The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-08-08
FRAGMENTS Of the EARLY HISTORY
OF OHIO COUNTY.
CHAPTER XVII.
BY II. d. TAYLOR.

not now recollect when the girls dressed
in doe skin, as described in Ralph Ring
woods tales, yet our recOllections reacl
back to the time when they mostly dressed
in home-spun; and it was no uncommon
thing to see men aud boys clad in buck
skin pants and hunting shirts. with moe
casins to suit; most convenient, excel
lent lasting dress for dry weather, but
little worse than nothing when wet
THIS was the every day apparel. The
most respectable and well-to DO part o
the community, however, were provided
with "store Clothes" brought with theu
from old Virginia, Maryland, &c, which
we're kept sacred for Sundays, weddings
and State occasions; for be il known tC
our present intelligent, refined and pro-
gressiye ladies, that a fine dress was &
dress for life, and frequently passed as
beir-looms from generation to generation
and had not TO be re-cut, re~modeled, re-
lowered, re-buttoned, and corded and
spanCled with lace, ribbons and all the
&c's that now come in Haunting colors
in the ladies monthlies, and which they
read and gloat over with more intense
devotion than they do their Bibles.
But Notwithstanding the women OF
those days were free from the CALLING
claims of fashionable foolery, they per-
haps exclaimed like Joan: Woman $
work is never DONE for many were the
mothers with family of small children,
who arose at break Of day, MIXED the
cows, cooked breakfast, cleared up the
house and table, spun, sewed and knit,
until time to cook dinner, and after din
ner, without taking fashionable sleep,
washed, worked in the garden, or resumed
her wheel or needle, until milking or
supper time again approached, which
duties aud labors being completed, she
sewed on button or mended a rent in
some ones wearing apparel, and then
sung hSE utaE illtlS OhSS aS'SN ~ NV
with the aid of the piano or guitar, but
the iusy, cheering hum of the spinning
Wheel. ''Oh, Heavens!" cries the model
ladies OF the present day, what poor de-
graded slaves were the ladies of those
days. Where were the Sue Anthonys
and STATIONS to raise the battle cry Of
freedom"
Alasl the poor beuighted ladies Of that
day lived in happy ignorance OF the re-
fined philosophy OF the present times.
They were befooled and blinded by that
now exploded folly of love and affection
fer their husbands aud children. With
strong, natural shaped bodies not distort-
ed by pullies and laces and stays, not
poisoned by cosmetic dyes and paints, not
sweltered in bustles and paddings, they
could draw full invigorating drafts OF
pure forest air. They could run, jump,
ride and even fight Indians equal to
and iu fact were the peers OF the now
condemned and tyrant lords Of creation.
But the poor creatures they had no re-
finement or learning, No, they never
spent whole days and nights in reading
foolish extravagant novels, distorting ma
ture and filling their minds with vain
and impractical notions of life. They
did not lay in bed and read the New
York Ledger from week to week, nor
had they learned to greet their worst en-
envy with kiss, and express the utmost
joy at meeting her, and then criticise her
whole dress and action with the utmost
spleen when she had left. No, the minds
of the ladies in "those good old days"
like their bodies, grew up strong and nat
ural aud vigorous, and grasped and held
to the true objects and aims of life-"To
multiply and replenish the EARTH" TO
cultivate and encourage the love, esteem
and prosperity of their husbands and
children. To this end they were content
to labor from morn till night, ready on
a pinch 10 turn out, drop corn, burn
brush, or do any other jobs to help on in
pinch OF work. To do this end they
were willing to wear the same dress and
bonnet from years end to years end.
All !! what happy arrangement Of ma
ture is the oblivious grave, where we
peacefully rect, unawakened by the iron
car and shriIl whistle Of modern progress.
How it would grieve the souls of our
grandmothers TO see the very fortune:
they had labored to accumulate, squan-
dered in the "so called" refinement of the
present day; to see the whole savings o.
their honest labor squandered on bon
net or handkerchief-to see all-all daLc.
ing to the tune OF the "Devil take the
hindmost."
The reader must not infer that oul
grandmothers were all model house-keep'
era 1t is the peculiar trait ofsome intel
lects 10 continually take hold of the
wrong end of everything. and by the tim'
they get things turned right, if they eyel
do, they have lost much time and labor
and let important matters suffer for wan
of attention. 1t requires a philosophi'
mind and strong will to adopt the grea
secret of life. which is, TO hare a place 70
everything. and everything in its place
Without this rule household or farm
is always a confused tumble; things ar
done in hurry, and never well done.
The men of those day s were eompose'
Of the industrious, hard working farmers