The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-01-22
The two great festivals were Thanksgiving

The two great festivals were Thanksgiving
and sstraining day''--the latter deriving from
the still lingering spirit Of the revolutionary
war, decidedly martial character. Marching
of troops and disrharging of gunpowder in
variably closed the exercises, and were glo-
rious and inspiring mementoes ofheroic achiev-
ments upon many bloody field. The music
of the drum and fife resounded on every side.
A match between two rival drummers always
drew an admiring crowd, and was in fact one
Of the chief excitements of the great day.
Tavern haunting-especially in the winter,
when there was little 20 do--for manufactures
had not then sprung up to give profitable occu-
patton, during this inclement season-was
common, even with respectable farmers. Mar
riages were celebrated in the evening, at the
house Of the bride, with general gathering of
the neighborhood, and usually wound off by
dancing. Everybody went, as to public ex-
hibitioa, without invitation. Funerals gener-
ally drew large professions, which proceeded
to the grave. Here the minister always made
an address suited to the occasion. If there
was anything remarkable IN the history of the
deceased, It vas turned to religious account in
the next Sundays sermon. Singing meetings,
to practice church music, were great re-
source for the Young, in winter. Dances at
private houses were common, and drew no r.-
proaches from the sober people present. Balls
at the taverns were frequented by the young;
the children Of deacons attended, though the
parents did not. The winter. brought sleigh
SPORTS In general. the intercouI Sc of all class
es was kindly considerate-no one arrogating
superiority, and yet no one refusing to ac-
knowledge it, where it existed. You would
hardly have noticed that there vas a higher
and lower class. Such there were certainly,
for there must always and everywhere be the
strong and the weak, the wise and the foolish
those of the superior and those of the infe-
rior intellect. taste, manners, appearance and
character. But in our society, these existed
without being felt as privilege to one which
must give offence to another. The feuds be-
tween Up and Down, which have since dis
.urbed the whole fabric Of society, had not
then begun.
1t may serve, in some degree, to throw light
upon the manners and customs of this period,
if give you sketch of my two grandmoth-
ers. Both were widows and well stricken in
years, when they came to visit us in Ridge
field, about the year 1903 or 4. My grand
mother Ely was Of the old regime--a lady of
the old school, and sustaining the character in
her upright carriage, her long, tapering waist
and high heeled shoes. The costumes Of Louis
XV's time had prevailed in New York and
Boston, and even at this period they still lin
gered there, in isolated cases, though The Rev.
olution had generally exercised a transforming
influence upon the society Of both men and
women. 1t is curious enough that at this mo-
ment--lS56--the female attire of century
ago is revived; and in every black-eyed, state-
ly old lady, dressed in black silk, and showing
her steel-grav hair beneath her cap, lean now
see resembIances of this, my maternal grand
mother.
My other grandmother was in all things the
opposite; short, fat, blue eyed. practical. util-
tartan. She was good example of the coun-
try dame---hearty, homespun, familiar, full of
strong sense and practical energy. Iscarcely
know which of the two / liked best. The
first sang me plaintive songs; told me stories
Of the revolution-her husband, Col. Ely, hav-
ing bad large and painful share of its vicis-
STUDIES; she described General Washington,
whom she had seen; and the French officers,
Lafayette, Rochambeau, and others, who had
been inmates Of her house. She told me tales
Of even mere ancient date, and recited poetry,
generally consisting Of ballads, which were
suited to my taste. And all this lore was
commended to me by voice Of inimitable
tenderness, and manner at once lofty and
condescending. My other grandmother was
not less kind, but she promoted my happiness
and prosperity in another way. Instead of
stories, she gave me bread and butter; in place
Of poetry she fed me with apple sauce and
pie. Never was there mere hearty old lady;
she had firm conviction that children must
be fed, and what she believed she practiced.