"BEES" 207 



To come back to the husking. The ostensible 

 business was to free the corn of its " cobs." You want 

 to know what a cob is. I will save you the trouble 

 of looking at Daniel Webster : here is what he says 

 " Cob, n. Literally, a head ; hence, a rounded mass, as 

 in cobble-stone, cob-coal, &c. ; a thick, strong pony. In 

 America, a spike of maize." There now ! am I not a 

 most obliging author ? I dispute Daniel's definition 

 as to the pony ; but it is with the spike of maize that 

 I have now to deal. The cobs were piled on the ground 

 outside the barns in great heaps, and to each heap a 

 couple of young people were assigned with instructions 

 to " cob away." 



My partner was certainly a very pretty young lady, 

 but somewhat insipid in manner. There were rugs and 

 mats on the ground on which we seated ourselves and 

 commenced operations. Scarcely had we done so when 

 some obliging friend buried us both in an armful of cobs, 

 which knocked us into each other's arms ; and other 

 parties were subjected to the same treatment. There 

 was much uproarious laughter, screaming, struggling, 

 kissing, and what not; and a fine display of frilled 

 stockings. Those that were old hands at a " frolic " 

 of this kind were in no hurry to release themselves, 

 and some remained buried an unconscionably long time. 

 Indeed, some were so quiescent under the heap that 

 I feared an accident had occurred, and was for rendering 

 assistance, until I was politely told to mind my own 

 business, and informed that the rule was for each couple 

 to release themselves. I began to see the spirit of the 

 fun, and perceived that my partner was none too pleased 

 at the promptitude with which I removed the super- 

 incumbent cobs. However, a second load was soon over 

 us, and the surprise with which I had previously noticed 

 the shabby apparel of the guests vanished. The coats of 

 some of us were soon almost in tatters, and the dresses 

 of the ladies in no better plight. 



