Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1916-05-17

lG was WdTlueI tudu duS oVH1i ioohiAs
and ropes were used in making the
beds. which were folded up during
the day.
The table for serving the meals
on was narrow board supported at
each end by a sawhorse. The table
cloth was always kept snow white.
Knives and spoons were used but
forks were unknown. Salt cellars
usually made of silver and consider
ed an ornament. and were so impor-
tant that they " ere mentioned in the
wills. Most of the food was cooked
in the form of soup, and was served
in wooden bowls. Two usually ate
out of one bowl. Cups and spoons
were also made of wood. One large
glass served for whole family and
was passed from one Ito another.
Benches served for seats for the
grown folks, and the children had
to stand back of their parents and
let the food be handed to them.
They were to eat in silence and rap
idly, and were to leave the room as
soon as possible. Deer were often
hemmed up and killed by starting a
fire in circle in the woods and thus
forcing the deer to the center. Wild
turkeys were plentiful, and some
time weighed from thirty to sixty
pounds each. Pigeons were so nu-
merous that they sometimes broke
the limbs of trees when they alight-
ed. Squirrels and rabbits were con-
sidered as pets. Sugar was made
from the sap of the maple. When
this sap was collected it was cooked
by the men and boys. They would
spend many happy hours with the
girls tasting the sugar and making
candy by dropping the syrup in the
snow. Fishing and hunting were
great sports. Lobsters six feet long,
and crabs and oysters were often
caught. The flight of drove of
swans sounded like the coming of
thunder storm.
Corn was the first crop to be
planted and proved to be very use
full. The Indians taught the settlers
how to plant, grind and cook the
corn, which was usually in the form
of hominy. Corn was ground by a
hand mill. If it had not been for
corn, most of the settlers would
have starved. Rooms were made
picturesque by hanging the differ
ent colored ears of corn around the
walls. The most plentiful food was
corn, pumpkins, fish and game. A
very good dish enjoyed by all was
corn, beans and pumpkin boiled to-
gether. Sweet potatoes were rare,
for they were thought to be poison
Gus to animals. Irish potatoes were
cooked with butter, sugar, grape
juice, dates, cinnamon and pepper,
then covered with frosting. Apples,
peas, turnips, huckleberries and
black berries were plentiful. Rye
and corn were mixed to make
bread. Beer, wine, ale and cider
were preferred to water, for it'was
thought that water was dangerous
if commonly drank. Milk was plen'
tiful and sold for penny a quart.
Sausage was made by putting the
meat in big box and letting the
men chop it fine with spades. Leaf
sugar was commonly used and was
bought in blue paper. The paper
was used for dye. Blackberry leaves,
sage and golden rod were used for
tea. 1t was boiled, the Juice thrown
away, and the leaves eaten. Parched
rye and chestnuts were used for
coffee. The settlers thought more
about variety than quantity and
quality.
Wool and flax were raised by the
men and Doys, and the women spun
it into cloth. People nowadays know
very little about the way cloth was
made, so it is very difficult to make
it clear to any one how it was made.
No sheep under two years were al
lowed to be killed. The women knit
al the nittens and stockings that
were worn. Knitting was an occupa-
tion learned by the children at an
early age. 1t took a good days work
to knit pair of mittens. A yard of
cloth meant many days of hard
work, but cloth lasted so much long
er then than now. Flowers and
leaves were used fer dye.
All the soap used was made by
the women. 1t was hard to make,
for the only I've with which to make
it was from ashes. 1t took six bush
els of ashes to twenty pounds of
grease to make small barrel or
soap.