Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-12-06
Queer Things W. Did and Did Not
in I.9t,


whole population of the country.
y horseman who gallopcd on apub-
lie street was fined fonr shllings.
\ day laborer considered himself
well paid with two shillinss day.
Stoves were unknown; all cooking
was done before an open fireplace.
A man who jeered at the preacher
or criticised the preacher was fined.
Two stage coaches bore all the
travel between New York and Boston.
The parquet OF theater was called
the pit, and was filled with the rabble,
The Mississippi valley was not so
well known as the heart of Africa now
IL.
The whipping post and pillory wore
still standing in Boston and New
York.
The tough characters, where such
existed, had no brass knuckles or re-
volvers.
Vaccination had not become popu-
lar, and smallpox was an everyday
disease.
a gentleman bowling to lady
always scraped his foot upon the
ground.
Three-fourths OF all the books in
every library came from beyond the
Atlantic.
The mail OF the whole country did
not equal that of single second-rate
office now.
There were no pianos; the ladies OF
musical talent played on the spinet or
harpsichord.
Twenty days were required for
letter to go from New York to Charles
ton by land.
The number of toasts drank at
banquet equaled the number OF States
in the Union.
Buttons were scarce and expensive
and the trousers were fastened with
pegs and laces.
The only recognized method OF inn
parting information was by the liberal
use OF the rod.
All the population OF a village as
sembled at the inn on "post day" to
hear the news.
Beef and pork, salt fish, potatoes
and hominy were the staple diet all
the year round.
A fever patient was forbidden to
drink water, and smallpox was treated
in dark room.
The only shoes were stout contriv-
ances of strong hide, with wooden
pegs or hobnails.
In most families, no cooking was
done on Sunday; cold Sunday din
ner was the rule.
The yellow fever was more common
in every northern city than it is now
in tropical towns.
Quinine was unknown; when q
man had ague fits he took Peruvian
bark and whiskey.
A new arrival in Jail was set npon
by his fellow-prisoners and robbed oil
everything he had.
Bear skins and buffalo robes were
common bed coverings Quilted com.
forts were luxury.
The United States contained fewer
people than now live in New York
city and its suburbs.
Baking was done in a sort of pot on
long legs. Roasting was effected with
a spit or smoke-jack
The prisons were in a condition oil
indescribable filth, and Jail fever wa.
known in every town.
The women's dresses were pulfet
with hoops and stood out two Of
three feet on each side.
Mails travelled at the rate of thirty
or forty miles day in summer, anc
half that rate in winter.
The Philadelphia practice of nam
ing the streets after forest trees hal
become we'll established.
Tomatoes were grown in lower gar
dens, were called love apples, ant
thought to be poisonous.
There were not any thrashing ma
chimes. Wheat was threshed out or
the barn floors with fails.
Gloves were not worn either fol
style or for comfort. Mittens O
yarn were worn in winter.
The letter and envelope was single
sheet of paper SO folded as to bring 6
blank page on the outside.
Travel up and down the Hudson
was generally suspended in winter
time on account OF the ice.
Postage was paid in money, and the
amount was Endorsed on the outside OF
the letter 10y the postmaster.
The windows were filled with di.