Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-01-11
Manias.
For the Grant County HERALD.

An EDglIshman once replied TO the
question, "What think you of Amer
lea p at is land of plenty, bnt its
Inhabitants seem a prey 10 what
would be called in our country,
manias."
Custom, indeed, proves the Briton
correct in his criticism, as from time
to time the nation or part of it is
seized with kind of mania, harmless
in itself but attended with al enorm-
GUS outlay of time and money. Two
years since, through the length and
breadth of our land, there was a
mania for spelling schools, and where
ever one might chance to be ne
could find an opportunity to display
his familiarity with Worcester or
Webster, and if one desired to make
present to friend it would be q
pocket dictionary. This year the
grand Centennial has furnished an
opportunity for those in whom ragged
the fever of sightseeing, to slake
their thirst from that unfailing foun-
tain, alike free to all who could pro-
cure the requisite coin. More recent
ly, weddings seem the rage and at
tended herewith, especially ID
Bloomington. the mania for numer"
GUS and expensive presents to the
bride. No sooner does family re-
ceive the delicately perfumed note OF
invitation than Mr.. --betakes him.
self to his pocket book to count his
oloose change" and madame wlstful-
" scans the balance in her treasury
of 'pin money" to ascertain how
large display she can make with her
contemporaries of wedding presents.
Some, ambitious of notorlety, Will
club together and accompanying the
SLIDER will be the compliments OF
Messrs. A, B. or c.
Well may the venerable Yankee
lady exclaim, "Times arn't as they
used to be, "as laying aside her spect-
acles, she drew sigh, after reading
the long list of wedding presents &C.
companying the notice of the MARI"
age of one of the sons and daughters
of Grant County. "When | was mar
ried had pillows not pillow shams.
Ny silver spoons and they were
silver - | carried in my pocket as |
rode in the cart ian OK cart too, That
also carried my feather bed ana
wheel my wedding presents from my
dear old mother, to my new nome,
forty miles away. My hOmespun lin'
en-, that needed no napkin rings, was
safely packed in my chest of drawers
The clear cold water was as fresh
from the earthen mug or the quart
cup, as from the "silver goblet" OF
modern days, and the golden outter
needed no silver butter dish 70
make it sweet" "Wby, Sallie, wnat
would we have done with silver pie
knife ?" Hung it up for curiosity
under the lookin' glass. Did you
ever see the like of this settin' up
houskeepin' with hat-racks, card-re-
ceivers, and china vases ?"
Bless their young hearts Here's
four pair of vases to one couple.
Married life isn't all flowers for full
many a rose secrets q thorn. Why,
SaIlie, in my day we invited our
aunts and cousins to the wedding be-
cause they were so, but nowadays
seems it's the folks most likely to
bring the silver ware gets the invita-
tions. And Just think of the wooden
and tin weddings Why you would
have thought the Kimbal's were
agoing to open tin shop the night
they had their anniversary Tins of
all sizes and descriptions. Some so
curious they must have been made
to order; L never saw the like of
them. Then comes the glass we'd
din's. All, me divorces are SO COM
mon nova. days not many get beyond
glass. Yes, I did read of two china
weddin's this very year here in Grant
County, but ] believe | never did get
through the list of china presents,
words 40 many and names so hard to
pronounce. Some how it seems more
proper if folks manage to live to-
oether twenty-five years to celebrate
their weddin' as we do Washington's
birthday, as something that can
come only once in a lifetime. But
folks are human, and if they don't
take into their houses the two little
bears the Bear and Forbear--there
won't be many to celebrate their sill
YER weddin's, even if they were mar
ried twenty-five years ago.
Just at this pause In the converse
ton the door bell rang and the car
rier brought the last HERALD, and
left the venerable madame to COM
ment to the next lady upon that last
wedding on the "bright crisp Decem-
Der day. whose list of bridal pres
ents occupied no small space in the
we'll conducted paper - the GRANT
COUNTY HERALD.