The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-01-01

two contra-dances, forty-five ninuets,
and seventeen hornpipes, Marriages
We're usually contaminated at a very
early period of life, many girls becom-
ing wives at sixteen and seventeen.
The men wore homespun: and the
women made their dresses, for ordinary
service of coars, strong linen. Great
pride and care We're taken in providing
more elegant and elaborate clothing for
Sunday use. The men on that day dom
ned cloth coats and beaver hats, and
the women appeared IN carefully pre-
served silk or brocade. The hair for a
long time was powdered, and worn,
by the women, in a simple braid; but
this fashion was followed by an ex-
IRENE, in which the locks were combed
over a cushion of horse-hair, so that
it would often be foot above the
crown. During the reign of Charles H.,
wigs were very fashionable, both in
Old and New England; and it was not
uncommon to see boys dressed in short
clothes, wearing wig surmounted by
three-cornered hat.
1t was not until about the middle of
the eighteenth century that carriages
and wagons We're used by few wealthy
citizens in the larger towns. The first
pleasure carriage ever seen in Litch-
field was brought there by Mr.. Mat
thews, the English mayor of New York,
who was confined In that town as pris-
oner Of war in 1776. The people did not
take kindly to this luxurious way Of
travelling, and the owner Of the first
chaise in Norwich was fined for riding
in it to church.
Ox-carts and sleds were used In
farm and In carrying produce and
supplies to market; but journeys for
pleasure or business were made on
horseback. Almost every family kept
horse; and, In riding, the women and
children sat behind on pillion. Com
mon furniture, and household and farm
utensils, were made by the farmer and
his sons; and the clothing OF the fam
lily, from dressing the flax to cutting
the 10th, was almost universally the
handiwork Of the women.
We should gain a very wrong impress
sion of the old times, If we thought of
our Puritan ancestors as always wear
ing long faces, never smiling, or enjoy,
ing innocent pastimes. On the contrary
their social life was marked by many
festive days Six times in a year the
whole military force of the plantation
was called out. These general training
days brought together the old people,
women and children, as spectators of
the military exercises and athletic
games that followed. "The enjoyment
which they experienced In watching the
manoeuvres OF the soldiers, and the
games of cudgel, backsword, fencing,
running. leaping, wrestling, stool-ball,
ninepins and quoits. was enhanced by
sharing the spectacle with the multi
tude, meeting old friends, and making
acquaintance with persons Of congenial
spirit" Election days were times of
general gathering. "On these days the
pillion was fastened behind the saddle:
and the good wife rode with her good
man to the seat Of government, to truck
some of the yarn she had been spins
ming, for ribbon and other foreign
goods, as we'll as to gather UP the Cos
sip Of the year. On such occasions a
store Of cake was provided beforehand,
| and election cake is Consequently one
Of the institutions received from our
| fathers"
In those days, as now, the trail Of the
serpent was sometimes discovered in
the fairest gardens. There were skele-
tons in closets. and domestic sorrows
and broken hearts, but II was rare
thing for one of these Puritan homes
| to make shipwreck. Quaint and curious
| to our modern eyes seem the social
| fashions and customs Of colonial days.
| We need not exalt them as better than
our own, and certainly should not
| forget the conditions that OF necessity
made the life OF our ancestors In many
ways. narrow and limited in it's re-
sources But It Is to these early homes
| that we trace the influences that with
| larger opportunity for intellectual and
material improvement, have evolved
| the home and family life such as may
| be found in this community tonight
| the consummate flower Of our New
England heritage
Up to the middle of the present CEN
| fury very distinct flavor of the life
and customs of colonial days permeat-
| ed many of the homes of our common
| wealth, but to-day this life Is for the
most part a memory full Of delightful
"reminiscences in the thought of an older
| generation. To our children 1t can only
/ be a chapter of quaint and instructive
history.
| In the presence of life's duties I do
| not find time for the reading of much
| poetry. but there Is one poem I do read
every year with the coming of the first
snow storm, and that is Whittiers
"Snow- Bound How many boyhood
| memories recall the pictures which he
so vividly sketches:
| Shut in from all the world without,
We cast the an-winged hearts about,
| Content to let the north wind roar
In baffied rage at pane and door,
While the red logs before us beat
The frost line back with tropic heat;
And even, when a louder blast
Shook beam and rafter as 1t passed,
| The merrier up it's roaring draught
The great throat of the chimney laugh
ed.
| The house-dog on his paws outspread
Laid to the fire his drowsy head,
| The cats dark silhouette on the wall
| A conchant tigers seemed to fall.
| And for the winter freside meet,
Between the andirons straddling feet,
The mug of cider simmered slow.
| The apples sputtered in a row,
And, close at hand, the basket stood
With nuts from Brown October's wood
What matter how the night behaved?
| What matter how the north wind
| raved?
Blow high, blow low, not all its snow
Could ouench our hearth fires rudy
| er1c