New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-09

ORh DAlL IlsIDC
cent,on these children had into the fur'h"
church: many fingered but short time thereih'
The mortality among infants was appaiinsiy
great. they died singly and in little groups ana
IN vast companies. Putrid fevers epidemic III
nuenzas. malignant sore threats, oladders IN 'ne
wlndpipe. raging smallpox. carried OH huhu'e"'
Of the children who survived baptism Inc laws
az sanitation were absolutely disresarueu O
cause unknown: drainage there was hone-"o'
deemed necessary: dislnfection was feeoy ue
sired-but scanty sprinkling OF vinegar was '"e
ONLY expression of that DESIRE lsoiauoh Vi 'o''
toe,ous d,sees es was proclalmed-but the meas
ures were as futile where the disease was h"o"
20 no contagious as they were lacking In the
diseases which our fathers did not kno" Were
communicable" II is an odd circumstance that
IN spite OF the iron religlosity or the Fu'''a"'
,ho,, d,d not wholly abandon some of the super
stitions OF their forefathers. when ch'u was
horn the entry of his birth in the family Bible
was usually amphed with illusions 10 the
n,anets in ascendancy at the time. THE best
nhvsicIans gravely noted the condition OF 'he
moon when gathering herbs and slmples ana
connecting medicines; and certain drugs were
he,d N he powerless AT certain times OF the
Earle saws. we cannot wonder that the children
d,ed considering the nostrums with which they
were dosed. Venice treacle" was one OF the
r,esees dutIfullv swallowed by the unhappy little
,rvouda Vipers white wine opium, spices
from, both the Indies" licorice. red roses with
,rrrber Of other things. all mixed together with
honey went 70 the manufacture Of this awfui
compound oa
Come ~ Mrs Earle's best material is gathered
,.o,,, Colonial diaries and Commonplace books
One Mary Oseood Sumner. young WIDOW ioS'
~ eea left monitor" in which entries are
found showing the things OF which she was
ashamed and the things that she could put 10
her credit. The "black lear contains compare
t,vcIv few entries but those few are interest
ing as indicating what was considered maidenIy
,oisconduct in the time OF the fathers we
quote them here:
July 8. left my stalse on the bed
July O. Misplaced sisters SASH ,,.,. c,s.o-
IuIy 10 Spoke in haste 10 my littie oisVei'
'"'' smiled the milk in the closet
Ju,v 70 I left Sister Cynthia's frock on the
bed.
1r,v ia 7 left the brush on the chair: was
not diligent In learning at schoo'
July IL left my fan on the bed no.
Julv 10 | got vexed because sister was ago
ing to cut my frock
July % Part Of this day ala ho' Hnp'0'0
my time well. .,o
rulv 20 I was careless and lost my neeoIe
August 3 | spilled some coffee on the 'aoie.
II &c comforting to know that If trivial things
were put on the BLACK leaf" the isl OF Mar
earet's good deeds was as easily expandeu' One
q, the entries on the white lear states mat
"I got some peaches for to stew. and was uoi'e
washing UP the things and got my WORK ooiie
before breakfast. and was midln Dlise"'
II IS cheering TO read the chapters o" '"o
smusements of Colonial children on the s'ory
hoors and n,ctures with which they were pro-
vided on their toys and on the occupations ""'
,ha making OF needlework. which took up
-, =, ,he,r time The life OF a child In the
puritan era was severe in many ways, but also
!. o,, uavs Il was wholesome and happy
"rt was deemed neither courteous, decorous' nor
,sa casualIv TO make him appear OF value or
y, motto In his own eyes or In the eyes or MS
,o,io,o Rut no children were more tenderly
loved or brought up with a more profound de-
GIRO that they should be moulded into good men
ond vrornen There is a kind OF unconscious
nathos in the attitude OF those stern 1athers
and mothers Cherlshing their little ones WIN
tho tenderest affection. they never dreameo
that the spartan-like methods they used were
in any way hurtful.
u was all for the good Of the child. and prop
ably the babies who grew up In the right "a!
seemed 10 the parents to ratify IN the ias' ue
gree every little detail in the rigid discipi'he
through which they had passed Inc authof
Quotes Sir Francis Doyles observation that
,1t 70 the intention OF the Almighty that there
sbould exist for certain time between chi'o-
hood and manhood the natural production
known as a boy" The Puritans were not 50
cure OF this Nevertheless, Colonial boys ana
oir,s were themselves. for all the repression
under which they lived and Mrs. Earle's little
tvnes are uncommonly appealing. In na'ura
fashion They are quaintness Itself In many
~ the relations OF their daily life. but they are
! bovs and girls still. the same then as the boys
and girls to-day. Mrs. Earle has gathered TO-
oetber large amount of interesting material
! IN the shape OF old written or printed records
and she has used it to good purpose present
! ING not disconnected fragments, but harmonious
! statcbes of the divers phases OF her SUBJECT
Her many illustrations include portraits pct
ures Of articles Of dress. and OF toys facsmhes
| NJ neges from old schoolboOks and many other
Illuminating documents She has made an en-
| PERTAINING book out Of first rate material
|