Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1833-05-23

milk TO wash down the green's. But this
is nothing to be compared to the exquis-
ite reakiast which was in common vogue
among the people of Salem some sixty or
eighty years since. The sour household
brewed beer, was put on in the great
brass kettle, and simmered over the fire
with the crusts of the brown bread crum-
med in; and occasionally dulci6ed with
n little molasses. This was served up
hot to the family, under the name Of
Uhisile-Jeiiey rengeanee. Surely tho
modern mode Of taking tea, in French
porcelain gilt cups, with patent loaf SUI
gar, and cream, stirred with a silver
spoon, is more delicate, refined and ele-
giant.
But amongst ali the changes TO which
we have ultimately arrived through the
mutations of sixty years, the difference
between the mode of dress among the
apprentices of that remote period, and
the present mode among the same class,
seems TO be well worthy Of notice. A
modern apprentice must have his suit Of
fine broadclotb, manufactured in the best
looms of Europe, his hat of the finest .
wool, and Of the latest fashion, his over
coat of the best and most approved stuff,
with capes enough for another, or at least
to clothe whole family Of children; his
boots of the best cut and style, polished
with Day and Martin; bis stock Of the
most approved patent stifoncd stuf, with
the exact tie in front, and his unmenti0n-
ables brought up tight about him, with
the patent double roller gum-elastic sUs-
penders; and nothing less than lep;ne
gold watch, with safety chain, hung round
his neck, will give him the finishing
touch, and qualify his person Cor the ad-
miration Of the gazing bellies, equally
well dressed and ornamented TO match
him. Now what contrast does this at
ford to the dress Of the apprentice Of six
ty years since.
I Only figure 20 yourselves, readers,
q young man Of l8 years of age, Of good
!, proportions, handsome face, and bloom
ing with beauty, dressed in pair of deer
skin breeches coming almost down TO his
! knees, which, before they could be al
lowed to come into the presence of the
ladies, at meeting, on the Sabbath, were
S""''J oioShCo uP oh ttc peCcuHbS
Saturday night, at the dye-ketile of Dea-
con Holman, in order to give them a
clean and fresh appearance for the Sun
day. Imagine his legs covered up to
the knees with pair of blue woollen
yarn stockings, his feet encased with a
thick and substantial pair Of shoes, well
creased, and ornamented with pair Of
small brass buckles, present from his
master for his good behaviour. Imagine
that he wore speckled shirt all the
week, and white one on Sunday, which
was always carefully taken of as soon as
he returned from meeting, folded up, and
laid by for the next Sabbath. Imagine,
that the leather breeches, after several
years wear, got greasy as they grew
old, and were only flexible SO long as
they were on and kept warm by the su-
perflux of youthful heat.
II Imagine, that in the morning Of cold
day ID January, when the snow which
! had blown into the bed chamber through
the broken pane, or through the crevices
of an old garret, had filled the breeches
with snow, and stihended them up almost
into horn-imagine, we say, this young
apprentice shaking out the snow, and pull
ling them on. 1t makes US shudder to
think of it, and to commisserate the poor
hnpless wight, who had to warm them
into fexibility by some Of that supera-
bundant heat which had been acquired
by lying warm in straw bed, covered
up by a good substantial woollen rug,
before he could move his legs down stairs
to kindlc fire for his master. What
contrast between the dress Of an appren-
tice now, and fellow sufferer sixty years
since!
This same apprentice always ate his
dinner standing at a meal-chest, till he
was l8 years of age, for his master would
never allow him to sit down at the same
table with himself He never knew the
use Of knife and fork ill after he was
free. BY this time, he had got one hum
| dred dollars beforehand, which he would
never have been able to accumulate, had
il not been for the durability Of the leath-
er breeches. lie then married, had
large and respectable family Of children,
is still living, having youthful bloom
ing face, and aourishss as briskly as ev-
er, almost the only object which seems
not to have undergone the slightest
change, in this changeable world.