St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-02-25
EARLY DAYS IN NEW ENGLAND.

" Recollections of Lifetime" thus de-
picts the life Of his youth in New Eng
land:
Money was scarce, wages being
about fifty cents u day, though these
were generally paid in meat, vcgeta-
in money. There was not a factory in
the place. There was butcher, but
he only went from house to house to
slaughter the cattle and swine of his
neighbors there was tanner but he
only dressed other peoples skins
there was a clothier, but he generally
fulled and dressed other peoples cloth.
Even dyeing blue a portion Of the
wool, SO as to make linsey-woolsey
for short gowns, aprons, and bluc-miX-
ed stOckings-vital necessities in
those days-was domestic operation
During the Autumn, dye tub in the
chimney corner-thus placed so as to
be cherished by the genial heat-was
as familiar in all thrifty houses as the
Bible or the backlog. 1t was covered
with board, and cosy seat in the
widc-mouthed Fireplace, especially Of
chill evening. Our bread was of rye,
tinged with Indian meal. Wheat
bread was reserved for the sacrament
and company. All the vegetables
came from our garden and farm. The
fuel was supplied by car own woods
--sweet-scented hickory, swapping
chestnut, odoriferous oak and rccking,
tiZZling ash. Sugar was partially
supplied by our maple trees. These
were tapped in March, the sap being
collected and boiled down in the
woods. This was wholly domestic
operation, and one in which all the
children rcjoiccd Rum was largely
consumed, but our distillerics had
scarcely begun. A half pint of it
was given, as matter of course, to-
every day laboror, more particularly
| in the summer season. In all families,
rich and poor, it was offered to male
visitors as an essential to hospitality,
or even to good manners. Women
| beg pardon--ladies, took their
sclnapps, then named "Hopkins's
Elixir" which was the most delicious
and seductive means Of getting tipsy
that has been invented. Crying ha-
,, bics were silenccd with hot toddy,
then esteemed an infallible remedy
for wind on the stomach. Every man
imbibed his morning dram, and this
was esteemed temperance. There is
story Of a preacher about those
days, who thus lectured his parish /:
Il say nothing, my beloved bretheren,
against taking little bitters before
breakfast and after breakfast, especial
ly if you are used to it, What | con-
tend against is this drumming, dram
ming, dramming, at all hours Of the
day" We raised our own flax, rotted
it, hackled it, dressed it, and spun it.
,, The little wheel turned by the foot,
had its place, and was as familiar as
if it had been one of the family. The
: wool was also spun in the family,
partially by my sisters, and partially
by Molly Gregory, daughter of our
ncighbor the town carpenter re-
|, member her well, as she sung and
: spun, aloft in the attic. In those
days church singing was one of the
fine arts-the only one, indeed, which
fourished in Ridgefield, except the
, music Of the drum and fife The chior
!. was divided into four parts, ranged on
= three sides of the Westinghouse gal
. lery Twice Il year, that is, in the
Spring and Autumn, the tailor came
to the house and fabricated the semi.
= annual stock of clothes for the male
- memberships being called whipping
= the cat. Mantua-makers and milliners
came in their turn, to tit out the te
male members Of the family. There
was a similas process as to boots and
shoes
"At this period Of my earliest recof
/, lection men of all classes were dressed
II in long, broad-tailed coats, with hug,
Is pockets, long wastcoats and breeches
a Hats had low crowns, with broac
1t rims--some so wide as TO be sup
ii ported at the sides with cords. Th
is stockings Of the parson, and a few
e, others, were of silk in summer ant
in worsted in winter; those Of the pee
Is pie were generally Of wool, and c
er blue and gray mixed. Women dress
It ed in wide bonnets, sometimes OF stray
lis and sometimes of silk: the gown
IS, were of silk, muslin, gingham, &c
IS, generally close and short waiSted
he the breast and shoulders being cover
a ed by full muslin kerchief. Girl
at ormamented themselves with iarg'
an white vandyke. Tavern hunting, cs
pecially in the winter, when there wa
til little to do, was common, even witt
ne respectable farmers. Marriages wer
en- celebrated in the evening, at tn
en- house of the bride, with genera
lis gathering of the ncighborhood, and us'
ID ally wound up by dancing. Everyhod
it, went as to public exhibition, wit
he out invitation Funerals general
be drew large professions, which pr
cceded to the grave. Here the mi
ed istcr always made an address suite
not to the occasion. If there was an
wv thing remarkable in the history of I'll
the deceased, it was turned to religion
ra- account in the next Sundays sermoI
of Singing meetings, to practice churc
are music, were a graat resort for u
ms yomp in winter. Balls at the taverl
eap were frequented by the young II
,nc cbildron Of deacons and ministers a
fre. tended though the parents did nc
mo The winter brought sleighing, skatin
Wild and the usual round OF indoor sports
IA.
,;ch The wear 1853 begins and ends {
b is Friday. January, April, July. Oct
off her and December, have five Frida.
dis each. April and December, end
n;lor ,nd Jannary and October