Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-05-29
HOW PEOPLE LIVED A GENERATION
Ago,

Mr.. Goodrich peter Parley) in his "Recollec.
tons of a Lifetime" thus depicts the life of his
youth in New England:
Money was scarce, wages being about so cents
per day, though these were generally paid in
meat, vegetables, and other articles of use-sel.
dom in money. There was a butcher, but he only
went from house to house to slaughter the cattle
and swine of his neighbors ; there was q clothier
but he generally fulled and dressed other people's
cloth F; there was a tanner, but be only dressed
other peoples skins.
Even dyeing blue a portion of the wool, so as TO
make iinsey wooisey Tor shirt gowns, aprons, and
blue mixed stockings-yital necessities in those
days-Was a domestic operation. During the
autumn a dye tub in the chimney cornerothns
placed so as to be cherished by the genial heat
was as familiar 10 all thrifty houses as the Bible
or backlog. 1t was covered with a board and a
cosy seat IN the WIDE mouthed fire place, especial,
ly on a chill evening.
Our bread was Of rye, tingsd 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 our
own woods-sweet scented hickory, Swapping
chestnut, oderiforous oak and reeking, fzzlipg
ash.
Sugar was partially supplied by our maple trees.
These were tapped in March, the sap being col.
lected and boiled down in the woods. This was
wholly a domestic operation, and in which the
children all rejoiced.
Rum was largely consumed, but our distilleries
had scarcely begun. A half a pint of it was
given, as a matter of course, to every day laborer.
more particularly in the summer season. In ali
families, rich and poor, it was offered to male Wis.
ltors as essential to hospitality or even good man,
ners. Women-l beg pardon-ladies, took their
schnapps, then named "HOpkins's Elixir" which
was the most delicious and seductive means of
getting tipsy that had been inventor. CRYING
babies were silenced with hot teddy, then esteem,
ed an infallible remedy for wind en- the stomach
Every man imbibed his morning dram, and this
was esteemed temperance. There ia a story of a
preacher about those days, who thus lectured his
parish IL cay nothing, my beloved brethren,
against taking a little bitters before breakfast
especially if you are used to il. What | contend
against is this drumming, drumming, drumming,
at all hours Of the day. ="
We raised our own fax, rotted it, hacked il.
dressed and spun it. The little wheel, turned by
the foot, had its place, and was as familiar as If
il 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 ~neighbor, 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 6our.
ished in Ridgefeld, except the music of the drum
and lille. The choir was divided into four parts.
ranged on three sides of the meeting house raj.
iery. Twice a year, that is in the spring and
autumn, the tailor cam to the house and fabricat.
ed the semi'annual stock Of clothes for the male