The young men
had their coats off, and the round white arms of the girls twinkled
distractingly as with swift deft motions they freed the shining yellow
ears from their incasements and tossed them into the baskets. The
noisy rustling of the dry husks, the chatter and laughter of the merry
workers, ever and anon swelling into uproarious mirth as some
protesting maiden redeemed a red ear with a pair of red lips, made
altogether a merry medley that caused the cows and horses munching
their suppers in the neighboring stalls to turn and stare in wonder.
Some of the huskers, looking up, caught sight of Desire and Jonathan
at the door, and by a telegraphic system of whispers and nudges, the
information was presently carried to Israel Goodrich.
"Glad to see ye. Come right in," he shouted in a broad, cheery voice.
"More the merrier's, the sayin is. Glad to see ye. Glad to see ye.
Look's kinder neighborly."
As Desire entered the barn, some of the girls rose and curtsied, the
most merely looking bashful and avoiding her eye, as the rural mode of
greeting continues to be to this day. Perez was the first person whom
Desire had seen on entering the barn. Her eyes had been drawn to him
by a sort of fascination, certainly not a pleasant sort, the result of
her having thought so much about him.
Pages:
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348