The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-09-12
THE CHURCH AND THE TAVERN.
BY LAURIE ron

/ In the wear seventeen hundred and ninety three,
when Louis the Sixteenth was beheaded, and the
| French revolution was in full blast, l was a
thorough going radical. With seventeen more
Of our club, was marched, under guard Of the
Kings officers, and lodged in Edinburgh JAIL
Alter summary hearing, got liberty to banish
myself, and accordingly took passage in the good
ship Providence. and landed at New York in June
l79l. was then in my twenty y-sccond year.
When the ship cast off from the wharf, in Scot
land and swung round with the breeze, my father
stood upon the shore. He waved last adieu,
and exclaimed, ssRemember the Sabbath day.
arrived at New York on Saturday, and, the
next day being Sunday, at O'Clock, 4. ~, three
young men Of our company called at m, lodgings.
g Where are you going to day :" they in
quired.
s.To the church," replied.
"We have been ten weeks at sea; our health
requires exercise. Let US walk out to day, and
go to church next Sabbath they replied.
Said /, "yeu can 60 where you please, but III
go 10 the church; the last words heard from my
father were, Remember the Sabbath day and
had no respect for the Fourth Commandment,
have not yet forgotten his last advice.''
They went to the fields: went 10 the church
they spent forty or fifty cents in the tavern put
ore penny bill in the plate, at the morning,
afternoon and night service-total threepence. o.
They continued going into the country, and in
process oftIme, the landlady's daughter, AID the
landlady's niece would join their company
Then each couple hired a gig, at two dollars
day; wine, cake and ice cream on the road, hity
cents each; dine at Jamaica, one dollar each
They got home at eight O'Clock, P. M, hall
drunk, and having been canghtin thunder show
er, their coats, hats, and mantles were damaged
fifty per cent. They rose the next morning al
nine O'Clock, with sore heads, sore hearts, mud
dy boots, and an angry conscience, besides twelve
dollars lighter than when they started. went e
church, rose at five o'clock; head sound, hear
light, bones refreshed, conscience quiet, ant
commenced lhe labors OF the week in peace ano
plenty. They were all mechanics; some ofther
could earn twelve dollars week. My business
that Of wrought-haii maker, was poor; the cut
nail machines had just got into operation, which
cut down my wages 10 a shaving. With close
application, could only earn fne dollars and
fifty cents per week. Never mind. at The end d
the year my Sabbath-ridpg shir-mates had tint
coats, fine hats, powdered heads, and ruftledshirts
but had one hundred hard dollars piled In the cor
ner of nv chest Having lived fast, they diet
early. Nearly iottywinie's are past, and forty
summers ended, since the last was laid IN hI
grave; while l. having received from my maker {
good constitution. (and common sense TO take
care of it.) I'm as sound in mind, body and spirit
as was on th, day ffty-six .sars ago, when tlrs
set my foot on shore at Goyeineur's wharf, New
YORK.
In seventeen hundred and ninety -four, we nat
no water but from pumps; 10 hacks nor liver.
stables; only three hundred cartmea; the wheel
their cart were made Of heavY timber. Irol
tires were, by law of corporation, prohibited
fearing they wonld injnre the pavemfnts, or a
rouse the sleeping Dutch bnruomaster in fhei
afternoon siesta. The curb-stoDes were all made
of wood. Gas Pat would saw In those days nc
man read an American book Irving, Panlding
and cooper, were notnp that morning. No mar
looked on an American coin; Spanish dollars
halves, quarters and eights, constituted our cir
cn!ating medInm--with New York Corporation
bills, from one penny to twelve. Now, our sill
yer and golden eagles soar above the clouds, ami
we have gold dust blown in onr ewes from every
quarter, while we are smote to the earth BY q
lump of pure yellow, ten inches and three quart
crs in circumference, and American finds are The
safest investment in the world We have foot
enough to feed the world, and gather up sever
baskets Of fragments that are left: and if every
man would mind his own business, and let hii
neighbor's alone, we might be the iarpicst people
in the world.