Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-14
A Hundred Years Ago.

l0 lllOt tne giant SCeam was just CThWl-
ing out of his cradle, and being taught to
walk and work by that canny Scotchman,
James Watt; and not until ffty.fve years
later did George Stephenson bring forth the
missionary of nineteenth century progress in
the shape of the Rocket locomotive. In
1776 men made their wills and had prayers
offered in the churches when they started
from London to Edinburgh and it required
from thirty to sixty days to make the voy-
age from New York to Liverpool. Iu l7T6,
13 poor and feeble colonies, containing less
than 100000 souls, were all of what is
now the United States of America. In
1776, the region west Of the Alleghanies was
trackless wilderness, and the region west of
the Mississippi as unknown to civilization as
the heart of Africa. In l776, New York,
Boston and Philadelphia were only flourish
ing towns, st. Louis an insignificant trading
post, and Chicago occupied exclusively by
the fragrant animal whose name it bears.
In l776, rum was being manufactured out
Of molasses, and whiskey out Of corn, but
nobody had yet suggested the possibility of
manufacturing American citizens out Of the
untutSred African. In l776, Ben Franklin
had at last succeeded in convincing the clergy
and laity that 1t was safer to trust to light
ning.rods in thunder storm than to feather
beds or appeals to heaven. In l776, Sat-
urn was supposed to be the outermo lost planet
in the solar system, and Joseph Priestley
had Just made his important discoveries in
regard to the properties Of fixed air. In
1916, DR.. Sam johnson had scarcely finished
thanking Providence for his marvel1Rs
escape from the perils Of IaHd and sea in
what was then thought to be a wonderful
journey to the Hebrides. In 1916, the
English church service embraced pr ayers for
the anniversary Of the "bessed martyr"
Charles l., aud no true Euglishmau believed
that he feared God aud honored the king
unless he semi occasionally cursed the mem.
DRY of Oliver Cromwell. 10 l776, the man
who had ventured to doubt Archbis hop Ush-
er's estimate Of the aga of our plan ct would
have been consigned to social ouLl awry in
this world, and damnation in the ext, and,
had Darwin, Tyndall and Huxley lived and
taught then, they would have been pelted
with ecclesiastical mud even more heavily
than they are now. In 1875, no gentleman
chewed tobacco, and every gentleman took
snuff few gentlemen wore their own hair,
aud nearly all gentlemen wore wigs no gen.
tlemen wore pantaloons and every gentleman
wore breeches and silk stockings; some gen.
tlemen carried canes, AMI all gentlemen car
ried swords no gentleman INDUCED in paper
collars and cuffs, and every gentleman sported
lace frills and ruff u.s. In 1916, every lady
wore tremendous hoop.skirt, but no lady
wore hustle; every lady wore a pyramid
Of original or borrowed locks, but no lady
changed" her hair; every lady danced the
minuet de la cour, but no lady would risk
her reputation aud her clothes in round
dance every lady wore silk slippers, but no
lady was aulacious enough to try striped
stockings every lady would get married fshe
had an eligible Offer but no lady thought it
a disgrace to live and die an old maid rather
than to tie herself to a knave or fool /;
every lady took seat in a public co nvey.
anse when a gentleman offered it, but no lady
ever forgot to thank the gentleman for it,
In l776, children were children, and not lit
tie manikins and womanklns; they were
content to listen when older people talked
and did not shove in their conversational oar
unless invited to do so they were taught to
respect age, and did not "know it alp before
they were half way through their teens
they had their proper share of play, but
were obliged to take regular doses Of solid
work; the boys did not disdain to learn a
trade, and the girls were not ashamed tC
penetrate the mysteries of the kitchen; they
grew up capable Of taking care of themselves
and did not hang on to the paternal coat-tail
until it tore off. They were children wher
it was time to be children, aud men and wo'
men whel chidhoods days had passed.
A hundred years have wrought many and
great changes few for the worse, but the
vast majority for the better; 1876 is a long
ways in advance Of l776 10 those material
and intellectual elements which contribute to
the happiness, culture aud general progress
of the race. We cannot 60 too far, but VI
may 60 too fast. Let us 50 govern our marcel
that every step in it shall be on firm ground
and every step bring US nearer that per.
fectly rounded life which is the consumma
ton Of the nOblest individual and nationa
am btion.