The Washington times., 1920-12-23

mo one shall read Common Prayer
(EpiscopaD. keep Christmas or saints
days, make minced pies. dance, play
cards, or play on any instrument OF
music except the drum. trumpet, and
ewsharp."
De Quincy's whimsical observation
that the habit OF murder, If persisted
in. may lead insensibly TO procrastina-
ton and Sabbath breaking. is recalled
by study of some Of the laws which
originated in the Connecticut Colony
in 1866, and were printed by Governor
Eaton.
The original blue laws were those
written for the New Haven Colony. or
at the first more or less unwritten,
or rather. imprinted. but which later
were systematized into sort OF
code, and as stated, were issued in
printed form in 1856. with the gov
ernor'S approval. As they were en-
veloped in blue paper they in time
grew to be referred 10 as blue laws.
ENOUGH TO CHILL MARROW.
The Plymouth and Massachusetts,
Colonies also had their blue laws
stringent enough to chill ones mar
row they were, too. Even gay New
York, Maryland Virginia and South
Carolna--in fact, all the English
Colonial settlements Of the seven
teenth Century had laws, orders ana
regulations which in these days
would be considered chatting. to say
the least. But it remained for Com
necticut to evolve the real indigo
ordinances. which terrorized her early
inhabitants. and traces OF which re-
main to this day in certain rural Sec
tions.
In April. 1912, were enacted those
known as the Capital Laws. purport-
ing to punish. according TO the penal
ties prescribed. in the Old Testament
all offenses forbidden therein. To
make these ordinances the more
blood -curdling the passages of Scrip
ture on which they were based were
added to each law. sort Of appendix
bugaboo calculated to make the Of
fender tremble in his top boots.
Witchcraft is one OF the first Of
lenses taken up. 1t was enacted that
Elf man or woman be a witch, or
hath consulted with a familiar spirit.
they shall be put to death" Also. "if
any man shall steal a man or man
kind or sellcth him. or he he found
in his hand, he shall be put to death
NAMES THAT MEAN SOMETHING
Then the pious colonists made
slaves OIL lilc 'dpNulfA j 'lh'A IA
dians as the regulation punishment
for breaking these laws. They were
drawn up and enacted by stern and
inflcXible mortals who, in the excess
of their religious zeal and enthusiasm
adopted such sanCtimoniOus names as
are found in the records OF early
New England--"Stand-F Fast -On-High
StrinEer," more Fruit Fowler" xiii
Sin smith" Fight the Good Fight
Fowler" and other pious WORTHLESS.
These men went straight to Holy
Writ Tor their authority, skipping
anything suggestive Of mercy and
ciemcncy and Rentleness, and taking
the Mosaic law in its rigid stcrnness
as the basis Of the ordinances they
cvolyed-yhich resulted in an un-
canny combination Of sermon and
death warrant.
Naturally. having disposed OF The
more serious misdemeanors, tac FUR
itan lawmakers went on to frame the
most minute regulations dealing
with every possible crime from
srceZing in church to crossing a
stream otherwise than by the licensed
ferry.
Most Of all did they stress the helm.
Gus crime of misunderstanding in
such ordinances as the following;
NOT EVEN 4 SHAVE.
mo one shall run on tho Sabbath
day or walk in his garden or c,sa-
where. except reverently TO and from
meeting
mo one shall travel cook victunis
make beds, sweep house. cut hair or
shave on the sabbath day"
No woman shall kiss her child 90
tho sabbath or fasting day"
The sabbath shall begin at sunset
on Saturday.
III any man shall Kiss his VIE. or
wife kiss husband. on tho Lodi
Day, the party IN fault shall be pun
ished at the discretion OF the cour, 81
magistrates"