Smyrna times., 1876-06-14

hearted Southerners, or the plcasure-loving
New Workers, but figured largely in the
land of the Puritans. We may suppose that
'aqua vitm" did not flow very freely during
the first struggle of the little colonies for
life, for Longfellow tells us that the master
of the MIYtoocc' was
Glad to be gone from land of sand and sickness
| and sorrow,
Short allowance of yictuals ana plenty of nothing
but Gospel"
But IN aiteryears, whatever privations and
hardships were encountered, there was at
least generous allowance of rum, and
distilleries were scattered broadcast. The
| Puritans, with their severe code of morals,
their dreaded whipping-posts, pillorics, and
their propensity for hanging Quallcrs and
witches, thus countcnanced 4 custom which
was to bring untold miseres upon the
descendants. Those who could not afford
to give dinner and card parties yet had
their mahogany sideboards we'll stocked
with "strong water" and the customary
greeting to visitor was, "What will you
take?"
Twice day, at eleven and four, farmers
sent their little sons to carry rum to the
workmen in the field. and it would have
been considered very cruel not to give the
washcr-woman her morning tumbler Of
rum. When frame houses were built, the
whole settlement was expected to assist in
the raising, and no building could be cree
ted without rum. In certain village in
Maine. III 1894, sit was voted to got one
barrel Of good West India rum and one
hundred pounds Of maple-sugar, to be used
at the raising of the mcetin g-hou>e.' 1t
was a common practice. down to a cOmpal-
ativcly recent date, to sell town-paupcrs at
public auction to those who would agree to
support them at the lowest price, and in
some towns Il glass of rum was bestowed
upon each person who would underbid his
predecessor. On ''trainingdays" the whole
population assembled on the village green
and after prayer had been offered by the
parson standing on the church steps tho
a company was marched to the tavern and
dismissed when a general carousing Ell
sued. Men drank till they were hopelessly
intoxicated, boys drained the dreg5 from
4 the emptied pals, and almost too shocking
to recall, "little children sucked the gras!
where the liquor fell" On other days mer
i and boys went to the tavern to thei
"eleven-o clock" and on election day
there were plenty Of "liquor fights. AnC
- at husking bee and other rustic merry
makings the supper tables were laden no
only with pumpkin-pies, doughnuts, anC
Gingerbread but with bottles Of porter anc
wine and jugs of distilled spirits.
Even the clergy shared to some extent il
r the general dissipation. "The practice 0
card playing, late hours, and drinking
IS received too much encouragement from
!. those who took the lead in social circles,
II writes an old New England chroniclel
5, "and it was a great recommendation OF
newly settled minister that he was tre
ID from these immoralities." Doubtless man
k, of these pleasure-lovng persons woul
is have offered che same excuse which wa
:. given by Cooper's New York divine, who
m reproycd for attending cock fights: ether
ID are so few amusements for people Of educi
w ton in this country"
/" And indeed we must bear III mind thG
ut this was before the day of lecture bureau
#. and lvceums, that books were scarce, til
is theatre forbidden, and music, except thI
~ Of the fife and drum almost unknown
ne The Southern planters lived in luxuriot
a idlencss upon their great estates, devote
ha
,c. served by scores Of negroes. The fashion
us ablcs of the cities enjoyed their car
Is. parties and routs, while the country +
VS. sorted to tea parties and quiltings. Tc
l." parties began at three o'clock and ended
ok sunset; great deal of knitting was dor
ne. in the meantime, and deal Of gossippir
tor as well. For in the absence Of all Of
ier ingenious devices for killing time, eve
in such exciting games as battledOor al
,m shuttlecock being confined to the cities,
Ids was natural that the faintest rumor shou
les be made much of. The grave Quaker
in however, gave no countenance to IL
ON fOible. but held themselves aloof fro
at their scandal-loving neighbors. Politi
ed RACED. then and afterward; with a bittt
ter ness now unknown. Unpopular candidat
the were burned in efiigy, members of opp'
in ing parties scarcely recognized each 9th,
the and excited political discussions were t
alf order of the day. 1t would be we'll for
20 IN remember that even in those days pl
ing lie men were critised and distrusted. r
on. daughter Of John Adams, after DIM
1ks with several members of Congress in N
till York in 1888, wrote to her mother:
for YOU had been present you would Ina
was trembled for your country, 10 have SCI
oev heard. and observed the men who are
lies rulers. Very different they were, ! belle
any in times past"
ork Many of the clergy took leading p
bles in politics, and in 1912 the administrat
,aid was fearlessly denounced from pulpits
sion over New England.
ling There was no sympathy between churcI
four of different creeds, and no exchange
1T. sunday was a solemn day, VIII