barn, pounding doggedly upon the endless sheaves of oats and rye.

When the farmers made "bees," as they did a generation or two ago
much more than they do now, a picturesque element was added. There
was the stone bee, the husking bee, the "raising," the "moving,"
etc. When the carpenters had got the timbers of the house or the
barn ready, and the foundation was prepared, then the neighbors for
miles about were invited to come to the "raisin'." The afternoon was
the time chosen. The forenoon was occupied by the carpenter and the
farm hands in putting the sills and "sleepers" in place ("sleepers,"
what a good name for those rude hewn timbers that lie under the
floor in the darkness and silence!). When the hands arrived, the
great beams and posts and joists and braces were carried to their
place on the platform, and the first "bent," as it was called, was
put together and pinned by oak pins that the boys brought. Then pike
poles were distributed, the men, fifteen or twenty of them, arranged
in a line abreast of the bent; the boss carpenter steadied and
guided the corner post and gave the word of command,--"Take holt,
boys!" "Now, set her up!" "Up with her!" "Up she goes!" When it gets
shoulder high, it becomes heavy, and there is a pause. The pikes are
brought into requisition; every man gets a good hold and braces
himself, and waits for the words. "All together now!" shouts the
captain; "Heave her up!" "He-o-he!" (heave-all,--heave), "he-o-he,"
at the top of his voice, every man doing his best. Slowly the great
timbers go up; louder grows the word of command, till the bent is
up. Then it is plumbed and stay-lathed, and another is put together
and raised in the same way, till they are all up. Then comes the
putting on the great plates,--timbers that run lengthwise of the
building and match the sills below. Then, if there is time, the
putting up of the rafters.