*l 

 



254 PHASES OF FARM LIFE. 



straightened and settled into their bows ; the big 

 chains that wrapped the runners tightened, a dozen or 

 more " gads " were flourished, a dozen or more lusty 

 throats urged their teams at the top of their voices, 

 when there was a creak or a groan as the building 

 stirred. Then the drivers redoubled their efforts ; 

 there was a perfect Babel of discordant sounds ; the 

 oxen bent to the work, their eyes bulged, their nostrils 

 distended ; the lookers-on cheered, and away went the 

 old house or barn as nimbly as a boy on a hand-sled. 

 Not always, however ; sometimes the chains would 

 break, or one runner strike a rock, or bury itself in 

 the earth. There were generally enough mishaps or 

 delays to make it interesting. 



In the section of the State of which I write, flax 

 used to be grown, and cloth for shirts and trowsers, 



ui*W and towels and sheets, etc., woven from it. It was 



no laughing matter for the farm-boy to break in his 

 shirt or trowsers, those days. The hair shirts in 

 which the old monks used to mortify the flesh could 

 not have been much before them in this mortifying 

 particular. But after the bits of shives and sticks 



-^C^ 1 ^' were subdued and the knots humbled by use and the 

 wash-board, they were good garments. If you lost 

 your hold in a tree and your shirt caught on a knot 

 or limb, it would save you. 



But when has any one seen a crackle, or a swing- 

 ling-knife, or a hetchel, or a distaff, and where can 

 one get some tow for strings or for gun-wadding, or 

 some swingling-tow for a bonfire ? The quill-wheel, 



