The Democratic advocate., 1891-05-02
Life in the Colonial Time.

Life in the Colonial Time.
From Eggeston'S History ofthe United states.'
When people first came to this country,
they had to take up with such as they
could get. In Virginia and New England,
as in New York and Philadelphia, holes
were dug in the ground for dwelling
places by some of the first settlers. In
some places bark wigwams were made like
those of the Indians. Sometimes 4 rude
cabin was built of round logs and without
floor. As time advanced better houses
were built. Some of these were of hewed
logs, some Of planks, split or sawed out by
hand The richer people built good houses
soon after they came. Most of these had
in the middle large room, called ''the
hall
The chimneys were generally very large,
with wide freplaces. Sometimes there
were seats inside the fireplace, and children,
/ sitting ON these seats in the evening,
amused themselves by watching the stars
through the top of the chimney. In the
early houses most of the windows had
paper instead of glass This paper was
oiled, so as to let light come through.
Except in the houses of rich people the
furniture was scant and rough. Benches,
stools and tables were home made Beds
were often filled with mistletoe, the down
from cat tail flags, or the feathers of wild
pigeons. People who were not rich brought
their food to the table in wooden plates
Some used square blocks or wood instead
of plates. Neither rich nor poor, in Eng
land or America, had forks when the first
colonies were settled Meat was cut with
Il knife and eaten from the fingers.
Cooking was done in front of firepaces,
in skillets and on griddlcs that stood upon
legs, so that Goals could be put under them,
and in pots and kettles that hung over on
a swing crane, so that they could be drawn
out or pushed back Sometimes there was
an oven, for baking, built in the side of
the chimney. Meat was roasted on a spit
in front of the fire. The spit was an iron
rod thrust through the piece to be roasted
and turned by crank. A whole pig or
fowl was sometimes hung up before the
fire and turned while it roasted. Often
pieces of meat were broiled by throwing
them on the live Goals.
A mug of home e-brewed beer, with bread
and cheese, or porridge of peas or beans,
boiled with little meat, constituted the
breakfast of the early eolonists Neither
tea nor coffee was known in Eng gland or
this country until long after the first col
onies were settled. When tea came in, it
became a fashionable drink, and was served
to company from pretty little china cups,
set on lacquered tables. Mush, made of
Indian-corn meal, was eaten for supper
In proportion to the population, more
wine and spirits were consumed at that
time than now. The very strong Madeira
was drunk at genteel tables Rum, which
from its destructive effects was known ev-
erywhere by the nick name of "kill-deyil, v
was much used then. At every social
gathering rum was provided. Hard cider
was common drink There was much
shameful drunkenness. Peach-brandy was
used in the Middle and Southern colonies,
and was very ruinous to health and morals.
People Of wealth made great display in
their dress Much lace and many silver
I DuChlt1SS anu DubbDuS hNiC Noih W YIN
ingmen Of all sorts wore leather, deerskin
or coarse canvas breeches. The stockings
worn by men were long, the breeches were
short, and buckled or otherwise fastened at
| the knees.
Cur forefathers Travelled about in canoes
and little sailing boats called shallops.
Most of the canoes would hold about six
! l,,t lar,,a apnnnrh IN, hold
forty men or more. For long time there
were no roads except Indian trails and
bridle-paths, which could only be travelled
on foot or on horseback. Goods were car
ried on pack horses When roads We're
made wagons came into use.
In life so hard and busy as that of the
early settlers, there was little time for edu
cation. The schools were few and general
ly poor. Boys when taught at all, learned
to read, write and ''cast accounts" Girls
were taught even less. Many Of the chill
dren born when the colonies were new
grew up unable to write their names. There
were few books at first, and no newspapers
until after 1900 There was little to oe-
cupy the mind except the Sunday sermon.
In all the colonies people were very fond
of dancing parties Weddings were times
of great excitement and often of much
drinking. In some of the colonies wedding
festivities were continued for several days.
Even funerals were occasions Of feasting,
and sometimes of excessive drinking. In
the Middle and Southern colonies the peo-
pie were fond of horse-racing, cock fighting
and many other rude sports brought from
England New England people made their
militia trainings the occasions for feasting
and amusement, fighting sham battles, and
playing many rough, old-fashioned games.
Coasting on the snow, skating and sleigh
ing were first brought into America from
Holland by the Dutch settlers in New York.
In all the colonies there was great deal
of hunting and fishing. The woods were
full of deer and wild turkeys. Flocks of
pigeons often darkened the sky, and the
rivers were alive with water fowl and fish.
Goose and Turkey.
There was once simple minded Irish