The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-07-31
History Of the PlOH.

AhoSVA VI SAS WV
The history OF the pillow is remarkable;
the most ancient and simple of ma
chimes, yet it has been almost the last
to undergo improvement. The first
pillow is supposed to have been the rude
branch of q tree, cut so as to have q
cleft end, the point of which, dragged
along the surface of the ground, scraped
a furrow into which seed were thrown.
It soon occurred to the husbandman
that he might relieve his own labor by
yoking an animal to the long arm OF
this primitive instrument; then arose the
necessity for a handle, affixed to the
back, so that the pillow might be guided.
The strength of the animal soon wore
away or broke the cleft of the branch,
and this necessity gave rise to the inven-
ton Of mean for attaching movable
shares, first of wood, and next of stone,
copper or iron, worked to q shape
adapted to the cutting of throws, 30 as
to avoid the excessive labor arising
from the plowmsn's having to lean upon
the pillow with all his weight to press it
into the earth. Just such an implement
as these, %conjectures indicate, was by
the Saxons. Some of the facts con-
nected with the history of the pillow are
almost incredible. In Ireland there
once prevailed a custom of "plowing by
horses tail" The draught-pole was
dashed to the tail of the horse, and, as
no harness was employed, two men were
necessary, one to guide and press upon
the pillow, the other to direct the horse,
which he did by walking backwards be-
fore the miserable animal, and beating
it on the head on either side, according
to the direction required. This custom
prevailed for a considerable time, in
spite of q law which was passed in the
early part Of the seventeenth century
imposing severe penalties upon persons
found guilty of "plowing by the horses
tail" A paper in the Transactions of
the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland "
speaks of "the awkward custom of yok-
ing horses by the tail, and the driver
of harrowa walking backward, with his
face directly turned to the horse which
he led" The Rev. O. Otwsy, says: SIN
ancient times, all through the West of
Ireland, it was the practice to work both
the pillow and the harrow with horses
drawing from their tails. I am assured
that it is still (184O) a part of the Erris
husbandry." In 1854, during the reign
of Charles l., the Irish Parliament
passed the following: "Act against
Ploughing by the Tsyle, and Pulling
the Wool of Living Sheep" "No per-
son or persons whatsoever shall, after
one, yeare next ensuing the end of the
present Parliament, plough, harrow,
draw, or worke with any horse, gelding,
mare, garren, or colt, by the tale, or
shall cause, procure, or suffer any other
carriages with his horses, mares, geld
ings, garrans, or colts, or any of them
by the tail; and that no person or per.
sons whatsoever shall. after the end of
this present Parliament, pull the wool
off any living sheep, or cause or procure
to be pulled instead of shearing or
clipping of them; and if any shall do
contrarie to this act and the intention
thereof, that the justices Of assize at the
general assizes to be holden before
them, and tho justices of peace at -neir
quarter.sessions, shall have power by
this act to enquire of, heare and deter
mine all and every offence and offences
done contrary to the present act, and to
punish the offenders which shall do con-
trary to the same, by fine and imprison-
ment, as they in their discretion shall
think ft."