1856.] Colonel Billy vs. Uncle John. 345 



practice of having a " shucking," while madam embraces the opportunity 

 to get a "quilt taken down," a dance, a good deal of whisky, much 

 •* frolic and fun ;" and, upon the whole, it becomes a periodical row, fol- 

 lowed by two or three days of headache, sick stomach, indisposition to 

 labor, and, indeed, incapacity. Several days elapse before the crib can 

 be prepared, and the crop housed, for nobody is able or disposed to go to 

 work next morning after the "shucking." The shucks lie in one pile, 

 and the corn in another ; the sick headache still continues, unless an 

 invitation to the " Major's shucking," and dance, and quilting relieves 

 it for a night, but not for the next day. The corn is, however, cribbed, 

 but the shucks lie waiting for the rail-pen to be built ; day after day 

 pass, rain after, rain falls on them, cow after cow and hog after hog 

 passes over them, and at last comes, '* indeed they are so much spoiled, 

 owing to accident, that they are not now worth putting into a pen." 

 " But thank fortune," replies the Colonel to one of his more economical 

 neighbors, who was remonstrating with him on the carelessness of losing 

 such a quantity of fine winter provision for his cattle — " thank fortune 

 we have made a fine chance for fodder." But this last remark was made 

 while the season was yet mild, and the cattle did " pretty well in the 

 woods." The cold, chilling, rainy days and nights of November and 

 December come on, and *' nothing for the milk cows ;" " the children 

 can't do without milk ;" " it won't do to let the cows suffer ;" " they 

 must have some fodder ;" " it was a pity, old man, that these shucks 

 were lost." The pleasures of the little row are long since forgotten, but 

 the loss of the shucks, one of its consequences, begins to be remembered. 

 " The cows must have some fodder, nothing else for them," " and the 

 calves are perishing — it won't do, old man, to let them perish ; they 

 must get a little fodder, too, to save them." The steers were suffering: 

 " the good pair of steers that haul wood and rails, and the crop in, I don't 

 know how we could do without them, they must get a bundle of fodder ;" 

 " it would be inhuman to let them suffer while we have it." All wise 

 and cogent reflections, but only sadly out of time and season. Had 

 they been made just before the shucking and row that followed as a 

 necessai-y consequence, a large pen of shucks might and no doubt would 

 have been now on hand. " Bleak Boreas " don't choose, however, to wait 

 upon our folly or want of consideration : the winter was long and hard. 

 By plowing-time, two stacks were gone, and one broken into. '• Well, I 

 must buy a stack of fodder :" it is put oft' from day to day, other busi- 

 ness pressing with the opening of spring, as is usual. At last " Dobbin" 

 is mounted, to "go and look for fodder," but "it is too high:" loud 

 complaints, vexation, and Dobbin suffers — time is lost running about — 



