The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-10-12
One Hundred and Fifty Years A1o.

/ II correspondent III uesCTlDlDI tUC
mann,rs aud customs of the iuhab-
tauts Of Concord, n. H., ono hun.
dred aud fifty years ago, makes the
following among the other observa.
tons -
"The settlement of Concord was near.
rly one hundred years later than that
Of Douer, Portsmouth. Hampton, and
other sea coast towns, dating, 10 fact
as late rs 1877, and yot old Puritan
customs were brought bither from
Massachusetts,, aud long held sway
over the people. Everything which
had the appearance Of lcvity, even 10
the beginning Of the eighteenth cen-
tury, was discarded by the pilgrims
The driukiug Of health and using OF
tobacco were forbidden, the former
being considered u beathenish and
idolatrous practice, grounded on an
cient libations, the other as u spec les
ot in;oXicatiUn. Laws we're instltul-
cd to regulate social Intercourse be.
tween the sexes aud the advances
toward matrlmony. Pride aud osten-
tation came uudor the cognizance OF
the magistrate. Modes of dress, cut
ol hair, manner Of speech, sly le OF
carriage and bearing, hours OF rising
in the morning aud retiring at nj. ht,
too rapid driving on tho roads, too
loud, prolonged, or ircqrout laughter,
bad conduct on the lords day, aui
II thousand other things not regarded
now AS coming uuder The iurisdicti 90
OF he civil magisiats. were made sub
jccis OF nuuicipal regulations. Wu-
men were forbidden to expose their
shoulders To view. Sleeves OF gowns
were 10 reach to the wrist, and the
neck was to be close. Men were re-
quired TO cut their hair snort, so u
not 10 resemble the other sex. No per-
SOU no; worth two hundred pounds
was allowed to wear gold or silver
lace, silk hoods, or embroidered scarfs
The ordinary food of the early set.
tiers here Tor both breakfast and sups
per was bean porridgo with bread
aud butter. On Sunday morning
there was coffee in addition. Brown
bread, made of rye aud Indian" +"
was tho staff Of life, whito bread be-
ing used only when guests we're pres
ent. Baked pumpkins aud milk COM
posed dish said to have been luxus
rious. For dinner, twice every week.
Sundays and Thursdays. baked beans
aud baked Indian pudding, the latter
beibg served first Saturdays, salt
fish /; one day in every week salt
pork and coraed beef and ono day
also roasted meat, was the rule.
"The aLcient dress OF tho men was
q wooden coat, striped WOODEN frock,
tow or leather brooches tied or buck
led at the knee, and cowhido shoes
with leathern buckskins. Sunday hats
were three -cornered, kept in a wood
en- box. and madc TO last o lifetime.
Tho dress Of the women consisted oil
chemise, petticoats tow gowns, tyers,
thick woolen stockings, and cowhide
shoes. f.3 asrtt a.at
-"One hundred years ago u took two
days to 80 from Concord to Boston /;
it now takes three hours. Then the
price Of supper, lodging, aud break
fast on the road was pistareen aud
q halt (ttirty oents); now II is three
dollars. Than all work was honestly
done Gas witness two pork barrels in
The cellar uncer the house in which I
write, which have been in use since
l73D; DOW honest work, as the term
was thon upderst ood is unkuown.
Then girls were educated to become
thrifty wives and healthy mothers /;
now it ia considered to make good
match. In l772 the average number
Of children In each family in New
Hampshire was ssyen it is now two;
there was at that time one phy ysician
to every four hundred souls I; there is
now one to every seventy-ivo; suits
~ law for all purposes not criminal
hen averaged one annually for every
hundred inhabitants ! they nowsavsr-
age ooe for every twenty-four. Tho
lexpcpscs which q weil-to>do family
Incurred every year for its support
we're At that time fonr hundred doI-
lars they are now nearly thrice that
ann /" VIE f"'i |iN ? tN-' - r. F. III.