The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-08-22
FRAGMENTS or THE EARLY HISTORY
OF OHIO COUNTY.
BY II. n. TAYLOR.
CHAPTER XIX.


Ifthe bridegroom had been young man
of prudence aud forecast, he had nothing
to do after the iniare was over, and the
company had gone, but shoulder his axe,
pick up a chunk OF fire, and march with
his life partner to their ncw-built cabin.
and there try the realities OF Love IN a
cottage" But where this had not been
done an eligible site had been selected,
when friends and neiChbors collected and
the domicil was reared almost as il 10y
enchantment There was not much OF
enchantment, however. in the mud and
stick chimncys, clay backs and jams,
puncheon floors and tables, clarhoard
doors and wooden latches-always with
the string out!
1t will be hard for Young America 10
realize how people ever lived in those
early times without steamboats,, railroads,
sewing machines, moving machines,
cardIng machines, telegraphs, photos
graphs, pegged shoes and boots, friction
matches, percussion gun locks. cotton
gins and a hundred other recent inven,
tons. In fact, sexagenarian can
scarcely realize to himself the changes in
the mode of living since his boyhood.
But how in the world did people man
age to live in those days? The answer
to this question is simple and plainly
limiting their wants to their means.
The real wants Of life are few and simple
Any one in good health is able to supply
these wants by their own labor. When
this law OF our nature is violated, when
we fail TO earn our bread 10y the sweat OF
our brow, our wants, both real and im-
imaginary begin to grow upon us, and
soon overwhelm us. The lahoring man
only needs good wholesome diet, raiment
TO cult the weather. and comfortable
place to sleep, and he can, and should be
happy. But when he begins TO extend
his wants to gin, mint-slinss, broad
cloths, fast horses and fine turnouts, he
has entered the whirlpool of wants, that
will sooner or later engulph him in ruin.
So the owner of one million is in woe
full want of not only another million, but
everything else that will pampcr his
pride and vanity, and destroy his peace
and happiness.
There is more contemplate dema-
coguery. however, used 10y loafing poll
ticians, than exciting the poor against the
rich. A certain degree of wealth and
competence is the result Of prudent IN
dustry, and a proper and fit reward Tor
honest toll, which goal, by the blessings
of Providence, can he reached by pru,
dent, upright life. But inordinate wealth
is seldom acquired in single life time
by strictly justitiable means. A sudden,
ENORMOUS fortune, acquired by one per-
son, must, as a necessary result, be at
the loss Of others and it is this class
only that deserves public condemnation.
The roor, however, are not always
blameless. Would they limit tn -Ir
wants TO their means, like we in the good
old times not spend their time lounging
about doggeries and cross>road taverns,
not plunge head and years into debt to
deck out their wives and children IN all
the frivolous, and worse than foolish
fnery, of their equally foolish neighbors !;
in fact, more important and dignified
aims in life than fine clothes and costly
apparel, then there would be few, indeed,
OF our poorer classes who would not be
found on the high road to competence.
What a blessing come strong minded
woman might he to her sex, who would
raise crusade against the worse than
degraded slavery Of fashion, which is
squandering the wealth and resources Of
the country, and running the health and
morals OF the rising generation.
1t has been said or sung by the poet:
"This world is all a feetiug show,
For mans illusion given:
There's nothing certain here below
There's nothing sure but Heaven"
The first three lines are being fully ex-
emplfed in the present manners and
customs of our country; but whilst our
children are taught from their earliest
infancy that fine apparel is the great end
and aim of life, we are rendering Heaven
q very uncertain harbor for them.
The believers in human progress would,
no doubt, laugh to scorn a question put
by an old fogY, whether society had ad-
vanccd or refrigerated in the last ifty
years, and point with triumph to the arts
and sciences-the wealth and refinement
Of the present day? But still doubt
might liRger in the old fogy's mind
whether the great bulk of human happi-
ness, WHICH is the true aim Of life, has
been really increased2 zone trip Of my
wife to the store" says he, "used to suf>
fee for her 10 get her dress and all the
trimmings, which she generally managed
to make up in couple Of days, but since
| have bought her a sewing machine, it
takes dozen trips to as many stores to
collect all the gewgaws, and at least two
weeks to sew them on" This is SAM
pie Of progress in the arts. What then
for sciences? Well, our children have
searcelv reached LaEfr before they are