VILLAGERS’ REVELS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1929, Page 2

VILLAGERS’ REVELS

CHILDREN’S 3,000 BUTTERFLIES

(By Percy AY. D. Izzard.)

CHEW STOKE, (Somerset), Sept. 14

The feast of Harvest Home was kept in the village of Chew Stoke. Somerset, to-day with the hearty completeness of olden times. It was according to long tradition. The festival survives strongly in this country, particularly in the district from Bridgwater to the Metidips, and Chew Stoke’s harvest show and levels draw the folk from ten miles around.

It. was a long day—perhaps IS hours —for some of the girls and boys. For they were up in the dew in their orclxards_i?lucking apples, in their gardens, digging carrots and beets and cutting choice blooms, along the lanes gathering wild floweis and berries before breakfast. And they were dancing to the strains of the miners’ band from Ciutton at midnight. There were full hours between.

In a meadow verdant from recent rains a huge marquee was erected. It had a triple purpose, and its first use. was to house the exhibits for the harvest show. All through the morning the good things were pouring in. and while this was going forward the men of the merry-go-rounds and flying chairs, the swing boats, and side shows adjusted their paraphernalia.

5,000 BUTTERFLIES. A 1 so the ringers went to the belfry and sent forth a pealing ...Jubilate, winch they repented at intervals until the night. Chew Stoke lias learned bow to grow onions. For 25 years old Mr

John Smart won the first prize. Last year lie was beaten sensationally by a neighbour, and this year by two. tbox being the brothers Lingo (who incidentally won the silver cup for tiie hig.ie.s't number of points gained in tiie cottagers’ ciass - .'.-) and Mr F-'iesl hard, a roadman who has cultivated his garden to a high state ol elnciencv.

The cabbages were remarkably good and clean, and the reason was explained by another exhibit, consisting: of three jars containing respectively 1.353, 1,365, and -175 white butterflies captured for prizes by the village children. 'i hesc are the scourge of 1 hr? cabbage tribe. Tiio boys and girls bad a large part in the show. The walls were hung with their drawings and written copies ot the Lord’s Prayer: the tables held their needlework, bunches of wild blooms and berries, and vegetables of their own raising.

GOOD THINGS TO EAT. Butt r. jam. cakes, eider, eggs, -table fowls, and flowers made a rich display. Mrs Welchman, the schoolmaster’s wife, won the competition for the best dish of cooked potatoes; 31 r Ernest Tveel was first with bis cider and bis wife with her butter, eggs, and poultry; while premier awards also fell to Mr 11. Say for his i"d intermediate mangolds and to Mr E. A. Cillard for six magnificent bunches of garden flowers. By 5 o’clock the exhibits were removed for the marquee’s second purpcse—the harvest tea, a. least liom wish h til.-'re are no abstentions. There bad been a. competition for Unruly decorated i,eu tables, with dciigiifilul results, (be women using cultivated blooms and (lie children those from lhe buid-bdes. Tim harvest tea was a veev merr,- function.

iloxonis OF THE ;C3 rope. It was followed by spofts, and when the sun bad got behind the oaks and grateful shadows lay along the grass the great event of the day and ef this < ounl rvside took place. This was the annua! tug-of-war for a silver ch-'Honge cup. held at present by Bcgill,a village in a fob! of of lb" Meudips famous for its cider and dougblv tiig-of-w.tr team-. Tim Rogi!l imls were here and sturdy teams also from Nempnett, Bishop bln I lon, and V,’inford, while Chew Stoke, the proud possessors of a new rope which cost L'3, entered two teams. And all 1 he lasses of tlie villages

came to cheer the lads at their pulling. 'iVo thousand people lined the green. Winford won after some mighty pulling. Now the marquee, being cleared of ihe relies of the tea, fulfilled its purpose. The hand took vp a position in the middle, and ’ the young folk flocked in for tiie dance. And not only they, but also the fathers and mothers, and the grandsires and granddames, while not a few babies were wheeled into this mstic ballroom in their perambulators and posted round the walls.