The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-02
IN OLD NEW ENGLAND
QUAINT FEATURES OF LIFE IN THAT
SECTION A CENTURY AGO.

SECTION ASCENTuRY AGO.
Tho Houses They Lived In and the Raj.
ment They wore-They wero Prosper
Gus and Happy Under Conditions Which
We Would Consider Unbearable.
The early inhabitants of New England
and the middle states were industrious
a4d frugal and simple in their habits.
ihese traits We're as much Unborn as their
bold daring and stubborn independence.
Cut OIL as they were from the mother
country and supplies they soon found tho
necessity Of self dependence. AS necessity
Is the mother Of invention, THOR hands
selzed upon new resources and q supplied
their real wants. AS Holland says: "They
drove the pillow, they traff1oked, buiIdcd,
oeived, they spun and woye. They taught
anu preached, they hastened up and down,
each on his little errand, and their eyes
were full of eager fire, as IL tho earth and
Oil its vast concerns were in their hands"
Do you remember DR.. Beecher's picture
of his life at Aunt Benton'sP "Wo had
wooden trenohers first then pewter and
nnaliy earthenware. Our living was very
goodbye bread, fresh butter, buokwheat
cakes and pie for breakfast. After tho
dishes were washed Annis and helped
aunt milk. Thon they made cheese and
spun till dinner. We dined on salt pork.
vegetables and pies; oorned beof also, and
always on Sundays q boiled Indian pud-
ding. We made o stock Of pies at Thanks
giving froze them. for winters use, and
they lasted till March. After dinner aunt
put things to rights, Annis spun, and I
worked flax and foddoring,' In the evening
we visited, chatted, alto apples, drank cider
and told stories. On Sunday nights tho
boys went accounting"
These habits, with littlo variation, con-
tinued for 100 years. The old men and
young mon oil had Sunday cont, waist
coat and small clothes and fur hat. Tho
old mon only had n greatcoat, which
lasted an average lifetime. Young mon
never Thought Of wearing an overcoat;
they often.wore full wig, but comforta-
bio greatcoats were for old mon. The mon
had ono pair Of we'll trimmed leather boots.
reaching to tho knees. Tho winter suit
was homespun flannel brooches and jackot,
long striped waistcoat buttoned downNbo-
fore, flannel or woolsey shirt, blue yarn
long stockings, such Us DIR. franklin wore
at tho court OF France, and heavy leather
shoes. Shoe buckles Of steel or brass.
rarely of silver, continued in use till 1900.
The eldest boy had, for summon, a home
made suit, which, when outgrown, was
handed down to the next.
Tho women and girls wore on Sunday,
in winter, homespun flannel, fullod and
pressed and shcared Mt tho factory-and
they smiled in these simple suits, guilt
less of tuck or ruffle, frill or bow. a silk
gown was moro priced than N paid up life
insurance policy of today, for tho silk
dress was for lifo, with no danger of fray
ing" A string of gold beads or q neck
lace was tho browning glory and ambition
OF tho young woman's toilet. Not much
less precious woro tho hugo leghorn bon
nets which were made to do duty year aft
er year by having them occasionally block
cd and pressed Tho moro common dress
OF tho women was n loose gown and petit
coat In this graceful and hcalthful COS
tune our grandmothors baked and brewed,
washed and ironcd, carded and spun,
warped and filled, wovo and quilted,
laughed and sung and rocked tho cradle.
They touched the spinning wheel with doft
fingers and from tho shining spindle flew
warp and wool as fno rs gossamer and
firm rs threads Of steel. The pride of these
housekeepers eliminated in their beds and
bedding. Elmo wool blankets, covorlots of
elaborate designs, quilts in mosaic pat
terms, linen sheets, blcached white MS
ohoWt oih ioiOiilutlt, NbTU lot
tho trousscau Of ovory fair to do young
woman. 1.-Two geese feather bots were an
object of great emulation, and moved tho
social barometer much us would now a
solid silver ten service.
There was time, too, for some fancy
work. Every young lady was expected to
embroidor for herself n lace veil and q mus
lin cape, and, above NIL, make q sampler
which contained ut least thrce sots of tho
alphabet, to serve rs patterns in marking
the household linen. Lora Standish's sam
pier Is among tho curiositics of Pilgrim
hall, with this gentle prayer wrought with
her own hands:
Lora Standish is my name
Lord, guide my heart, that may do thy will:
Also I'LL my hands with such convenient skill
AS will conduce TO virtue, void of shame,
And will give tho glory to thy name.
Tho old time dwelling houses were usu-
ally built two stories in front, with two
liberal sized front rooms an immense
Kitchen, with two bedrooms, n buttery or
pantry, and square chamber up stairs.
Whom 1t was possible, all the houses 'front.'
cd tho south and told l2 o'clock with tho
accuracy Of n ohronomotor. Every window
was sundial and often tho only timo-
keeper. For many years most of tho houses
were Innocent of paper or paint, and some
of plastering, though kept light and clean
with frequent embarrassing. Tho open
beams, girders and walls were fcstooned
with herbs and seeds and various home
products for use or ornament. From the
roots, herbs, berries wild flowers and a
little New England rum our grandmothers
could prepare remedies to ouro oil the ills
Of body and soul.
The freplaces occupied nearly one sde
OF the three large rooms, and In the kitch.
on space was loft for ono and sometimes
two brick ovens. Tho fireplace equipments
were ON iron back, ornamuntod with vari-
GUS Designs long crane with graduated
hooks and trammels, hugo andirons, tho