Education: Cowthump

When a minister in Southbury, Conn, married for the third time, his neighbors recalled that "we got a pretty good cowthump out of that." Throughout New England the noisy bridal serenade is a nourishing practice, going by such names as horning, shivaree, skimmelton, skimmington, warming, housewarming, sendoff, rouser, jamboree, waking-up, bellin', tin pan shower, callithumpian, callathumpin'. callathump and cowthump. The serenade includes such noisemakers as tin pans, kettles, washboilers, dinner bells, cowbells horns, gongs, drums, saws, tin cans, shotguns, "horse fiddles" (two rails gratin.tr together), "devil's fiddles" (a plank run...

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