Omaha daily bee., 1900-01-07

their arms and all entered. The pulpit
would probably have claimed youi attention
first. 1t was very high and oytrhuug by
a souuiiugb5ard. This was the minister's
place and before aim stood ain houl glass
the minister turns the glass ana expects
every grain Of sand to run through before
he iniShes his sermon.
Just below the pulpit are seated the ruling
elders. facing the congregation; farther
down, in the same position, are seated the
dcacons. Then came the congregation. once
every year they are seated according to rank.
They do not sit in family groups, however,
but the men sit on one side, the women
on the other, and the children are assigned
a place in the rear or in the gallery or on
the pulpit stairs. a man called the tithing-
man or constable was appointed to keer
the young folks quiet and the old folks
awake. lie carried a long wand or rod, on
one extremity Of which was fastened the
foot and at the other extremity the tail OF
a hare. with the heavier end he hit the
head Of a mischievous urchin and the heads
of the nodding men; but when a careworr
ma..uu vas betrayed into nodding she was
gently tickled on her nose or forehead viii
the softer end.
The services began with a long prayer, fol.
lowed by the reading and expounding of tn,
scriptures. instrumental music was utterly
prescribed. as condemned by Amos 1923
Take thou away from me the noise of tn!
songs, for | will not hear the melody Of tn!
VOLS" The songs were limitations of tn,
psalms written in meter. These the people
sang to less than a dozen tunes. on &C.
count Of the scarcity Of books, the song.
were lined by the minister or one Of tn,
elders; that is, he would read two line:
then the people sang them; thus they pro,
ceeded to the end of the song. After sing
ing came the sermon, which was dry the
ology and hard to understand. To this wa.
sometimes added an eXhortation; then Their,
was another prayer and the benediction
The people then soberly marched to thu
front and deposited their offering in tn
money box held by one of the elders, anC
returned home in the order in which the!
came.
The afternoon was spent in reading sucl
books as were fitting for the day, and il
instructive talking on some knOtty point il
theology. All unseemly mirth wac held il
check until sunset. when the children wer,
permitted to indulge in play until time t.
retire.
FroIics of the Pioneers.
We must not think that it was 'all worl
and no play" with the colonists. There wer,
many frolics, apple parings, corn huskini
and cuttings.
The Dutch were very fond of frolics. TIL
feminine portion of the household were al
ways busy for several days preceding sucI
an event. They polished the heavy ma
hogany furniture, brass andirons and can
dlesticks till they shone. The delft brough
from Holland was placed on the mantle
above the fireplace in a conspicuous posi-
tion and the pewter dishes or any rare o
valued articles were placed in the corne
cupboard, the door of which was knowingl,
left OMEN.
The good things which were prepared 70
the occasion would probably make a lon
list. There were cookies. c~rullcrs, cakes
pies. bread, butter, %jellies, preserves, fish
turkey, chicken, cream. milk, all mingle
together on the long tables set for the guest
in the keeping room or large kitchen an
over all arose clouds of vapor from tn
motherly teapot.
The guests were fat old burghers an,
their little withered wives. young cnen an
maidens. The old men were dressed il
homespun small clothes, blue stockings an
huge shoes with bright pewter or silve
buckles. The danes wore close-crimpe
caps, long WASTED short gowns and half
dozen petticoats, with huge pockets on tn
outside, and scissors and pincushions sus
pended from their girdles by gay ribbon
or chains of brass or silver. The daughter
were dressed in about the same manner
although one occasionally wore a straw hal
a fine ribbon or a white frock. The youn
men wore square-skirted coats with rows o
large brass buttons, homespun breeche
and their hair queued, especially If the
could procure an eelskin for that purpose
it being esteemed a'great nourisher of III
hair.
After eating their fill the guests wer
summoned to the central room or larg
hall by the sound of the fiddle in the hand
Of an old negro. Here they separated. tn
young f~lks dancing and the old folks form
ing in groups to discuss the latest news
tell tales of adventure, of which the mar
rator was generally the hero, or tales o
CHESTS and COLLINS who were said to haun
some locality in the neighb2rhood.
At a late hour the company dispersed
going home by the dim light Of the setting
moon, the superstitious ones OCCASIONAL