Evening star., 1901-12-07

parties, concerts and dances. Horseback
riding was the favorite exercise, but all the
present day athletics for women were un-
known
Literary clubs had not been thought of
in those days, as women We're neither read
erS nor students, and were almost totally
ignorant on practically all of the questions
handled by them so cleverly today
Their religious development was of the
highest consideration. Regular attendance
at church and a diigent reading Of the
Bible were necessities of salvation. The
catechism for women and children was con-
sdered of immense Importance containing
SUCH questions as What is Justification
What is Sanctifcation?" What is Pre-
destination" What is Election?' What
is the Chief End of Man?'
Walking home from church one day with
one OF my sons, boy of twelve after a
prolonged silence, he suddenly exclaimed.
How tired do get of Thou shalt not
Fortunately the Bible which We were
obliged to read every day and most of the
time on Sundays contained an Apocrypha
with some amusing stories. as well as
those scattered through the Old Testament,
such as Jonah Sequestered in the whale
for three days, Joshua commanding the
sun to stand StilI' and Joseph with his coat
of many colors." all of which in brilliant
hues were illustrated in old-fashioned
Bibles.
Attending church was a severe ordeal
wnen the thermometer was 20 degrees be-
low zero. No stoves or furnaces were ever
offered in the cold hospitalities of the Lords
house. Each attendant carried his own
little stove in a wooden box. perforated
with holes on the top, to keep his feet
warm. whatever might befall the rest of
his personality.
Before Organ Days.
The church, spacious two-story edifice,
with numberless windows and no blinds,
had high octagon pulpit, from which the
pastor expounded his religious theories; and
just below him in another octagon pulpit
stood the chorister to intone David's
Psalms line by line, the congregation fol-
lowing like flock of sheep. without rhyme
or rhythm. Choirs, organs and all musical
instruments were then unknown in country
churches and attractive melodies were con-
sidered unholy.
Around the churches in the villages were
rows of sheds, where farmers left their
vehicles. AS there were two sessions they
brought their dinners. and Sunday with
all its solemnity. was yet kind of festive
occasion, when the men met to discuss poll
tics and the questions of the day, and the
women to talk about clothes children and
household matters. And all took this op-
portunity to enjoy drive on Sunday morn
ing, which was forbidden by the Puritans
for any purpose except going to church
Even the middle classes in their spacious
residences had no stoves or furnaces and
some one had continually to be feeding the
fires on the hearth. This was enough to
keep one person busy from morning to
night. Yet. when Eliphalet Knott presi-
dent of Union College, New York. invented
his hall stove, by which all this labor
could be saved. it was with great hesitation
that. they placed it in their houses. so
afraid We're they of fire from the red hot
Goals and pipe holes cut through the cell
ing to heat dumb stoves above.
The Water supply.
Our foremothers had more trouble with
their water supply than with their fires
Of Lol
wells and cisterns into the house On cold
frosty mornings they must cut through the
ice to get water from the cistern or spend
hours thawing out the pump. Imagine
what a labor it was for the women to do
this for the family washing. Frequently
all the water used in the house had to be
drawn by cold iron chains from a depth of
100 feet. As the men We're usually busy
taking care of the cattle and drawing wood
from the forest, all this work was added to
the other burdens of the women. There
was no such thing then as a bathtub. and
a cold sponge was about all our ancestors
enjoyed in the winter season.
What contrast to our present con-
VenienceS. Now We simply turn a faucet
and get all the water we want hot and
cold; turn another and get rid of it. We
light our gas stoves and they are ready to
bake, boil and broil in five minutes. We
touch button and our lamps are ready
for us to read and write-no coal or kim
ding, no wicks or oil or filling or trimming
of lamps or molding of candles. Now all is
done as II by magic
Our ancestors made fetish of early ris-
Ing, making even the children get up at )
o clock. A century ago breakfast was on
the table before o'clock in winter dinner
at IL supper at 3. and perchance piece
before going to bed at g. which usually con-
sisted of section of pie. They ate meat in
greater abundance than is done at the
present time; it was served at every meal
Vegetables were used when the men would
take the trouble to cultivate them, but the
garden was often neglected There was no
such use of fruit as now. All generations
have taken to pies and puddings, and there
has been a universal taste for pancakes
In early times these We're baked in long
handled pans and turned by being skillfuIy
tossed up-the pancake turning somer-
sault and readjusting itself to be Drowned