The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-09-25
VOLUME XlII-NUMBER 80


New England history mentions the
names Of few women. Rose Standish,
Dorothy Bradford, Anne Eliot, Anbella
Johnson, Anne Hutchinson, Mary Dyer,
Anne Bndstrcet and Mary Rowlandson,
these and few others have been pre-
served. But We arc not to forget the
thousands besides, who left the security
and comfort Of homes in England TO bravo
the stormy ocean, to land on those bleak,
wild shores, to from, the miscrics and tri.
ais of pioneer lie, and sink into untime-
" graves, as 10 many did. These wero
the martyrs who laid down their lives for
freedom and for us; to them, therefore let
us uncover our heals.
The women Of New England were tru.
" helpsmcct for men; they bore fully
their share Of labors and trials (; they wcrc
the housewives spinnen and weayen,
tsilon, nurses and doctors Of New Eng.
land they were dairy-maids and cooks
as we'll as friends and swcctheartA ''in the
good old colony times" They kept the
gardens were beds Of herbs ripencd '.for
sickness" where roses and hollyhocks OPP
cncd for beauty. They studied the wealth.
cr aud the almanac, and were wise To pre-.
diet that II tho moons horns dipped, We
should have rain. II the moon changed
on Friday, it would rain on Sunday
But the weather went It's way then as now
and the best signs often failed.
In New England women were never
made the slaves or interiors Of men; they
were co-cqual in social life, and held
position superior to that held by them
in England. Society did not then, how.
ever, recognize their political rights, aud
it does not yet, there or elsewhere; their
right to own property is now generally
allowed.
There were few books in New England
once, and women got knowledge by word
Of mouth they do il still. There seems
to have existed a surprising and unnatu.
raj development Of that peculiar and de-
lighttul organ-thc tongue, for We find
included in the earliest and most impor.
tant laws in Rhode Island and other col.
opics, this one: ut is ordered, common
scolds shall be punished by the Duckins
Stoolc.'
We can only infer, that there were
women then who were public nuisance
and arr lost in wonder; historian com.
mends the fact to the notice Of those
"good old times
Young unmarried women, however
beautiful or accomplished, were known
under the singular generic name of'gals,'
and it is yet common title. II seems to
be corruption Of the word girl, and
singular invctcratc one. Fathers were
in the habit Of saying, "my gals"-and
swecthcaris spoke Of blushing msidcns in
the same way as tiny gall II certain.
" fails to impress one in this day As Gle.
giant or necessary.
We know (for tho New England re.
cords tell us how Hannicl Bosworh's
daughter was fined five shillings forwcar-
ing silky that brocades rustlcd then as
finely as they do now, that hoops ampli-
fed the lower parts, and that stays made
strange work with the bodies of women +;
and We also know that some dcacon's wives
were as bad as any other.
The high and godly intent Of the fist
planters foil oil, aud was bitterly lamcnted
by some, and at large in ~old Mems Tears
for their own Dcclensions."
"What is become ofthc primitive zeal,
picty and holy heat :" he asks. "Thcir
daily care Of reading and instrueting their
families from the Scriptures, their strict
keeping Of Sabbaths, their charity and
borels to each other alas alas
Tho voice Of love, too, was heard in
New England, whispering even among
clcrgy-tendcrly and quantity.
Minister Clapp, in his private diary,
speaks Of his wife rs follows:
She exceeded all persons that ever
saw, in most serene. pleasant and excel.
lent temper and disposition, which rcn.
dcred her very agreeable and lovely to
me, and all thatwerc acquainted with her
| lived with her in the house near III
years, and she was my wife almost and
] never once saw her in any unpleasant
temper.
"lndced, took great pleasure in pleas.
ing her in everything which thought
conveniently could and IL she erred In
that nature, il was sometimes in not In.
sisting upon her inclination so much as
wife may modcstly do
When she did, he mourned for her sin.
ccrcly. aud in his dairy is copy ofvcncs
from DR.. Watts, full Of tenderness and
love. A single verse is:
"l was al love, and she was all delight;
Let me run hack 10 SEASONS psst;
All! howery day. when drsa shc chained my
D sight,
But rOses will not always last"
-Eiiiotss History Of N~ England.