Milford chronicle., 1925-02-06
Glendale

been fortunate enough 10 happen III
to a country store on a long winter
night, and see sitting around the old
ten plate stove, number OF the ag-
ed farmers of the neighborhood and
hear them relate their experiences
when bows on the old home farm,
have had a treat long to be remem-
bered. These men who have lived
bevOnd the allotted time to man,
some octogenorians, delight in tell
ing of their youthful days and the
MANY things which happened during
the time they were inmates of their
fathers house and under his juris-
diction. one retired farmer told of
the terrible winters they use to have
when he was a boy. How the snow
which fell in December would re-
main until March, and be so deep as
to hide the stake and rider" fences
in vogue in those days. He further
related in his story, that they would
not receive any mail for weeks at
a time. and the only communication
between country and town was by
oxen and sled; that, often the neigh
bors would club together and dig out
a road through the snow, so as to
enable the teams to reach their des-
tinatiOn. He also said in his younger
davs he went to school about two
months in each year and that was
generally after Christmas. They only
taught reading, writing and arith-
metic in those days and very little
of either. His first lessons were "A.
B. C.'s" torn from a primer and
pasted on a single, made in the
shane of a paddle. 1t took a whole
school term to learn to distinguish
one letter of the alphabet from an
other How he used to sit on a
bench made from a slab, that the
schools would be so crowded that the
teacher would be unable to hear the
little ones recite for severals days at
q time. Another retired farmer re-
lated how when he was a lad the
SHOWS would be so deep that he
would have to wade through snow
almost up to his neck, to enable him
to reach the straw stacks nearly
One-fourth of a mile from his home
so that he could clear away a place
for to set his traps and catch the
birds which would come there for
food. How he would capture quail,
doves, larks, red birds, blue jays, and
other kinds of the feathered tribe,
until he would have enough to start
an aviary; but, which would be con-
verted into a pie, fit for a king to
eat.
He also told of his early school
DAYS which were similar to the story
told by the first farmer; only he said
in those days, the "gad" (as he call
ed it, was used with good effect and
without discrimination.
Another of the aged men said that
when he was a youth, he was allow
ed only one pair of shoes each year,
and he generally got them at Christ
mas. If they should wear out before
the next Christmas, a year hence, ne
would not be allowed a new pair,
but was compelled to look for cast
off shoes of his father or grOwn-up
brothers. other that anything like a
shoe he could find Sometimes they
would be of different sizes and
makes-this made no difference
with this footwear he would attend
church. Sunday school and public
school. or plunge all day through
slush and snow, and think nothing
strange of it. Said he attended school
for a short time and studied his les
sons at night, sitting by the old fire
place; that the only light he had was
made by burning pine knots.
Another farmer who seemed deslr-
GUS of adding his experiences to that
which was told by the others, sald
when he was young fellow the
ground would be frozen all winter,
and skating would be continuous
all through the cold months. He
spoke of the good times the boys and
girls of those days had at skating
parties, when the people of whole
neighborhoods would gather at near
bv ponds. and engage in the health
fnI snort until a late hour. lie SAID
thew used to have spelling bees"
las they called them) when they
would choose sides; that whenever
a member of either side missed
word. he was compelled to sit down;
this would continue until only one
remained standing on either side.
This one was considered hero in
the community in which he llVed'
The last of the quartet OF OLD men
said he wished to say teW WORDS
and related the following story.
When he was a "tacker" they used
TO have great times during the win
ter. seasons. Much of the time the
snow was so deep as to stop all Ia
bor. We boys used to gather around
the old fire place during the long
nights and engage in roasting sweet
Dotatoes. chestnuts and popping
corn. Sometimes if we had to beat
the corn into hominy in the old IRON
mortar, the only light being from
tallow candle, which had been mold
ed that day. The fire would get loN
when some one would say, lets get
some wood. We would plunge out
without any shoes or stockings IN
to the snow, some times up 10 ouI
knees, pick up bark log ana other
wood, carry it into the house and put
it on the live Goals, and soon roar
ing fire would exist. We would then
resume our roasting and at the same
time toast our bare feet before the
blaze. and watch the corn pone,
which hung in the corner of the hre
Dlace. The clock having chlmed
eight. the old farmers arose at once
bidding all good night, promising
at some future time to relate more
of their experiences in early life
not only of winter, but of spring and
summer as well; again saying good
night, they went to their homes
nearby and ensconced themselves IN
their good old feather beds, to dream
of the days of long ago and to re-
cuperate physical strength, so they
would be able to return to the store
on the following night to take their