deacon bbider-i around). Women have so much 
 primping to do (Jooh in gl((x>i). Why, I am not so very 
 old. I can't half see (ruxhe.^ to door and dtoids in 
 a}i(jer) Privelege Bustweather, are you coming here? 
 
 ' [Enter Mr.^. B. 
 
 Mrs. B. Yea, yea, Deacon, I am coming (die llf//if,-< 
 the candle'i.) 
 
 Deacon. You are enough to drive me wild. 
 
 Mr8. B. Oh! the wrath of Rising Bustweather. 
 
 Deacon. Where is Silence? What is she doing? 
 She looks well enough without stopping so long to dress. 
 
 Mrs. B. Well .she is very particular to-nigiit, she 
 wants to look exceedingly well. 
 
 Deacon. I am glad she is coming to her senses at 
 last, ever since Timothy Roundabout went away she 
 
THE HUS^ING-BEE. 5 
 
 lias been as contrary as a nuile, and as sharp as a ground 
 liojr^'s quills, over that miserable Tim, he is well named 
 — Roundabout, hope he will never show his face in 
 these parts agaiii. But hark the buskers are coming. 
 {Slngiiir/ in the distance, the dracon looks out.) Well, I 
 declare, there are loadjs of them, they will till the old 
 ^'^^■•i- [E.vit R. 
 
 ^ Mr8. B. (Lookiiu/ out.) Well, if here doesn't come 
 Cousin Bopbia, and what a comfort she is any way. 
 
 Cousin Sophia. (Enters with />und bo.re.^ and bun- 
 dies.) Yes I have got here after a while. The wagon 
 broke down and Jeremiah had to go back, and I have 
 been a blessed two hours in coming from the corners, 
 with these band boxes. Where can I put them where 
 they will be safe and out of the way of the noisy 
 buskers. I have in that bundle catmint and sage mixed, 
 that is for the Deacon when he has his bad spells. 
 Mrs. B. Oh how thoughtful thou art. 
 Cousin Sophia. And here is a package of boneset, 
 yours wasn't strong enough when I was here before.' 
 You will find this is good for most everything and here is 
 some pennyroyal, and smart weed, and here is a bundle 
 of roots and arbs, warranted to cure all the ills that 
 flesh is heir to. Father used to say, give me a dose of 
 smart weed tea wlien he was under the weatjier, and it 
 would straighten him right out quicker than all the 
 
 doctors in could, and I have brouglit you some 
 
 home made yeast, I heard you had got to usi'ng some- 
 thing else— something you'got from Boston, is that so? 
 Now tell me before I take my bonnet off, you know I 
 have no i)atience with these new fangled things of no 
 kind. 
 
 Mrs. B. Thee doesn't think I would use store yeast 
 cousin Sophia. Come let us go up to the house and 
 put away thy things. Silence will want to see thee. 
 
 Cousin Sophia. Yes I have bi'ought her a great 
 deal of good advice. These girls need it. [E.vit cousin 
 Sophia and Mrs. B. 
 
 {Ifuskcrs come onto .^t<i'jc n<nr, .</iiffln// and (-((rn/luf/ iiilUimj 
 >^hol>^, and are welcoined by the Deaom, Mr a. B,' S'Uence and 
 tumiii Sophia, irho come ou from .^ide r. ILisker.s .^it on M>r, 
 piimpl-ins ami .^(,,(ds^ and commence hitskinrj in hl'jl, qlec ) ' ' 
 
(i THK HUSKING-iJEK. 
 
 ToPHRENiA Button. Now you Sol Risen p, I want 
 you to understand that I did not come to this husking 
 Lee to sit side of you all the time. You slick tighter 
 to me than a grey-back to an old soldier. 
 
 Sol. Why Freny, you know you said I Height. 
 (laughter.) 
 
 Freny. Stop your noise! You tell everything you 
 know and more too. 
 
 DucAN HiTSTRAiT. AVouldu't I like to have my gal 
 tell me that. He, he, he. 
 
 Sol. You are a brag, aint you though. Bet }'ou 
 wouldn't dare to kiss her in the dark, let alone a ioie 
 folks. 
 
 DucAN HiTSTRATT. AVell I'll show you. (Cvo.^sefi 
 fioor, Jd>tf<es Auaxasta FiikUebone; <jef--< slap; all laugh 
 and point to Anaxasia, crying shame! ^hame! ) 
 
 Aunt Polly Ketchum. Jerusha, can't you speak 
 us a piece. 
 
 Jerusha. I don't know, may be I can. (comes for- 
 ward and .speaks ''^ Money MnshJ^ by B. F. Taylor, from 
 ''The Old Barn'' At clo^e applaiise.) 
 
 Deacon. Zeke, have you found any red ears yet? 
 Zeke. Yes, here's one. (Jumpx up and kis-<es tJir 
 first girl necy him.) 
 
 Aunt Polly. Now, Ike Skinner, you have been to 
 singing school all winter to Setville and can't you sing 
 the "Old Oaken Bucket," and we'll all join in the 
 chorus. {Ike shigx and all join chorux.) 
 
 (Enter l. Ahram and Diana, runaway slaves.) 
 
 Mrs. B. Well, Deacon, we have sonie strar)gers 
 here. Doesn't thee see them? 
 
 Deacon. Wall, I declare, Privelege whar in crea- 
 tion did they hail from. (Pushes his specks up and 
 stands in wonder at them. All stare amid, si/c/i excla- 
 mations ax ''den tell!''' "my mkes!" ''hunky-dory!" etc.) 
 
 Zeke. Did ye come from old Ken tuck', uncle? 
 
 Parson. Canyon give us your names, sister and 
 brother? 
 
 Abram. Our names am just Abram and Diana. 
 We is poor chilun from Virginia run'<laway. 
 
THE HUSIvING-BEE. 7 
 
 Aunt Polly. Aint you hungry poor things. 
 
 Diana. Yah. dat we be honeys, can't you gib us a 
 doughnut. (3Irs. B. h'ings ijctn of doughnuts and they 
 help the7nselves. Ahram finally takes the pan and 
 empties the contents into a carpet sacJc.) 
 
 Diana. Missus, we smelled some pu mpkin pie as we 
 comed along. 
 
 Deacon. Getiheni somej Privelege. We ought to 
 help these poor creatures. You are going to Ohio I 
 s'pose. 
 
 Abram. Yes sah, we is. Henven bless you Qo 
 Mrs. B., who brings in two pumpkin jjles. Ahram takes 
 one and Diana takes the other and they begin to eat them.) 
 
 Silence. {Creeps up to Mr^. B. and says.) Mother, 
 they will eat up everything. 
 
 Mrs. B. No, no, child, I guess not. 
 
 Abram. AVell, mother we must be goin'. (Ahram 
 and Diana go out R. eating pie.) 
 
 Deacon. Parson, we can't help such people any to 
 much, can we. 
 
 Parson. No sir, we can't. 
 
 Aunt Polly. Deacon, nobody is husking. 
 
 Deacon. That's so, (all resume husking) but then 
 you know. Aunt Polly, we don't have such company 
 every day. 
 
 Ali,. Did you ever see the like of them. (T/ie 
 young folks run to the door at R. toivatch them go down 
 the road.) 
 
 Mrs. B. Suky, the Deacon would like to hear you 
 sing "Husking Corn" (by E. E. Todd.) (Suky sings; 
 all join cJiorus. Several huskers find red ears of corn 
 and claim privelege of kisses.) 
 
 Jack Olderbum. Well, I wish somebody would 
 sing "It* I was as young as I used to be." I heard a* 
 feller sing that when I was down to York, and I tell you 
 what if he didn't sing nobody ever did. 
 
 Deacon B. I used to sing that myself, Jack. 
 
 All. Sing it! Sing it! 
 
 Deacon. Seems to me cousin Sophia used to sing 
 pretty well. 
 
O THE HUSKlNCi-BEr,. 
 
 Aunt Polly. Oh yes; Sophia wont you please :<ing 
 for us. 
 
 Cousin Sophia. Why certainly I will if the Deacon 
 will sing that piece you wanted him to. 
 
 All. Yes you will Deacon, woi^t you. 
 
 Deacon. Wall I'll think about it. 
 
 Cousin Sophia. Well, you know that 1 in no singer, 
 but I'll do the best that I can. But see here; Sol 
 Kiseup hadn't we better sing ''Ruben and Rachel," for 
 them. 
 
 Sol. Well, may be we kin, we can try anyhow, 
 (They sing '^Rnben and RacheV — duet by Harry Birch; 
 at close applause . Anxious passes apples around, young 
 folks throw skins over shoulder to form initials. Anax- 
 asia throws one and she and Silence exclaim T. R.) 
 
 Silence. Timothy Roundabout! 
 
 [^Horn 6/oms outside. 
 
 All. (Shout.) Whose come now. 
 
 Zeke. Why, its the stage Most likely bringing 
 some company to Deacon Bustweather. 
 
 Silence. {To 3Ir8. B.) He doesn't know who its 
 going to bring. (Enter Timothy Roundabout and 
 MartJia Washington Jefferson. He bo\d\y wa\ks v,p to 
 Silence and kisses her, and shakes hands with Mrs. B. 
 amid many exclamations of astonishment from the ivhole 
 party.) 
 
 Deacon. (Walks up to Timothy in great anger and 
 says) AVhat does this mean? 
 
 Mrs. B. It is a wedding to-night and Timothy has 
 come to see thy daughter married. 
 
 Deacon. A wedding! and who is the groom? It; 
 will be Zeke Tannerhorn and no other, or my name is 
 not Rising Bustweather. 
 
 Mrs. B. Oh! the wrath of Rising Bustweather 
 (raising both hands.) 
 
 Deacon. If the heavens fall Silence Bustweather 
 shall never marry that scapegoat (turning to Timothy.) 
 Why are you here sir, at this gathering of my friends 
 and kin? You, a wild hoodlum that you are; what is 
 the meaning of all this (rushes wildly around and pushes 
 
THE HUSKING-BEE. 9 
 
 Timothy away from SUence). 
 
 Mrs. B. Oh! the wrath of Risking Bustweather. 
 
 Deacon. Slie shall never marry hiui. Zeke Tan- 
 iierhorn, where are you? 
 
 Zeke. Here I are, Deacon. Siiall I take him by 
 the neck? {Silence ru(<lies between them). 
 
 Silence. I will marry Timothy, lather. I love him 
 better than the whole world; and as for Zeke, I will 
 nevei- marry him (stamps foot). Why I had rather go 
 to a nunnery than to marry him. 
 
 (Timothy takes oat a liamtful of gold, shows it to 
 Deacon and Zeke). 
 
 Timothy. 1 have plent\^ njore Deacon. I have 
 not been idle while I have been away. I have earned 
 the right to claim your daughter, and have now come 
 to take my bride, and we are now ready for your bless- 
 ing and the parson, 
 
 Zeke. Not so long as I can wield a club. 
 
 TiiMOTHY (Imighiny). Why, Zeke, see here; you 
 take this (hands him money), go down to (name a local 
 tailar), and get a fine suit of clothes; come back and 
 Anxious Hetchel will marry you. 
 
 Anxious. Will I? 
 
 Timothy. And we will have a double wedding. 
 
 Zeke. By the great horned spoons! I never 
 knowed what it was to be horned with a silver spoon in 
 your mouth afore; it means a twenty dollar gold piece 
 in your hand more likely. I'd ruther have it that way 
 an3^ how. Silence is purty enuff, and if you want her 
 bad enough to pike all the way up from Boston you can 
 have her for all me. I guess she would be a leetle too 
 nice for me anv how, and she might want to spend this 
 money and Anxious would keep it. 
 
 Anxious. That I would, 
 
 Zeke (crying). 1 ken swaller my feelin's I guess, 
 seein's that Silence, at the last minit, has concluded to 
 marry you. \_Exlt Zeke crying. 
 
 Silence. Timothy, you know I never liad any 
 thouiijht of niai'rving Zeke. 
 
 Timothy. I know you never imd, my dear (P«^.s 
 arm about Silence). 
 
10 THE HtSKlNG-lit:^:. 
 
 Deacon. What, you marry my daughter; you can- 
 not compare with Zeke. He is industrious, obedient, 
 and owns as much as a pig and a sheep, 
 
 Silence. Yes, he is a regular sheep's head himself. 
 
 Deacon. Silence is your name but it is only in 
 name. You are always ready to say a word against 
 Zeke; but he, mark my word, is good enough for yon, 
 or any girl that dances. 
 
 Anxious. Yes, that is so. 
 
 Deacon. Now here is Anxious Hetchell, as good a 
 girl as need be, who is willing at-any time to become 
 Mrs. Tannerhorn. 
 
 Anxious. Am I? 
 
 Deacon. And y(ju, Timothy Roundabout, I've 
 knowed you ever since you were born, and up to the 
 time you went away three years ago, you was a harum 
 scarum, good-for-nothing, and did not have as much as 
 an old jack-knife and now you come l^ack all dressed, 
 up in store clothes, and bring this black gal with you 
 and claim to be rich. What have you to say for your- 
 self, ha? 
 
 Timothy. Well, I've just tliis much lo say, that you 
 hadn't ought to object to our marriage without good 
 reason. Since I've been gone I have not forgotten 
 Silence, nor has she forgotten me, and this 'Miusking' 
 was planned by ub and your wdfe knew all about it. 
 
 Deacon. I don't doubt that. 
 
 Timothy. And I am in partnership with my uncle 
 James, and you all know him and if you don't believe 
 what I say, just find out from him. And as Silence is 
 of age to-day, why, she can choose for herself, and i*s 
 f(U' the little darky gal I brought her from a cruel 
 master and I intend that she will be a nice little help 
 to Silence when we are settled in our new home, and 
 now, Martha Washmgton Jefferson, can't you dance us 
 a jig and sing us a song; try it. {Martha !<uigx unci 
 daiic'f^f "■Nellie Bin'" ^!J '^- ^'- J^'o-^f^r.) [Zeke enters r. 
 
 Timothy. Hello, Zeke, you have got back have 
 you; you look fine. Where is Anxious? 
 
 Zeke, I don't know as she will have me now. 
 
TiiE HUSKIXU-BEK. H 
 
 Aunt Comfort. No, indeed she wont. Now see 
 here, I've got a little something to say in this matter to 
 this company, my niece Silence Bnstweather is all well 
 enongh in her way, but my daughter Anxious is not 
 going to be made fun of Iw her or anybody else. Maybe 
 you think just because Tim Roundabout has turned out 
 
 to be somebody that there aint anybody else in but 
 
 him, but I know better. I tliink she can find somebody. 
 
 Anxious. Yes, mother, I think I can. 1 propose 
 to marry somebody who admires me, I am not as anx- 
 ious as you think, sir. (twn.^ to Zeke) to marry you, 
 although folks have made you look better than C(>ra!non. 
 I suppose you think (sjjeaJcx to Ituxken^) I will have 
 to be an old maid if I don't marry Zeke. 
 
 Jack Olderbum. (Comes to An.rlovs stcJe.) No 
 you wont, I intend to marry you myself and it will suit 
 me first rate to have the cermony take place now. 
 
 All. Why Jack Olderbum! 
 
 HusKERS. (Shout) Two weddings; Aunt Privelege 
 let's' have two weddings; Deacon, let's have two wed- 
 dings. What say you? (Deacon hem^ and haivs.) 
 
 Mrs. B. Let's have two weddings, my dear Deacon. 
 
 Deacon. I — I —I don't know my dear, but you 
 women always get what you start for. I suppose I will 
 have to give in. 
 
 All, (SJwiit). Where's tlie parson! (Parmn comes 
 to front, Deacon andivife, Timothy and Silence, Anxioux 
 and Jack Olderbum, Cou^'in Sophia and Aunt Comfort 
 form in semi circle for the marriage cermony. Huskers 
 xtand hack of them. Parson readx follotcing from hooV.) 
 
 Parson. (To first couple) You will please to join 
 your right hands. Wiiat is your name? (To Timothy.) 
 
 Tim. Timothy Roundabout. 
 
 Parson. Do you ])romise to supply this woman with 
 drygoods and liair pins as long as she shall exist? 
 Tim. 1 do. 
 
 Parson. Will you promise to be silent if she should 
 get angry, and will you promise to get in plenty of kind- 
 ling wood so tiiat she jnay get up early and l)uild the 
 fire for you and make the breakfast? 
 
12 THE HUSKING-BEE. 
 
 Tim. I do. 
 
 Parson. AVill you ])roiiiise to be kind to liei at 
 house-cleaning time, and will you always ask her con- 
 sent before joining the Masons, the I. O. O. F's, the 
 Knighls of Pythias, the S. of V's, the Blue Bottle 
 Greens, the Sons of iStay-at-Hoine Clubs, etc ? 
 
 Timothy. I do. 
 
 Parson. Will you promise never to stay out after 
 10 o'clock at Apj)Ie Bees, Kissing Bees, Barn Raisio^^s, 
 and will you promise n(jt to drink too much at pig- 
 killing and sheep-washing time? 
 
 Timothy. I do. 
 
 Parson. Well and good. ( To Silence,) Now what 
 is your naire? 
 
 Silence. Silence Bust weather. 
 
 Parson. Silence, you have undei'taken a wonderful 
 journey and you will do well to answer me a few ques- 
 tions. In the first place are you bound to mairy this 
 man instead of Zeke? 
 
 Silence. Yes sir, I am. 
 
 Parson. Very good then, now pay attention to this 
 solemn catalogue of questions. You see how smartly 
 Timothy has ans^vered up. Now do you promise to 
 love, honor, and obey this man as long as y(»u shall 
 both be on earth? 
 
 Silence. ] do. 
 
 Parson. Do you promise to keep house on the stay- 
 at-home plan and never Uy spend any time in gossiping? 
 
 Silence. I do. 
 
 Parson. Do you agree to see that he (h)es not with 
 your consent fall in love with any other women? 
 
 Silence. I do. 
 
 Parson. Then 1 })ron()uuce you man and woman, 
 providing that nobody jbjects to these persons being 
 talked to by me in this way. { Deacoii her/ins fo mij 
 something but U calmed hi/ J/r.s. B.). 
 
 Parson (to next couple). You may join your right 
 hands (they join left Jiaml^, then one rir/ht (Did the other 
 left). 
 
The HtJSKr^'(^BK^:. jg 
 
 1 M^*^^' -^Iz -^^""^ patience, Parson, they are only 
 children {t/ini Parson jo hi .« their right hanch himself.). 
 
 Paksox {to Anxioux). What is youi name? 
 
 xVnxious. Anxious Hetchel, if you please, sir. 
 
 Parson Well, do you promise to take this man and 
 try to love him all the time? 
 
 Anxiolts. Yes, indeed I will. 
 
 Parson. Do you promise Jo ask him for only a 
 sliilling a month for pin-money unless you want more? 
 
 Anxious. I do. 
 
 Parson. Do you promise to always remember the 
 preacher in charge" with a roll of butter every time 
 you churn unless it is })oor butter? 
 Anxious. I will. 
 
 Parson. Do you promise to give him only one cur- 
 tain lecture a week and that sparingly? 
 Anxious. I do. 
 
 Parson. Do you promise never to vote until you 
 have a chance? . ' 
 
 Anxious. I do. 
 
 Parson {to Jack). What is your name? 
 
 Jack. Jack Olderbum. 
 
 Parson. Will you take this woman in all kinds of 
 weather to love and serve her, and will you reverence 
 and lear her? 
 
 Jack. Yes — fear her. 
 
 Parson. Do you promise to give her all she wishes 
 to eat? 
 
 Jack. Yes sir, if she don't eat too much. 
 Parson. Do you promise to buy her at least one 
 calico dress after she is your wife? 
 Jack. I guess so. 
 
 Parson. Will you always be at home after supper 
 and spend no evenings out without her willing consent? 
 Jack. Have I got to promise that? 
 Parson. Yes sir. 
 Jack. Well, I'll promise if I must. 
 
14 THE nUSKIN(4-l]i:E. 
 
 Pakson. Eveiybody at this corn husking has wit- 
 nessed this ceremony and 1 now pronounce this couple 
 to be man and woman. 
 
 [Then follows congratulations. Mrs. B, Aunt Com- 
 fort and Martha pass ])ans of dous^hnuts and pumpkin 
 pies; then after this Zeke shouts, "Wlio will dance 
 Money Musk with me — where is the fiddler." Choose 
 partners and dance Money Musk, and at close all come 
 to front, bridal party in center, and all sinir ''Auld 
 Lang Syne" or any old song, for a good night.] 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 A drill at the close is a good finis. A captain who 
 understands the Amazon drill, or any other army 
 drill, and twenty or thirty young ladies in red, white 
 and blue costumes. 
 
 FINALE. 
 
 ^^ 
 
\ 
 
LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 
 
 015 793 136 2 ^