Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-01-31
THE NEW ENGLAND OF TO-DAY.
Customs, Social, Business and Religious
Described.

the Puritan severity of their ancestors and
the effect of q rugged, unyieldiDg climate
is impressed upon mind and character.
Of necessity the New Highlander must
be industrious, and he firmly believes that
q moment lost can never be made up.
Society has no claims that are not re-
spected.
The school system ia very fine; Even
in country villages but few teachers are
employed who have not graduated from
some academy. The town schools are
graded; many private high schools and
academies are established By lnol'
viduals; Normal schools, which ore
virtually training school for teachers the
expenses Of which are borne By the State
are numerous, and q thorough, practical
education can be obtained BY 81 who can
provide their W books.
The farmer on Molday morning, takes
his daughter to to"n with q box of food
and the back Of the wagon filed with stove
wood, and provided With three economical
equipments the student acquires a first.
class educatIoa at the modes. expense OF
books and room rant.
Boys and girls are equally prepared to
become self sustaining. Few children are
dependent upon their parents after they
are sixteen, and q sturdy independence
and self respect is the result.
Boya 20 at once 10 some rade or pro
%:ession, and in accordance with fixed prln'
ciples they stick to it. The boy from
seventeen to twenty two or three is seldom
seen q: any social gathering or place OF
amusement, because he cannot afford 1t;
but when he reaches manhood he has
money to buy an interest in the trade be lie
connected with, make a snug home, take
a wife and settle down. if that term may
be applied after his uneventtUl b~Oyhood.
After denying himself Of all pleasure or
recreation in early life it is not strange
that he becomes premsturely serious, and
a larger business interest and the care OF q
family fills his mind TO the ex-
clusion OF everything else. He is
rarely begUiled into spending
an evening out, and, if such a thing should
occur, he ia as taciturn as an oyster, but
take him lex morning in his store or OF
fee his tongue is eloquent and his manner
courteous.
The women relax bat one degree from
the habits OF their husbands and brothers
They will belong TO q social order known
as the sewing circle, where all The latest
gossip, scandal aud fashions are ciscu Ised.
Those who IRE required 10 Keep the
house do it with neatness and ~irugality
Those who have not such lies 90 out aud
face the battle Of life, shoulder to shoulder
with the sterner sex. This mode of life i:
not o matter OF choice, but Of need, and
the lis OF the average New Highlander is
"Cne demmed horrid grind
Sociability is either O lost art or one
which was never known. They mean no
unkindness, hut heaven help the stranger
who is thrown among them. Ii never
occurs TO them that Re has any social
needs, and O young man, believed By every
one to be a gentleman, might be Intimate
ly associated for years with men along the
business street, without o solitary invita-.
ton to spend an hour with their families.
1t can readily be seen that with this
constant application Of mind to one object
aud that close BY, the business man
a~cqaires what might be called contracted
views, and The nickle at one yard
conceals the dollar at two yards. They
are close, even niggardly in their travels
and bargains, so much 30 that they often
miss the opportunity that never prevents
itself but once in c life time. For in,
stance, capitalists come to 3 little town
wishing to buy up O tract Of land and the
water privilege, intending to establish SO
large a manufacturing industry that the
town would prosper and become g city.
Two men owned the property in question
and placed upon it such a high value that
the purchase wns not made, they thinking
that the capitalists must and would buy.
Bat they-the capitaiist-found further
down on the river, land and water privilege
with terms reasonable, and the cc-opera.
lion OF the people. There they
located, built their factories and to-day
Lewiston is Que OF the largest and best
business towns east Of Boston, while the
town of Livermore is doomed &c oblivion.
Along the line Of the railways there are
many towns which insisted upon such high
damages that the railway companies pre-.
ferred taking O circuit Of O mile or two
and leaving the little towns TO O Rip Van
Wrinkle sleep.
In trade the New Highlander thinks the
wooden structure, with small windows OF a
half O century ago, will answer, and per.
s~lstenily closes his eyes to modern in.
proYemGntS, such rs commodious rOoms,
calcimined ceilings aud plate glass win
dows. Nearly all tho large dry goods and
gents furnishing stores are owned and
managed by Boston and New York men.
All religions scots are represented and
tolerated. Within the last fifty years the
old Puritan backbone has weakened
through the efforts Of the liberal sects, such
as the Univcrsalists and Unitarians. The
churches OF late years sssimilate and pull
together in q common cause.
Nearly every persou goes 10 church; it
is their only socla! dissipation. There is
no society accessible except through the
church. This brings about a peculiar
state OF things. Some attend church 10
worship God. some from society motives,
others for business purposes. The new
doctor or lawyer makes it a point 10 at.
tend the church which is most popular
They have tFeir choice, they can
obtain recognition and patronage in this
way, or go without it aud be starved out.
The business man doea the same thingand
becomes a success. Once solid with the
leading church, reputation is established
but the unwary who place confidence in the
business in egrity of a man because of this
masquerade cloak Of Righteousness, will
come to regret that they had not done
likewise and learned TO be sharp too.
Now, do not misunderstood me, There
is Christianity pure and simple of a truth.
full, liberal character, bat Sunday being the
only day the Yankee can be drawn from
labor, ~church-gning is his only societY
movement, thus saipt and sinner iostle,
and the v~erriest sharper down town
becomes on Sunday morning
enveloped in q halo OF holiness
that mske h0nCst men aud their families
accept bis gracious smile and stand aside
to lie, this PnAlican pasa. Such as thess
are The Sunday school superintendents.
descons Of the church or prominent and
trustworthy members, who we will come
morning learn have become detaulring