TO THE HARVESTER'S SONG.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 29 December 1923, Page 10

TO THE HARVESTER'S SONG.

(From an exchange.) To the accompanying sing-song voice of the driver of the sweep the horses canter away across the 'field. Echoes of "Stead-ie up; stead-ie up, Pat-sic! Come a-long, *Gin-ger," come down on the .wind to those working in the vicinity of the stack, where talk and laughter and banter are to be heard. Soon the little hillocks of hay are taken up by the wide part of th© sweep between the two pairs of horses, and away the team goes to the musical jingle of harness and the sing-song accompaniment of the driver who keeps up his plaintive melody incessantly. Kound and round it goes, the load of hay becoming bigger and bigger, till it bulges out at the sides, over the back, and everywhere. Then and not till then are the horses' heads turned for the stack. Panting, they are brought to a standstill, a swingletree is unhitched, and Dobin and Patsey are told to 'Git up, stead-ie new," and made to pull the sweep round on an angle, thus depositing the hay in a mound alongside the stack, whilst Tommy and Ginger ; unattached, move quietly away. It is all done so simply, and the horses seem to understand their job just as well as the men. When all is clear the swingletree is again attached, and with a toss of their pretty heade and a snort of enjoyment, away the horses go to collect another load from the new-mown field. j