The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-12-24


 backgammon, played with both men and pegs, was a favorite game; also trock. A trock table was very much like pool table; on it was an ivory ball. which was struck under wire wicket with a cue. Trock was also 'played on the ground-"a seventeenth century modification of croquet
 A strange form of punishment and one that calls to mind the ancient Greeks and Trojans was that of riding the wooden horse. Soldiers who at this time were quartered in New Amster- dam were forced, as punishment for riotfng or drinking, to ride this wooden structure which stood twelve feet high. "Garret Segersen, for stealing chickens, rode the wooden horse for three days with fifty pound weight tied to each foot. Another culprit rode with an empty scabbard in one hand and pitcher in the other to show his inordi- nate love for John Barleycorn."
 But one of the most frequent crimes was that of islander. There are many records of these petty suits and this is one that seems especially interesting; it was the suit brought by "Domine Bogardus and his wife, the posthu- mously famous Anneke Jans, against Grietje Von Salee, woman of very dingy reputation, who told in New Amsterdam, that the dominie's wife Mistress Anneke, had lifted her petti- coats in unseemly and extreme fash ion when crossing a muddy street. This was proved to be false and the evil dence adduced was so destructive of Grietjes character that she stands dis graced forever in history as the worst woman in New Netherland."
 A marriage custom which was in vogue in those colonial days was that of bride-visiting. Here is a pretty pie ture of a bride-visiting in spring-time on Long Island: "The fair bride, with her happy husband, the gayly dressed bridesmaids, in silken petticoats, and high-heeled scarlet shoes, with rolled and powdered hair dressed with feath- CTS and gauge, riding a-pillion behind the groom's young friends, in satin knee-breeches and gay coats and cock ed hats and all the accompanying young folks in the picturesque and gallant dress of the times"
 Leaving this pretty little Dutch we'd ding scene we pass on to visit our Pur- itan ancestors and with much interest do we note what they were doing at this time. These old New Englanders, neat in habit, intelligent and fairly educated, worked hard, were frugal thrifty and as a rule rigid in morals, While coldly reserved towards stran- gers, they were kind and hospitable, onI nd uri1a "a inquisitiveness. They wore sober-color- ed garments except on Sunday, the im- portant day of the week, when there was a general display of quaint finery of sombre character. Their great open fireplaces were ill-adapted to withstand the winters rigor. Their | churches were wholly unprovided with heating accommodations. Their diet was spare. The well-to-do prided them selves on their old silver table ware, and New England Kitchens were noted for their displays of brightly burnish- ed pewter and brasses. Cider and New England rum were favorite beverages; but drunkenness was less prevalent than in the other colonies; the New England temperament was not in clined to excess and roistering. The general tone of life was sedate, even gloomy.
 Is it any wonder then that we find among their literary productions, the poem entitled 'The Day of Doom," or as it might truly be called the dogerel of damnation and grace" written by Michael Wigglesworth, the Puritan Dante" One selection will give some idea of the whole poem "It opens with picture of the heedlessness and indif- ference of the world just before the judgment" The day of doom bursts upon the earth and Christ appears as the judge, judging the different classes of sins in their order until he comes to those who died in infancy. These young creatures argue that they should not be punished as they did not live long | enough to commit any crime and they should not be judged for Adams sin, but the judge replied that they are sin- ners and must be treated as such.
 "Yet to compare your sins with theirs Who live longer time,
 | I do confess yours is much less Though every sin is crime.
 | A crime it is, therefore, In bliss You may not hope to dwell? But unto you l shall allow
 The easiest room in Hell"
 In contrast to this dreary poety are | the writings of Anne Bradstreets ! whom the unhappy New Englanders I hailed as the Tenth Muse.'" The poem | in which she describes her children l closes with these simple yet touching | lines:
 | Thus, gone amongst you I may live, 1 And dead, yet speak and counsel give; Farewell, my birds, farewell, adieu, I happy am, If well with you.'
 From this Puritan poetess descended "such lights in literature and theology as the Channings, the Danas, Wendell Phillips, and Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmea"
 A very curious figure among the church officers was the tithingman, not only was he the tormentor of the mis- chievous little boys, but also of those who thought the meeting house de- lightful place wherein to slumber and the long dull three-hour sermons excel lent lullabies. ''He was always on the watch to see that everyone kept awake. He had his rod, with a fox tail on one end and a ball on tEe other If it were a woman who fell asleep, her face was brushed with the fox-tail; if a man, he received a smart tap on the head from inc hall end o