The San Francisco call., 1896-05-08

nomian doctrines, and such was her power TO stir
up controversy that the whole community was set
by the ears resulting in a change of governments
for the colony. She was finally bauished, but she
demonstrated the power OF the human spirit
whether it be clothed in a body male or female.
There were other preachers and reformers VINO
stirred the people greatly. Now and then there
was fraud the forerunner of our too plentiful
crop of forLunetelers and miscellaneous heaters.
Our foremothers were home-stayers. Travel was
practically unknown woman who made tne
journey from Boston 10 New Yor6 was the talS OF
the colony. Life generally simple, with rev
OF the distinctions that now divide us
In Heber's 'Iife of Jeremy Taylor" he remarks
ain the time Of our ancestors the interval between
the domestic and the other members OF the family
by no means SO great or fenced with so harsh
or impenetrable barrier in the present days Of
luxury and excessive refinement. The servants
of the manor house were usually the humble
friends or the master and mistress whose play
mates they had been during childhood and under
whose protection they hoped to grow old" In
Pepys' diary told that house servants
Joined their mistresses in music and card-play ing
In New England there was much the same inti-
macy ana equality. Young men and ONE founo
disgrace in working out. They were treated
kindly and kept the respect OF others and their
am persuaded that we are generally dispose
to think of our foremothers as a body of hard
and many cares. This probably characterized a
majority, but am sure IL we knew all the facts
would find that generalization Is dangerous ana
that there were about many different kinds OF
people per hundred then as now.
One finds in the historical and biographical frag-
ments that are access BILE many accounts OF quite
hilarious merry -makings. The Puritans were no
less demonstratlve than the cavalierish Southern
ers, but am that human nature burst out
now and then, If only in the mild dissipation of a
corn-husking. and that on the sly the singers in
the church choir INDUCED in the gentle fir ations
that still stigmatize them. The fashion of the
time modifies expression, but the feelings of the
heart are permanent forces Not all our Puritan
ancestors were severe of aspect nor stiff in de-
meanor. We catch glimpses of roguish fun among
the girls and rather rough hunor among the Doys.
We may take courage in thinking that some of our
ancestors sat in the stocks.
There is one regard in which our foremothers
yypr yuicQ in Ia gen m
of their descendants. They seem to have kept
very close to their children. There is great peril
| in the neglect that often comes with wealth and
| luxury. The woman who must take care of her
children does SO. Many there are whose love is
strong, who are wise enough 10 care for their chill
| dren personally when they not Obliged But
there are others, and fear many, who are fond OF
| ignorant, coarse-natured nursegiris the intimate
companionshi and care of their children.
In Judging of our foremotherS can hardly
| give too much importance to the changed condi-
lions of life brought about by the inventions now
in daily use The housekeeper OF to-day is a
changed person necessarily. The Puritan mother
must have had full days An interesting hour
might be spent in recouuting her duties. rhnk OF
the daily food as related TO its source OF supply,
| now and then. Recall the brick oven with its
bread and beans and myriads OF pies. The barrels
] of carefully corned beef pork, the patiently
| smoked bacon, the humble sausage, the frkins OF
hard-churned butter, the odorous chez Sc, the few
| vegetables coaxed from the stony heart of the
garden the jams and preserves the dried apples the
fearful onions, the pickles. the sauce the ackberry
| had prepared or her had directed. Think OF
| the horrors OF trying lard, running candles and
| making soapi Consider the monthly wash-day
| and the homemade starch
! Turn then to clothing, trace the blurred and un-
clean wool from the back of sheep TO the back OF
boy; worse yet, the obdurate flax with its rot
tings and rnsings and scrapings, it's heckling and
| spinning and untold bleaching until It became the
ancestral tablecloth, now so priced and priceless
| Think of house without sewing machine, with
! out bathtub, or gas, electricity. coal
oil, with no dumb-waiters speaking-tubes, mol
| furnaces, nor telephones Think of a foremoth
| sleeping Oh bed filled with festhers picked from
| the reluctant breast of home-raised goose, GOV
| cred by a marvellous quilt of her own device and
construction. in a room carpeted by a fabric made
from her own rags by her own hand, rising at th'
| Growing OF a cock she had nursed from egghood, K
| undertake the never-ending duties of her house
| hold, rewarded sometimes with a grumbiing OF al
| unreasonable man, but sometimes, thank God. sus
tanned by the love Of husband of equal virtue anC
| courage.
And these women and these men met their lif,
| uncompla ningly and bore well their They
lived ana loved and attended to their affairs