River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-03-14

$500 WHY hONi0
run and play like colts. The cowboy
bounded to the pasture for the COWS,
and the maid repaired to the kitchen to
prepare the long wished supper. The
young man, with bunch Of violets in
the button-hole Of his coat, and fra
grant rose in his hand, might be seen
vending his way across the meadow, or
through the heather, in search of the
fair one, who, with anxious eyes was
watching his approach at the attic win
dow, or with listening ears, was waiting
beneath the aspen bower to surprise him
as he passed.
The women of puritan days were
not mere toys, or playthings; but shey
applied their hands as we'll az hearts to
everv noble enterprise. They were not
afraid of labor, neither in the kitchen
or in the field or in the garden; and
they possessed bodies well developed.
and constitutions sound and unimpaired.
Nor were they the slaves or the inferi-
ora of the men, nor yet Of one another
The good housewife, with her linsey
woolsey apron before her, with one cor.
ner of her snuff catcher carefully tuck
ed under the string, used to take sweet
music. out OF her spinning wheel, while
Nancy and Elsie washed the dishes.
swept the house, made the cheese and
prepared the dinner. When a company
of those good old danes were congre-
gated, like to Sewing Circle of the
present day, save that theg were equip
ped, each with wheel and distafr. instead
OF the needle, and each preparing the
thread for domestic use, instead of
drariag it for charitable or benevolent
purposes, they made all things glad
and gay with the mingled music of
wheels aud tongues; and, without the
use OF the stimulating tea. the music of
tongues completely drowned the noise
Of wheels. And when it was whispered
around the neighborhood that boun-
cling Betsy was about to become the help
mate of farmer John, there was dis.
played an outfit Of towels, table cloths.
sheets and pillow-cases which never
came from Aud L'elaad," but were the
product Of the Fathers own soil, and
were spun and woven by the Mothers
own hand. But fashions alter. and rot
ten now not only supplies the place of
linen but also, of some other kinds
of domestic articles
We have already seen that, among all
the stern. sombre and rigorous aspects
presented by the pages of puritaaic his
tory, there appears an occasional streak
of light which reveals the fact that
there did exist in the hearts of the PHI.
rltans, a natural gayety and cheerful
ness which neither poverty nor adversely
could ever suppress. They had their
seasons of hilarity-their hours of rec
reation aud amusement If they did
not have their Sewing Circles, or their
Donation Parties, they had their riding
companies in summer, and their sleigh
rides in winter. They had their balls
their "apple-pearings, and their "husk-
ings." If they had no wagons to use
in summer, they could spread a blanket
upon the back Of the old horse, and one
two, three or four, even, could be placed
thereon, and find their way to church.
Or, the young men and maidens of
those days, could walk a distance of
four, five, or even six miles, and return
the same same day, without fatigue or
languor. They could, with little labor,
or expense, supply rude carriages for
winter service, type of which may not
untrequently be seen among us at the
present time. Aud here that we mar be
prepared to understand the character
of these oId.tashioned gatherings, APP.
ple.p earings, huskings. etc. we micht