Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1865-06-03

IL ID G.
In l772 Ezra Lardon and Patty Bird
were united in matrimony, in the ancient
town OF Deerfeld, in Massachusetts colo
ny. The occasion was graced by such
sober festivities as the restraints of ,he
public opinion permitted. The Landons
and the Birds were all come of the right
old Puritan stock, and though the govern
ment Of the colony was less bierarchical
than Of old, and concerned itself less with
the domestic affairs and conduct OF the
people, long habits of ,hought, and stern
convictions of duty, Transmitted and care
fully maintained, gave an appearance at
once quaint and somewha. sober, to the
social gatherings of the day Of which we
write.
The prevailing spirit Of these herelita.
ry Puritans had, however, been modified
by the rebel'ious tendency of the times
On the eve Of the war Of the Revolution.
the premonitory signs of that event we're
felt pervadingly through all classes-fel,
even while they we're unconscious of the
cause, aud almost Of the fact.
There was a disposition among the
younger portion of society to break away
from the rigid restraints which the Puri.
tan fathers and their immediate descen.
dants had maintained 10 their households,
and though young people still addressed
their parents and elders with the most pro.
found respect, and perhaps felt for them
Is much reverence as was reasonable,
they no longer submitted to the custom
which required child to stand in the
presence of his parents or superior until
invited to sit, to remain sileut until ad.
dressed, and to offer no opinion uninvited.
Tbae, though by no means forestallng
the turbulence of Young America in this
latter half Of the pinetee;h century, the
young men and omen of that time, we're
moderately and decorousy gay in the pre-.
sence Of their superiors, and when with.
drawn from that restraint, it was said, at
times became boisterously SO, as their
exuberant, youthful splits swelled over
unchecked, and flowed away in noisy
stream Of mirth.
+. On the occasion Of the bridal Of Ezra
Lardon and Patty Bird, there was a gath.
arino Of q II tho ,np,..,,, .,,. 49,. >c ~
two families, together with the most res.
pectabIe portion Of The ueghbors and in
hab'tants Of adjacent towns. Esquire
Bird was rich farmer, and had held
offices of trust in his native town. and
under the colonial government, and as this
was the first marriage in his family, he
and his worthy helpmeet, Mrs Thankful
Bird, had resolved to open their hospita.
bic doors to all their friends aud kinfolks,
that they might partake Of their cheer,
and witness the solemniza,ion Of nupi.als
so suitable and approved.
Those were days when the plan oforte
and the embroidery needle had not super.
seded the distaff and loom, when factories
had not lessened the need of household
handicra,t, aud when rosy, bright.eyed
damsels were not ashamed to know and
to DO all useful things. Aud though Patty
Bird was rich mans daughter. she ap.
reared, on the occasion Of her marriage.
in attire manufactured entirely by her
own hands, with the single exception, a.
tradition AYERS, Of her shoes, which bad
been purchased in Boston. and were of
green leather, with high red heels, adorus