Milford chronicle., 1927-01-14

raised flax, sOwed the seed, pulled
it when ripe, rotted it, broke it,
skutched it, made it into linen and
used the TOW" for shirts for the
boys, the whole process being done
on the farm. l remember that dur
ing the war period we sold flax seed
for $500 per bushel.
We grew sorghum cane and made
one or two barrels of molasses each
year. AS coffee almost disappeared,
many substitutes were adopted. Some
made imitation coffee from roasted
corn, wheat or rye. Sweet potatoes,
cut in small cubes, dried and roasted,
was a favorite drink with some.
Coffee Essence" made from roasted
cereals and burnt molasses had a
large sale and was perhaps the mo-
ther of Postum" now so widely ad-
vertised.
My father and older brother were
expert hunters and in season almost
every week some sort of game found
it's way to our table, including rab-
bit, partridge, wild duck and rarely
wild goose. Fish we had in abund-
ance, shad, crocus, trout, perch and
eels. Oysters, clans, and maninose,
were free to all who would go after
them.
We had pork, lard, eggs and but
ter to sell and would kill a beef dur
ing the winter. In addition, my IA
ther would usually take a trip to
Philadelphia each fall and among
his purchases would be barrel OF
mackerel, a large bag of buckwheat
flour and a cheese. Blackberries and
huckleberries and strawberries grew
wild and Walnuts and hickory nuts
were among almost every boys Win
ter supplies. Surely Sussex County,
sixty years ago was a land of Goshen
flowing with milk and honey.
The farmers in those days were
expert workers-men Of one talent
who made good. With almost no
modern labOr-saving machinery,
daily toll was essential to success.
1 can remember when cook and
parlor stoves came into our home
and when a corn shelter came into
our barn, and the first reaper to har-
vest our wheat and the first separat-
ing threshing machine. All of these
were great luxuries and brought a
new era to farm life.
From early spring until near
Christmas it was one farm work az
ter another, with little time for lei
sure. 1 have worked in the fodder
field many day in company with a
force of colored people, the men top
ping the fodder and the women strip
ping the blades, and most of the time
mumbling a strain of music. After
the field work was done for the day
it was task to look after and feed
the horses, cattle, hogs and sheep.
A task 1 shall never forget was
holding off" young calves while mo-
ther cow was being milked. have
heard and read about the "concen-
tration of the mind" and as DEM
onstrator of this virtue calf surely
stands first. The calf must be al
lowed to suck until the cow "gives
down" her milk and you put your
/ arms around his neck or hold hin
with "calf rope" while his mother
is being milked; his mind becomes
centered and fixed while he wrlg'
giles and wrestles, pulls and pushes
to get back to his first love.
With few exceptions men were ex-
merits in their chosen work 60 years
ago. 1t is a we'll known fact that OLD
things as a rule, were made better
than are the new. 1 have never
seen a better all round worker thaI
dexterity. 1 remember with Wnal
desterity Mr.. William Fowler dus
wells. He would mark the size o.
the curb on the ground and star
digging and work his way into mo
ther earth and have a thirty, forty OF
even a fifty foot well finished b!
noon. He told me that he had dug
or cleaned every well, except one
within a radius of many miles.
Come with me to the "WllhaIns
School House" through woods ant
across fields from my childhood
home. Here 1 first attended summer
school with other small chlldreu
Miss Arabel Welch is the teacher.
could already spell little but l wa
shv and half afraid. Miss Welcl
was young and handsome and m
timidity aroused her sympathy. Il
the afternoon of my first day atte
going over my lesson by her sloe
She put her arm about my neck ant
whispered some nice and endearln
words in my ear and told me una
she loved me and requested me I
ask nv mother if could be hers.
was filled with unspeakable JOY IN
delivered the message to- which m
mother consented. 1t was case G
love at first sight and was engae
ed. Unlike Maud Muller, she forsoo
, me and married judge living IN an
! other state. But for many years l
) MiIton's cemetery tomb OF hnes
7 Italian marble marks the grave {
, Arabel Welch Holland and 1nscrlDe
2 thereon are the words: Man
daughters have done virtuously bt
d. thou excellest them all" and wheI
e ever 1 pass the spot 1 stop and pa
! silent homage to her memory. fee
] quite sure that many school ms
e tress, discouraged and OutWardly III
2 appreciated, is the heroine OF loN
r affairs in which the heroes have NJ
/ the courage to make known the emo
e tions within the breast.
S Among other summer teachers
Y nv early childhood days were MAJ
t Simpler, Lizzie Parker and Lyd'
i Ann Wilson. Miss Wilson was
g queen in the school room, well edl
Gated, progressive and born teaci
f er. In dismissing school, she woul
J, sit at her desk and require eVel
), pupil on reaching the door, one at
e time, to turn and with a bow bid ht
s "good evening"" To be in her pre-
g ence was to be a gentleman, and n
5;-o;,,1i,,o in oOod manners made