Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-09-03

bf A. NJ D.
An old account book which was used by
merchant in Orange county, bearing the
date 1924, recently came into our possession
and is quite curiosity. It shows that the
farmers of that period lived off the land
they titled. What few things they were
compelled TO buy were paid for in some
product of the soil Prices were high but
wants were few, and clothes were made TO
last long time. Ladies made up their
home-spun flannel suits and their linen for
everyday wear, and had prints, merinos and
silks for best suits, and when once made
they lasted for years with no alteration.
What blessed life to live, with no altering
Of dresses. looping up one season, letting
down another, tying back, and forever busy
TO produce some new effect. Calicces were
from twenty 10 forty cents per yard, cotton
cloth about eighteen, and everything was
sold on credit. When crops came in, wheat
was credited on the merchants book at
dollar aud seventeen centsp bushel, butter
ten cents, cheese from three to six cents per
pound, eggs nine cents per dozen. We also
find credited in pay for goods, poultry,
hides, steers, sheep, wool and cattle. One
item was for use of horse TO Boston, five
dollars; another for use of horse to collect
cattle and TO go to Boston. ten dollars. Rum
seems to be one item in every bill of goods.
West India rum was twenty-five cents per
quart. st. Croix and New England rum aud
cder-brandy are also charged, the latter at
sTe.se 1enes per quar-. we nnd cnargeu'
n'anuy ioI two' .weiVe cents oranuy ior
.'' vne' ~ oenss' hsalh !. ID ounur,es 10,
sundries three times under one date. Seven
l'nn i,"5 noons ms. anu eyes, iou..een Genus lour
,eeues, swo een's Two nuelhegs' lour cents
gin'' :TenSy-nve Genus per paper anu pun
amns;,,a, 80, ,n %, a. .onv', a'o ahons Ine
a'.," uSps ..euis, one Pa.aSoi is Ina'seu az
1 ~ u.".o ~. apu my 1onus' Propaoiy maui
o',r;a sea' "na,eoone i, anu silh. ne sPening Is
sou .,ous' ''" naiiS' ior wlousny mans Iee.us'
- ~. iieu sochs meul'ng' cantco guiu ouV-
oDno; ono; e"e"s =, PaPer auu au i,on Sqau"' are
p9 woias y. 'ue sPei'ihe' we huo
cnai seu, ny AeePing one sheeP one year anu
nuulng 'ne same one dollar ana thirty-eight
oouCo' We are II. uouo1 Whe'her Vhe sneeP
" Aeepihg was Jou"d; we couiu ma no
nen.ion U, iaces OF eugings, coiiars' oraius'
mors.eusi iaules nose, or any Oh the humer-
Jus s'na,i wares supposed 70 oe necessary
NV hfce veiis' COMBS anu pun'cohos,
s,Dses anu riooons were cna'geu' Aoous
ina.nhssNing uule NUMEROUS cnirSes oi
laisins' Spices sugar anu lnoiasSes ihuicated
tne ti'ne oi hhihce-pies auu goou cheer ana
ABOUT the same time credit was gwen LOT
hogs' sheap' cattie ana gram OF all kinus 10
oaiauce the year accounts inese .hings
are interesting as showing tne changes which
nave taken place IN she customs ana wants
Oh the people IN nan century we ask
ourselves II II Is possiple lor ntty years more
70 produce the same ehect' ~ we coulc 30
oack about halfway III many tnihgSt might
be peter Tor health ana morals In regard
TO the general use OF spirits' IL is doubtful IL
tne neimproVement Is as great as supposed 70 De-
rfooaoiy no iamily was entireiy without
spirituous liquors OF some klnd, put not one
IN hundred usedopium chioroiorm' hydrate
OF chloral, or any oil the many stimulating
and supplying drugs SO common now am
not advocating the use Oh hquor, out merely
suggesting that lts use Is only abandoned
ior lar more destructive agents IN many
cases Inc medical profession are alarmed
al the extent oil tneir use ana wei they
may De- iight iacihg had itS Victitns' out
iong' neaVy skirts, ana huge structures oil
ialSe hair, were not worn hity years ago,
Ny grandmother was nihety-1our years old
"hen she died, ana l 40 not oeiieVe she
ever lay awake nignt IN her HE from mere
nervousness She commenced married lie
In this state when IL was nearly al wilder
ness, and she was never troubled about the
latest fashions IN dress or the latest new