Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-03-10

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Old Time Farmers.

Fifty Years ago and more the farmers
were simply farmers and nothing else
They depended almost wholly on the
products of their farms for their living
They raised nearly all the supplies for
their own tables. and largely for their
clothing. which was manufactured from
the raw material in their own homes.
Wheat was much more generally grown
then than now but not in sufficient guam
titles to furnish bread for the household.
Flour was rarely bought by the barrel.
and barley, rye and Indian corn We're eX-
tensivelv used In those earlier davs flour
bread was. with large numbers of fami-
lies digniied with the name of ..cake, -
and considered a luxury for use on extra
occasions. when company was entertained.
\ story is still told in one of our Rock
ingham County towns. which illustrates
this fact. A high-toned gentleman, known
as the Squire" called at a farm house
one day on some business. and when he
had finished his errand. and had remount-
ed at the door. the good wife, wishing 10
impress the Squire with the dignity and
thrift of her family. said Ia him. Squire.
won't YOU stop and have some flour
bread and butter9" thinking ii now
wv isttt itt Nun W ntl III
vita,ion. To her chagrin. the
doughty squire replied Thank You.
marm. don't care if do" and promptly
dismounted and entered the house. The
poor woman could only explain that to her
surprise she found the flour bread all out.
aud offered him the best she had. some In
dian hammock. When boy, the writer
has often seen in the house of neighbor
Il string of these bannocks. eight or ten in
number, set up on tins in front of the fire
in the broad fireplace. there being room
left then in one corner for him to sit and
look straight up the chimney into the blue
heavens. There was very little market
for farm produce in those DAYS, except in
the larger towns, and long Journeys had
to be made, mostly to such as Were known
rs ''scapors s''-as there were no interior
towns of sufficient population to he centres
of much trade. Every farmer kept a flock
of sheep, and wool constituted a large pro-
portion of the clothing of the family Ii
was carded. spun and woven at home, and
made into garments for both SEXES. The
best clothes for the men and bows were
made of what was called ''lulled cloth. y
This was made at home, of the finest ma
terals, aud taken to the mills known as
"fulling mills where it was put through
a process of thickening, dyeing and finish
ing. The women used to wear Gowns of
cloth which was called pressed woolen ."
This was simply homemade flannel, taken
to the mills above named. and pressed
so as to present a glossy surface.
Every farmer had small patch of flax
This was pulled and spread out in rows
on the ground "rooted." and then .brok
en- and "swingled,n and was thus pre-
pared for the combing. carding and the
little Wheel y as the machine was called
on which the flax was spun. to distinguish
it from the larger machine for spinning
wool. 1t was woven into cloth for table
covers, towelling. sheetng and shirting
The ''tow,' which was the coarse portion
combed out on the "hetchel," was spun
into coarse yarn. of which a cloth was
made for summer suits for the men and
boys. The tow shirt, so commonly worn,
was, when new, an instrument of torture
to the wearer, as it was full of pricklIng
spines left from the woody part of the
stalk.
The tailor of the old DAYS, with his
goose. travelling from house to house to
make up the clothes for the men and boys.
or to cut and fit them for the gossiping
"tailoress" to completes not known to
the present generation. The old-fashion-
ed shoemaker, who used to perambulate
the country round with his kit. taking the
families in turn at their homes. and
working till the whole household was
shod is almost forgotten. That. however,
was a common thing in the olden davs
The writer calls to mind an anecdote of
one of these ancient cordwainers who was
rs noted for his wit and the geniality of his
disposition. as for the excellent quality Of
his work He used to make the shoes for
all the leading families of the town, and
his visits were occasions of much fun and
iollity on the part of the youngsters Of the
households. One of these families had a
black woman in their service as a slave,
and when her turn came the young people
thought they would have some fun at the
shoemaker's expense, when he should
come to measure the "lcng heel" Phillis
was called in and all the boys were there
to see the sport. but the willy old cobbler
was equal to the occasion. He ordered
the poor darkey to thrust her feet into a
tub. She obeyed only after a stern com
mand and a stamp Of his foot, when he
told her she might 90 He then measured
her track on the floor. and cheated the
jolly youngsters ont of their fun - Boston
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