The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-11-30

from the stem with . sudden jerk, tire,
them into a basket placed foF the pu,
pose. II was often merry time, III
gossip Of the neighborhoOd was talke
over, stories were told, jests went round
and at the proper houf, the assembly I'D
journed 10 The dwelling. honse and wer
treated TO pumpkin pie and cider, whicl
in that season had not been so long from
the press as to have parted with il
sweetness.
Quite ~ cheerful were the "apple-par
ings," which on autumn evenings brough
together the young people OF both sexe
In little circles. The fruit OF the orchard
was pared and Quartered and the cor
extracted, and supply OF apples in thu
state provided for making what was call
ed "apple sauce" kind of preserve o.
which every family laid in large guam
tity every year.
The cider.making season in autumn
was, at the time Of which l am speaking
somewhat correspondent 10 the vintage II
the vino countries OF Europe. Large
tracts Of land in New England were over
Swallowed by rows Of apple. trees, and Ii
tho month Of May a journey through
that region was journey through vii
derness OF bloom. In the month OF Octo
Der the whole population was busy gath
ering apples under the trees, from which
they fell in heavy showers as the bran
ches were shaken by the strong arms Of
the farmers. The creak OF the cider.mill,
turned byea horse moving in a circle,
was heard in every neigh6orhood as one
OF the most common OF rural sounds
The freshly pressed juice Of the apples
was most agreeable to boyish tastes, and
the whole process OF gathering the frui,
and making the cider came in among the
more laborious rural occupations In a
way which diversified them pleasantly,
and which made it seem pastime. The
time that was given TO making cider,
and the number OF barrels made and
stored In the cellars Of the farm.houses,
would now seem incredible. A hundred
barrels to a single farm was no lincoln.
mon proportion, and the quantity Swal.
lowed by the men OF that day led TO the
habits OF in,amperance which at length
alarmed tho more thoughtful part Of the
community, and gave occasion to the for.
nation OF temperance societies and the
introduction OF better habits.
From time to time, the winter even
ings, and occasionally a winter afternoon,
brought the young people Of the parish
together in attendance upon singing
school, Some person who possessed
more than ordinary power Of voice and
skill in modulating It was employed to
teach pSalmOdy, and the boys were natu.
rally attracted TO his school as recrea.
ton. 1t often happened that the teacher
was an enthusiast in his vocation, and
Numbered forth the airs set down In the
music books with fervor that was con.
tagious. In those days set OF tunes
were in fashion, mostly Of New England
origin, which have since been laid aside.
They were in quick time, sharply &C.
cented, the words clearly articulated, and
often running into fugues in which the
bass, the tenor and the treble chased each
other from the middle 10 tho end Of the
l recollect that some Impotence
was manifested when slower and graver
airs OF church music were introduced by
the choir, and wondered why the words
should not be sung in the same time that
they were pronounced in reading.
Tho streams which bickered through
the narrow glens Of the region in which |
lived were much better stocked with
trout in those days than now. for the
had been newly opened to settle
ment. The boys all were anglers. l Icon
fess 10 having felt strong interest In
that sport as l no longer call It. l
haye long since been weaned from the
Of which ! speak; but 1have
no doubt that the instinct which inclines
10 many t. il, and some Of them our grave
iivines, is a remnant Of the original
Wild nature OF man. Another sport" to
which the young men OF the neighbor-
hood sometimes admitted the elder boys,
was the autumnal squirrel.hunt. The
young men formed themselves into two
parties equal in number, and fixed the
lay Tor the shooting. The party which
On that day brought down the greatest
number OF squirrels was declared the
victor, and the contest ended in some sort
Of iestivity In the evening.
Ihaye not mentioned other sports and
games OF the boys Of that day,-that Is to
say, Of 20 or so years since, such rs
wrestling, running, leaping, baseball and
the like, Tor In these there was nothing to
them from the same past.
times at the present day. There were
no public lectures at that time on sub.
jects OF general interest; the profession
Of public lecturer was then unknown,
and eminent men were not solicited, rs
they now are, to appear before audiences
in distant parts OF the country, and
crafty the curiosity Of strangers BY let
ting them hear the sound Of their voices.
But the men OF those days were far more
given TO attendance on public worship
than those who now occupy their place,
and OF course they took their boys with
them. They were not satisfied with the
and afternoon services, but each
held third service Of its
own in the evening. Here some lay
brother made prayer, hymns were sung
by those who were trained at the singing
schools, a sermon was read from the
works Of some orthodox divine, and now
and then q word OF exhortation was ad-
dressed 10 the little assembly by some
one more fluent in speech than the rest.
Every parish had its ti,hing.men, two
In number generally, whose business It |
was to maintain order in the church dur
Ing divine service, and who sat with 4
stern countenance through the sermon,
keeping yigilant eye on the boys In the
distant pews and in the galleries. Some
times, when be detected two OF them
with each other, he went
10 one OF them, took him by the button,
and, leading him away, seated him beside
himself. His power extended to other
ielinquencieS. He was directed by law
10 see that the Sabbath was not profaned |
By people wandering in the fields and |
angling In the brooks. At that time a |
law, no longer in force, directed that any
person ab,enting himself unnecessarily |
from public worship for a certain length |
Of time should pay . fine into the treas.
ury Of the county. remember several
persons Of whom It was said that they
had been compelled to pay this fine, but + |
10 not remember any Of them who went
10 church atterWard. "a -F -.
For the boys Of the present day an I'M.