210 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



and take place after them ; but these marriages are too 

 often a necessity to save character. I was myself cog- 

 nisant of a case in which the lady waited on her beau 

 with a six-shooter, and informed him that if he did not 

 at once sign a paper promising to marry her within a 

 specified time, she would shoot him and herself. The 

 marriage took place, but it was not a happy one. My 

 host mentioned a similar incident, and several in which 

 male relations of the ladies had forced, at the revolver's 

 muzzle, erring lovers to repair their errors. 



Among the most common frolics, after the husking- 

 bee, are the apple-paring/and the sewing- and spelling-bees. 

 The two latter are mostly practised in meeting-houses, 

 under the auspices of the parson and his wife; but the 

 apple-paring is as important an event as the corn- 

 husking. In America, as every one knows, the apples 

 intended for storing are skinned, cored, strung upon 

 strings, and hung up to dry. Invitations are issued 

 to the apple-paring-bee, as to the corn-husking; and 

 there is more real work done here than at any other 

 kind of frolic. The apples must be pared; but, as a 

 rule, very few cobs are husked; and at most of the 

 other bees there is more fun and play than work. 



Apart from bees and frolics, there is very little work 

 about an American homestead that the neighbours will 

 not willingly assemble to perform at the shortest notice 

 for the settler who is short-handed or otherwise pressed 

 for labour. Indeed the services are generally offered 

 without waiting for solicitation, as I have already in- 

 stanced in the erection of the log-hut. This is one of 

 the most honourable and beneficent characteristics of the 

 Yankee, and he deserves the greatest praise for it. No 

 selfish consideration will induce him to withhold his 

 hand when the stranger or his neighbour has need 

 of his help. I have even known men willingly help 

 neighbours with whom they were on such bad terms 

 that they scarcely spoke together. But in the hour 



