Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-10
From the Vermont Farmer.1
Vermont Il Century Ago.

The changes in the modes and habits
of life within the last fifty or sixty years
among the people OF this country have
been greater, perhaps, than ever occur
red in any other, during the same period
of time. 1t may be instructive to look
back and see if we cannot discover, in
our departure from the primitive simpli-
city of our fathers. the causes of much
of the existing pccuniary distress. At
any rate, it is worth while to note how
our progenitors coutrived to live, most of
them to an old age, and were never troub-
led for money, and who never knew
much about hard times, unless when the
frost or some other calamity Of the sea-
sons cut short their accustomed harvest
In the first place we will attempt to dis
cribe their living. In the winter their
dinners were usually uniform. The first
course was dish Of broth, generally cal
led porridge, with few beans in it, and
some dry summer savory scattered in {:
the second was Indian pudding with
sauce; the third was dish of boiled
pork and beef, with round turnips, and few
potatoes for SARGE. Potatoes were then Il
scarce article, three bushels being con-
oiuCiOu i"i 80 Siop lCCollcSo IcaI my
my mother say that the first potatoes she
ever saw, was when she went back to
Connecticut on visit to her fathers; he
had raised about bushel that year, and
he was anxious she should bring back to
Vermont enough to raise a crop for their
use, and let the neighbors have some.
When she got ready to start there did not
seem to be any way for her to bring them
only to tie them up and hang them on
the horn Of her saddle, which she did,
and brought safely five as large as COM
mon hens eggs. For supper and break
fast they had dish of toasted brown
bread and milk. Chose who had MILK
and roasted apples, and hasty pudding
for dinner. For change, they some
times had sweetened cider with toasted
bread and cheese; those that kept two
cows always made their own cheese.
Sabbath mornings, they generally had
chocolate, coffee OF bohea tea. Their
chocolate and coffee they sweetened with
molasses, and their tea with brown SUI
gar; with it they had pancakes, dough-
nuts, some sort Of pie, some, or all Of
them. Dinners they had none. For sup
per they had roast spare-rib or stew
pie. In the spring and summer they
generally had milk for supper and break
fast, and for dinner boiled pork and beef
with French turnips, till green's came
and peas aad beans were ready for use.
AS for flour, it was thing unknown.
Every farmer broke up a piece of new
ground and sowed wheat and turnips.
This wheat, by the help of sieve, was
a substitute for flour.
In general, men old or young had n
coat, vest and small clothes and some
kind of fur hat; these were for holiday
use, and would last half an age. Old
men had great coat, and pair Of boots,
the boots generally lasted for life, a
silk handkerchief, for holiday use, that
would last ten years. Shoes and stock
ings were not worn by the young men,
and by but few men in farming business.
As for the women, Gold and young) they
wore flannel gowns in winter. The young
women wore in the summer wrappers
or shepherd-dress, and about their ordi-
nary business did not wear shoes and
stockings. They were contented with a
calamanico gown, one camlet, some had
poplin and some calico. The sleeves
were short, not reaching below the elbow,
but on holidays they wore one, two or
three ruflles on their arms, the deepest of
which were sometimes nine or ten inch
es. Their gloves came up to the elbow,
and were secured by what were called
glove-tightens, made of horsehair. They
wore aprons made of checked linen or
cotton. and for holiday use white cotton
or long lawn, and sometimes cambria.
When they wished to appearin full dress,
they had what was called "strap cap,
which they wore on their head tied UNI
der their chin. They wore thick leather
and broadcloth shoes, with heels an inch
and half high, and toes turned up in a
point. The young women did not call it
a hardship or degradation to walk five
miles to meeting
The principle amqsements of the young
men were wrestling, running and jump
ing Dancing was considered qualti-
cation of the very first Importance. es-
pecially step tunes, such as Old Father
George, Cape Breton, High Betty Mar
tin, The Rolling Hornpipe. etc. At their
balls they sang songs, and had pawn
plays, finding the button, etc. B.
Huntington, VI.