The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-10-27

tied at the street corners. Business
notices were to be seen posted up;
notices of entertainments, ETC., and ad.
vcrtisements of things which had been
lost On some of the walls notices
were written equivalent to our "Post
no bills"
One would have seen very few hor-
scs and wagons in those times, as most
of the carrying was done by slaves.
Still he would have seen horses and
many things about the harness that
were familiar. lie would have heard
the tinkle of bells that were used to
warn team that might be at one end
of a street to wait until the other had
passed through, as the road was not
wide enough for two to 60 abreast.
There were men on horseback who had
saddles very much like ours, with
stirrups and spurs, and who managed
! their horses bv. means of hridlo II
| IS not stalled whether there were clip
ped horses in those days, but Horace
speaks of clipped mule.
The first day of July was like the
first of May in some of our large
cities--i c., it was moving day, and
those who had to change their abodes,
did it OH that day. There were troops
of ragged, saucy boys, who played the
same tricks on passers by as the street
urchins do now. The business streets
were arranged as in our large cities
with certain street for a particular
kind of business. In his "Orations
against Catalina" Cicero speaks of the
street of the scythe makers. The en-
ployments were much the same as
now. There were barber shops in
which the BARRIERS used the same i'm
plcments and hair oil, and pawn shops
conducted Oh the same principle as
now. In tho sfrants fh~-~ 1900 80 49,
of the business carried on within, some
of them emblematical, as we sec the
watch for the sign of jewelers. store.
The population of Rome aud its en-
virons was then at least 100000, and
$4,000, 900 bushels of corn were impor
ted annually to supply the city and
provinces.
On the wharves were to be seen im.
mense store houses like those of New
York and Boston, only much larger.
In those days, they had the same art
OF dobasing money and also OF counter
leiting and system of speculations
was carried on. There was a great |
deal Of smuggling done, for the taxes
were very heavy But The taxation
fell most heavily on the provinces, for |
the city itself was not especially fond |
of paying taxes.
There were the same social distinH-
tions then as now, only carried to a
oyeater extent While the, Door were
rich would spend thousands of dollars |
on a single meal.
In the various employmcnts, much |
the same implements were used; if in |
farming, the sickle and pruning hook,
and the carpenter had the chisel, plane,
square, and, if building was to be
raised, jack screw. Surgeons had
tull sets of instruments, many of them
As fine as in our time. The farmer al
so used a plow with a metallic point,
which was drawn by oxen fastened by |
q chain and yoke.
Now to look at the home life. If
one went TO house he would swing a |
knockcr made of bras- or broH4e, on /" |
some cases would ring veriiable |
modern door bell. II his presence was
not desired, the servant, who came to
the door would give the Latin equiva-
lent for "Not at home" The door
was fastened on the inside with lock
sired, with bolt and bafg, Pne al anhoSSffi IL;
were made of wood, stone, glass, etc,
and were often laid in mosaic, and Ill
place of carpets were handsome rugs
There was stucco work on the ceiling
and the walls were frescoed and cover
cd with paintings, framed pictures,
portraits of distinguished persons, fam
lily portraits, medallions, etc On
shelves were collections of antiquities
and bric-a'brac; flowers were used III
profusion and many parts of the archl-
lecture were familiar, as, the pillars i'll
various places of every kind that we
see, except thcgothic, which is mod
ern.
The water used was brought from
springs by means of earthen or leaden
pipes. Stoves were common, and a.
little later than this period furnaces.
Oil lamps were placed on the tables or
hung from the ceiling, and there were
comfortable chairs and tables very
much like ours.
They had many pets, as lap dogs,
singing birds, pigeons, and talking
birds, the parrot, raven and magpie.
Peacocks were also pets, and were con-
sidered a great delicacy for the table.
Outside, the grounds were beauti-
fully arranged with fountains and
winding walks, and in many cases
there was a fish pond near the house
which supplied the table of its owner.
The dress was of linen, woolen or
silk as now, aud high laced shoes and
boots were worn by the men, who also
wore a number of rings, sometime as
many as a dozen, aud brooches, ear
rings aud necklaces were worn. A
young lady about to be married had AN
engagement ring and probably a par
. ! ,;,YIor 4,,.,or f,r n ac in nur timaS