Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-06-02
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Vermont a Century ago.

The changes in the modes aud habits Of
life within the last fifty or sixty years among
the people Of this country have been greater,
perhaps, than ever occurred in any other,
during the same period of time. Itmay be
instructive to look back aud see if we cannot
discover, in our departure from the print.
tive simplicity Of our fathers, the causes Of
much Of the existing pecuniary distress. At
any rate, it is worth while 10 note how our
progenitors contrived to live, most Of them
to good old age, and were never troubled
for money, and who never knew much about
hard times, unless when the frost or some
other calamity Of the seasons cut short their
accustomed harvest In the first place we
will attempt to describe their living. In the
winter their dinners were usually uniform.
The first course was dish Of broth, generally
called porridge with a few beans ia it, and
some dry summer savory scattered 10 the
second was Indian pudding with sauce the
third was dish Of boiled pork and beef
with round turnips, and q few potatoes for
SARGE. Potatoes were then n scarce article,
three bushels being considered large crop
| recollect hearing mother say that the FIRST
potatoes she ever saw, was when she went
back to Connecticut on q visit to her fathers
be had raised about bushel that year, and
be was anxious she should bring back to
Vermont enough to raise crsp 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 tic
them up and hang them on the horn of her
saddle, which she did, and brought safely
five as large as common hens eggs. Fol
supper and breakfast they had dish Of
toasted brown bread and milk, (those who
had milk and roasted apples, and hasty
pudding for supper. For change, they some
times had sweetened cider with toasted bread
aud cheese those that kept two cows always
made their own cheese. Sabbath mornings
they generally had chocolate coffee or boheu
tea. Their chocolate aud coffee they sweet
ened with molasses, aud their tea with brown
sugar with it they had pancakes, doughnuts
some sort Of pie, some, or all of them. Din
nsrs they had none. For supper they hac
roast spare-rib or a stew.pe. This was the
common course through the winter. In thu
spring and summer they generally had mill
for supper and breakfast, aud for dinner
boiled pork and beef with French turnips
till greens came aud peas and beans were
ready for use. AS for -four, it was a thinI
unknown. Every farmer broke up piece o
new ground aud sowed wheat aud turnips
This wheat, by the help of sieve, was l
substitute for -four.
In general, men old or young had coat
vest and small clothes and some kind of
fur hat; these werc for holiday use, anC
would last half an age. Old men had 4
great coat, and pair of boots,-the boot
| eSuOiehJ Iaotou AoI hie, u siA uauuASI
chief, for holiday use, that would last tel
years. Shoes and stockings we're not worl
by the young men, and by but few men ii
farming business. AS for the women, (olC
and young) they wore flannel gowns in win
ter. The young women wore in the summer
wrappers or shepherd dress, and about thei
ordinary business did not wear shoes anC
stockings They were contented with a cal
amauco gown, one camlet,-somo had popli
and some calico. The sleeves were short
not reaching below the elbow, but on holi
days they wore one, two or three ruffles OIL
their arms, the deepest of which were some
times nine or ten inches. Their gloves cam,
up TO the elbow, and we're secured by wha
were called glove.tightens, made of horse
hair. They wore aprons made Of checke'
linen or cotton, and for holiday use whit
cotton or long lawn, and sometimes cambria
When they wished to appear in full dress
they had what was called " strap cap" whicl
they wore on their head tied under thel
chin. They wore thick leather and broad
cloth shoes, with heels an inch and hal
high, and toes turned up in point. Tn
young women did not call it 4 hardship o
degradation to walk Ave miles 10 meeting
The principal Amusemcnts Of the youn,
men were wrestling, running and Jumping
Dancing was considered a qualification o
the very first Importance, especially steI
tunes, such rs Old Father George, Cap
Breton, High Betty Martin, The Rollin
Hornpipe, etc. At their balls they san
songs, aud had pawn plays, finding the but
ton, etc. B.
HuHtiHgtoH. ".