Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-12-07


neighbor gone, and the household ready for
family prayers. The Scriptures are read in
turn--the Old Testament in the morning and
the New at night. Eight O'Clock records the
entire family in bed, except one Of the boys,
who has an inquisitive mind, and has borrowed
book on witchcraft, and he is allowed to sit
up till nine, and read by the light Of a pitch
pine knot stuck into a hole in the chimney
corner. This simple round of nccdful duties
must be daily repeated through the six
months of warm weather, and yet more
simple routine for the remainder of the year.
Now let us see how the mother and daugh-
ters get through that Saturday in the lOg-hut.
Their house-whch had two covered rooms
below, kitchen that went up to the roof,
and two lofts as attic chamber-rcquircd very
little care, and the beds could be made in an
incredibly short time. The first duty of the
morning was cooking the breakfast and, aft
er the water was boiled, it needed but thirty
minutes to complete the process. The daugh-
tiers set the table, whose furniture consisted
of wooden plates, pewter spoons two knives
and forks, the fathers dish of smoked shad
the boys bowls of pea porridge, plate Of
brown bread and n mug Of cider. To wash
up and clear off the whole, after breakfast
needed but fifteen minutes of brisk applica-
pared for the men has gone with them TO the
field, and now the cheese must be made, and
it must be made with care This takes till
eight o'clock and hard work il is,-the
turning of the chccses harder still. Satur-
day is baking-day, and the three females are
busy in preparing for the event. The oven
had its opening on the outside of the house,
behind the chimney, and was double the size
of modern ones. One brings wood to heat
the oven; another gets the Indian meal and
rye; third brings a pail Of water Here
are beans to be picked over, pork to be cut,
and dough to be kneadcd The kitchen is
busy all hands are at work and the baking
for seven days cannot be prepared in less than
three hours. Eleven o'clock has unexpected
ly come, and it demands that dinner should
be thought of, and all other business is sus-
pended to provide for that. At the fixed mo-
ment the elder daughter blows the horn, and
the laborers from the field are anon at their
dinner. No washing up Of dinner things to-
day till after the batch is set in. The oven is
soon clear Of fire, swept and busted, and then
go into the hottest part the large oval Jumps
OF brown bread dough- because they require
the strongest heat. Next comes the huge
stone pot of beans with its top covered by a
thick slice OF pork, and beside it the Indian
HuhhlhB III "a DIbtI. uttI, tdIlltll OONi
The ovens mouth is stopped with a piece of
plank, and the crevices are plastcred up with
clay. Two o'clock witnesses all things in
trim order, and the mother is ready to do a
little weaving, the elder daughter little
mending, and the child steals out for little
play with her pet lamb. 4 female ncighbor
has just come through the woods to invite
her friends to Quilting which is to begin
at one O'Clock next Wednesday. The Joy Of
| such an event makes the bright eyes OF the
daughter laugh at every corner. The whole
heavens to her are now spangled with rain
bows. To refuse such an invitation is un-
heard of. The visitor has left, and the girl
| OF sixteen is plying her mother with questions
| about who will be ut the quilting, not daring
| to ask about one whom she most hopes may
| drop in during the evening SO engrossed
| have become the minds Of the mother and
daughter that they have half forgotten that
supper must be had. They now hasten to
their work, and have all things ready in due
season. As soon as the brothers enter the
house the sisters announce the great quilting
party, and the fond father smiles at the cxu-
berant Joy of that darling creature who is
| just budding into womanhood. Earlier than
usual is all labor and worldly care to cease,
for it is Saturday night. The Sabbath is at
hand, and therefore they would shake of the
dust of earth from their sandals, and prepare
their hearts for that day which God has pre-
pared for them. Everything is ready. The
sun goes down and their Sabbath has begun
| The family soon gather about their domestic
altar, and the pious father reads the sacred
| Scriptures, and then offers his Saturday even
ing prayer. 1t is not long before the weary
inmates of that house begin to think of rest.
The weekly ablutions, required on this even
ing, are gone through by all the younger
members of the circle; after which they all
retire, the father to count up the gains of
the week, the mother to plan for the good Of
her children, the boys to travel in the land Of
nod, and the daughter to guess whom she
will meet at the quilting.
Here let us say a word about the mothers
duties, which were as important and often
times more onerous, than the fathers. Sick
or well, the cooking and washing must be
done, and ''hired help" could not be had.
Moreover, the butter and cheese must be
made, the cloth must be woven, the stockings
must be knit, and the weekly mending must
be done. To clothe and feed the several labor
ers, and then to receive and take care of many
products of the farm, belonged to the mother
and daughter The toll of the females was
us unremitted as the alienation of the morning
and evening, and no day in the year could
bring them vacation.