The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1874-08-20

WHO WOuluuI DC SdIlSHeu
Preserves and sausages were then
No part of the housewives store.
o, give us some 'possum and coon again,
And some venison ham once more.
We pounded hominy, grated meal,
And baked among the Goals;
The mush and honiny boiled in pots,
And ate from wooden bowls.
No burr-stones then to grind our grain,
No bolts to make the flour.
o, give us back the hominy block,
And the grated mush once more
Our buxom girls and healthy wives
Would card and weave and spin;
But crinoline and bustles then
Were never flaunted in.
Cur music was then the hum of the wheels,
And not the dulcimer;
o give us the shuttles, cards and reels,
And the spinning wheels once more.
In hunting shirts lnscy blue,
We used to WOO lAe fair;
Our feet in moccasins encased,
Whilst theirs were very bare.
Prunella shoes and calfskin boots,
No gents or ladies wore.
o, give us the hunting shirts again,
And the mOccasins once more.
We married then Just when we pleased,
Nor made great ado;
Procured justice or apriest,
Who soon made one of two.
No pies or cakes were known of then,
With sugar coated DER.
o, give us the quiet wedding again,
That we had in the days of yore
Those happy days are past and gone,
And we are all growing old;
Old Time with his car is rolling on,
And our years will soon be told.
Then, when our earthly days are passed,
And we sail from this mundane shore,
May we reach the haven of rest at last,
And wish to come back no more.
The song was sung "with the spirit
and the understanding also," if not
with perfect melody, and its life-like
description of "old times" was keenly
enjoyed by the aged veterans, many
ofwhom, during the singing, crowded
around the General, anxious to hear
every word, and showing by their
looks and exclamations of pleasure,
that they were for a moment forget
full of the present, and inspi1it trans
ported back to the well-remembered
scenes of other days. The singer
himself contributed much to the
effect Of the song by the happy man,
ner in which "suited the action to the
words, and the real pleasure he evi-
IDENTIFY in enjoyed in singing. Tho
about &c years ofage, the General has
preserved much of the frolicsome
spirit of youth, and we hope he will
not consider US to mean theslightest
disrespect in saying, that he might
appropriately be called "a gay old
boy"
After the song, dinner was an,
nounced, and the honored guests
were conducted to the tables in the
rear, where WAS spread outan abund-
feast ntofgood things that did credit
both to the generous hospitality and
the culinary skill of the good wives
and daughters of old Fairfield. Am
pie justice was done to the tempting
after which an hour or so
was pleasantly spent in social CONVEX
sation, into which the "old folk"
with hearty zest, and seemed
for awhile to renew their youth in
recounting the scenes and incidents
of their early days.
At half past one, the Band again
called the people together, and the
exercises at the stand were resumed,
by the introduction of our old friend
and townsman, Gen. J. j. Mcdowell,
who proceeded to make one of his
characteristic and eloquent off-hand
speeches, which held the earnest at
tention of the audience for about
half an hour. The General happily
described the solid domestic virtues
and simple manners of the old pio-
neers, and drew comparison between
them and the social characteristics
of QUIZ own times which it must be
confessed was not to the advantage
of the latter. He referred especially
to the prevalent corruptions among
public men in these latter days-the
"Rings" and "lobbies" in Congress
and our Legislatures as being almost
unknown in the days of the pioneers,
and earnestly urged the necessity of
a return to the virtue and honesty
which characterized them. More
than all things else, he enforced the
of re-establishing the in
dustrious habits of the early settlers,
and cultivating a respect for honest
and honorable labor, instead ofregard-
ing itas dishonorable.
Too many of the young men and
women of our day are brought up in
idleness, and without acquiring any
business or occupation to support
them in life. Too many of our sons
seek to avoid honest toll by becom-
ing lawyers, physicians and preach
ers, and thus over crowding these
professions, when they would be far
better fitted for mechanics or farm
ers. Too many of our young mar
ried people want to 6egi" life as
comfortably as their fathers and
mothers ended it, after years of hard
work and economy. There is a great
need ofreform in these matters, and
of return to the good example Of
our frugal and industrious ances-
tors.
In conclusion the General coun-
seled respect for law, education, mo-