Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-08-13


prosperity.
In regard to property, if man owned an axe,
wedge, hoe, pow, and pony to pull it, and bit
of ground 10 cultivate, or few mechanics tools,
he asked no more and if his wife had spinning
wheel, n pair Of cards. loom, and plenty OF the
raw material Of flaX cotton and wool, she was con-
tent. In those days, keeping her own house was a
small part of u womnns work--t was only need
ful recreation from her steody employment; for she
carded, spun, colored, wove, cut and made clothes
for all the family Ladies OF the first respectable
ity then We'd in honorable competition, to manuiac-
re the finest and most tasty dresses for themselves,
and the most handsome suits for their husbands,
sons, and brothers, in which they all appeared a.
broad with the more exquisite pleasure than people
now do in imported satin and broadcloh, and with
far more credit to themselves, and honor to their
country. For coloring materials they used the
bark of walnut, hickory, maple, and sycamore trees,
together with copperas, indigo sumach, paint stone,
&C.; and in cardng for fancy SUIT Of mixed, they
worked in scraps of coored flannel and silk to va.
riegate the texture. Those were the days OF pure
lrepublicanism true patriotism, and real indepelid-
ence All the money man needed was enough
TO pay his tax and buy his salt and iron. When he
needed marketing, he gathered fruit from his Or
chard, vegetables from his garden, and took Il pig
from the pen, or lamb from the fold; or if he had
neither, he took his gun and brought in wild meat
| from the woods He,Tuiscd his own breadstuh, and
tar with sweep and pcsle, and relshed it far bet
ter for his toll in prcpanngi Coffee was not then
used except luxury on particular occasions,
by iew Of the wealthy. Milk was considered far
preferable. For tea they had sage, spicewood,
salras, and mountain birch, which they regarded
then and which still regard os altogether preiera
be to black tea, young Tyson, or imperial, both for
health and the pleasure of taste. Supplies of sac
charine were easily obtained from the sugar tree
or bee gum, and those who had neither, gathered
wild honey from the hee-tree. When medicine
was needed, they obtained 1t from their gardens,
fields or forests; but they had little use for it. The
children were not then annoyed with shoes and
boots, or hats and bonnets-they went barefooted
and bareheaded. 1t was no uncommon thing 10 see
small boys trapping for birds hunting rabbits in
the snow without shoes hat, and small girls play
ing about the yard IN the same condon-all the
| very picture of health Reared under that system,
young men were able to endure the tolls of from
tier life, or brave the perls of hard campaign in
the service OF their country Young ladies need
ed no paint, the rosy check being supplied by the
flush of perfect health. In those days | never had
heard Of dyspepsia, bronchittis, any of the fash
! ionabe discusses of this generation. Doctors then
were scarce amongst us, and had but little to do
If man was afflicted with pain or caturrh, and he
felt chilly, he drank herb tea, wrapped himself in
a blanket, and slept with his feet before the fire.
If he was sick he abstained from food. If he had
dney, or other sudorfcs, till he started the per-
spirallon. Or if he had severe attack OF settled
fever, after eXhaustng his simple remedies, he laid
himself in a cool place, drank an abundance ofcold
water, his wife or sister famed him with the wing
or tail of turkey and he committed himself to
the keeping of kind Providence, without being
piled with bllsters or dosed with poison. Calomel,
the Sampson of fashionable remedies, was scarcely
known here in those days, and people usually re-
tanned their teeth and jaw bones unlmpared, even
to old age or while they lived.
Many people, such would be thought Solo
mons of this day. assume that their fathers and
mothers were deporably ignorant, but without suf-
fcient proof or satisfactory reason. People pos
sessed, at least as much common sense forty years
ago as their postsry do at present If they had
fewer opportunities for improvement, they made a
better use Of them; t. fewer books, they were bet
ter Ones or better read; that, while our fathers
and mothers knew less of newspapers, novels, and
ANNALS they understood more OF the Bible, useful
history, and practical life One fact is papable and
should not be overlooked or forgotten, that is, the
present generaon, with all its rage Tor education
and improvement, cannot show any more coquen
preachers learned iursts able statesmen, or sue
cessfu generals than those which lived in the days
of our fathers. What improvement there Is, If any
is attributable to the Gospel That the cage o
, improvement" has produced vast changes in th'
manners and usages of society, is admitted; Blu
WnelCr lot Lllc DelleT NOScI
: and one which wonld admit of much argument OF
beth sides. While the modern style OF living afford
: more luxury and elegance than the former style
$ il is attended with more expense and trouble, an
exerts more corrupting influence in society, lead
d to ideness, vanity, crime, and wretchedness. Tn
pleasure of social intercourse is believe, not IN
y creased, but diminished. One example on tai
item must suffice. Call on friend at her ow
v house, and she is locked up. You must first appl
n at the pull of The door-bell, or the knockers the
wait long time for the servant; and if not repuls
O ed at once by the fashionable cant, too much ell
J. gagged" or the fashionable falsehood, Not q
N home" you must next scrd your name and reqne;
= for an interview; and after waiting from quartz
g. to half an hour longer, you may obtain an aud
e ence at last though dearly bought with loss of tim
10 and sacrifice of feeling. Whereas, under the us
ID age of former days, soon as you knocked on III
ii door, you heard the familiar response, "Come in
A. then by pulling the string which hung outside, yo
e raised the wooden latch, stepped into the taml
10 circle, met with welcome reception, received
+ hearty shake OF The warm hand of friendship, an
v being seated, felt perfectly at home as long as yo
n chose to remain. Such were the days of simp
r. hearted, honest friendship when social life was III
e. embarrassed by the affected and heaness etique
of of modern times.