Mabel Martin: A Harvest Idyl | ||
II. THE HUSKING
[Description: Part II title page. A barn stands open at night.]
[Description: Small image of crows picking at the ground.]
It was the pleasant harvest-time,
When cellar-bins are closely stowed,
And garrets bend beneath their load,
When cellar-bins are closely stowed,
And garrets bend beneath their load,
[Description: A farm in the morning. Farmers ready a cart of hay pulled by bulls.]
And the old swallow-haunted barns, -
Brown-gabled, long, and full of seams
Through which the moted sunlight streams,
Brown-gabled, long, and full of seams
Through which the moted sunlight streams,
And winds blow freshly in, to shake
The red plumes of the roosted cocks,
And the loose hay-mow's scented locks, -
The red plumes of the roosted cocks,
And the loose hay-mow's scented locks, -
Are filled with summer's ripened stores,
Its odorous grass and barley sheaves,
From their low scaffolds to their eaves.
Its odorous grass and barley sheaves,
From their low scaffolds to their eaves.
[Description: The loft of the barn filled with corn or grain.]
On Esek Harden's oaken floor,
With many an autumn threshing worn,
Lay the heaped ears of unhusked corn.
With many an autumn threshing worn,
Lay the heaped ears of unhusked corn.
And thither came young men and maids,
Beneath a moon that, large and low,
Lit that sweet eve of long ago.
Beneath a moon that, large and low,
Lit that sweet eve of long ago.
[Description: Men and women gather on a fenced path.]
They took their places ; some by chance,
And others by a merry voice
Or sweet smile guided to their choice.
And others by a merry voice
Or sweet smile guided to their choice.
How pleasantly the rising moon
Between the shadow of the mows,
Looked on them through the great elm-boughs !
Between the shadow of the mows,
Looked on them through the great elm-boughs !
[Description: Sunset through trees.]
On sturdy boyhood, sun-embrowned,
On girlhood with its solid curves
Of healthful strength and painless nerves!
On girlhood with its solid curves
Of healthful strength and painless nerves!
And jests went round, and laughs that made
The house-dog answer with his howl,
And kept astir the barn-yard fowl;
The house-dog answer with his howl,
And kept astir the barn-yard fowl;
[Description: Men and women sit in a tavern. A musician plays a harp.]
And quaint old songs their fathers sung
In Derby dales and Yorkshire moors,
Ere Norman William trod their shores ;
In Derby dales and Yorkshire moors,
Ere Norman William trod their shores ;
And tales, whose merry license shook
The fat sides of the Saxon thane,
Forgetful of the hovering Dane, -
The fat sides of the Saxon thane,
Forgetful of the hovering Dane, -
Rude plays to Celt and Cimbri known,
The charms and riddles that beguiled
On Oxus' banks the young world's child, -
The charms and riddles that beguiled
On Oxus' banks the young world's child, -
That primal picture-speech wherein
Have youth and maid the story told,
So new in each, so dateless old,
Have youth and maid the story told,
So new in each, so dateless old,
Recalling pastoral Ruth in her
Who waited, blushing and demure,
The red-ear's kiss of forfeiture.
Who waited, blushing and demure,
The red-ear's kiss of forfeiture.
[Description: A decorative corn motif.]
[Description: Part III title page. A dark plain.]
Mabel Martin: A Harvest Idyl | ||