Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, December 08, 1901, Image 13

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Home Life of a Century Ago and Now
(Cupyi'l,lif 10)1, by Elizabeth duly Htnnton )
tWO OtllOi
HE contrast between homo life now
niul a eentitry at?" hardly can be
Imagined by tlioso of today.
The home In both country and
town was then the groat work-
house for all the Industrie. Women,
as mothers, wives, daughter and house
keepers, with all the natural duties
that ticrtalu to these relations, wero
constantly engaged In many
labor practically unknown In
at present. They
tallorossos, adept
gooio and press board, spinners of yarn,
knitters of stockings, weavers of all the
family clothing, bed and tnble linen, dyers
of different fnbrlcs and yarn for carpets and
blankets (skilled in all kinds of cooking,
preserving fruit, making pickles, cnndles
and soap, both for toilet ami laundry.
The spacious kitchens a century ago
differed widely from the little bandboxes
In tho fashionable homes of today. Every
autumn they were, scenes of great festivi
ties. Hugo pigs were brought In to be
dissected and the different parts classified
necording to their value. The skins had
already been sold to saddle ami harness
makers. The sides were cut In pieces
wolghlng two or three pounds each, put
Into barrels and covered with brine. Head
cheese and lard were made and packed
In Jars and the sausage meat, ground line,
seasoned and stuffed In cases. All these
wero carefully Btored In tho great cellar,
nlrsady filled to overflowing with n goodly
supply of provisions for winter's uso.
ICHclicii ('IiIIiIIiO'iiI'm Happy II. line.
It was almost Impossible to keep the chil
dren, always on a tour of lnpectitni, on'
of the kitchen during this hilarious season.
Its attractions were increased by tho de
lightful negro melodies, for, as n number
of tho northern states had only recently
abolished slavery, colored help still reigned
and ruled In many families and were the
special favorites of the children.
Many pounds of butter and cheese were
made every year; turkeys, geese, ducks
and hens were fed and eared for and hun
dreds of eggs greased with lard and packed
In Jars for tho winter. A lnrgo amount of
mlnco meat for pies and puddings, well
chopped and seasoned, was put Into small
palls and hung In n dry place for future
use. You will see tueso lime un pans.
tightly covered, hung on hooks In the
kitchens of Now England today, where the
icat is mppns d to keep them from molding
n-er nil this and much moio the wives
nnd daughters held the keys and kept a
enreful supervision, In addition to the
dally treadmill and the never ending cares
of numerous children.
Now all Is changed and most of these
Industries are banished from the home.
Ilread and nil kinds of pastry are mado
in public bakeries. l'Ickles, Jellies, pre
serves and canned fruit nre sold bv tho
American eitl.eu held up by
wlille he deposited his vole.
Women's rehiMitloiw were apple and
quilting h"cs. school exhibit inns, donation
parties, elr.ir.ii fails, dinners, teas, evening
parties, concert and dances. Horseback
tiding was the favorite exercise, but all the
present dny athletics for women were un
known. Literary clubs had not been th. light of In
forms of "lose nays, ns wonun were nenner reader?
the homo ,l,,r students, nnd were a'most totally Ignor
were dresm ikers.
In the use of
livery pall of water had to be carried from
wells and cisterns Into i'io house (In cold.
grocer. Laundries dlspnso of the family
washing. Hatchers supply every variety highest consideration
of meat. Men aro cooks ami waiters
ulghl Yet when Klphalet Knott, president our gas slows and they aic read 10 bake. Iuur with wlu.li Hit r parents ended,
of I'nlon college. New Voik, Invented Ills boll and broil In the minutes. We touch Thoj did milch of ih.ir own work. The
hall stove, by which all this labor could bo a button and our lamps are ready for us husband niade the lite ami ground the
saved. It was with great hesitation that they lo read and write-no coal or kindling, no colTee, while the young wife set the table
placid It In their houses, so afraid were wicks or oil or tilling or trimming of lamps and looked the breakfast. He chopped the
they of lire from the red hot coals and pipe r molding of candles. Now all Is done as wood am) planted the garden, while she kept
holes cut thr. ugh the celling to heat dumb If by magic. I hi house In order and did tho necessary
stoves above Our ancestors made a fetish of early lis- sewing, which, before the invention of tho
Our foretooth- is had more trouble with lug. making even Hi- children get up at .. machine, was a tiecr ending task. Our
their water supply than with their llres o'clock. A century ago bicakfast was on grandmothers would spend three das on an
(lie table hcrorc ( o clock In winter, dinner arucie uiai women now mniio in as many
at 12, supper at f, and perchance a "piece" hours.
before going to bed at S, which usually con- Today many .voting people live In a hotel
slstcd of a section of pie. They ate meat or apartment where the wife does as tittle
in greater nbiiiidance than l done at the as possible and tho husband strain every
princnl time; It was served at every meal, nerve to meet the opentcs.
Vegetubles were used when the men would nmin or it Vlfi.
lake the trouble lo cultivate them, but tin
garden was often neglected. There was n .
such use of fruit as now. All gi Herat Ions
have taken lo pies and puddngs and there
has been a universal taste for pancake-. In
early times these were baked In lnng
lundl.d pans ami turned by being skillfullv
toss d up- the pancake turning a nomcr
Hiult and readjusting Itself to be browned
on the other side; hence the name "flap
jacks " The children especially enjoyed
witnessing this pel forniance and claimed n
seat In the kitchen on all such occas on-.
l'laln, substantial t lathing whh Hie rule
In both country and town. The girls us
ually drcfised In red and blue Manuel, a
white rulllo around their necks and black
alpaca aprons. The dresses came a Utile
ubove the shoe tops and pantalettes weie
unknown. They were eaily taught to knit
their own stockings. The boys suns wen
of cloth, spun, woven and made al home,
and so, for the most part, were the men's.
The school houses were few and far apart .
the children often walking a mllo or two on
mud roads through rain, sleet and snow to
their dally lessons. The teachers, who. It
women, worked for ." a month and "boarded
around" from house to house with their em
ployers, were by no means adepts, being but
little in advance of their pupils In the
higher classes. (Slrls always had fewer
privileges than boys. When free schools
wero llrst established they were not allowed
to enter. Their education was limited
to thu "dame" schools, where lhe were
,,,.i,i in twitch otillts. dress dolls, work a
sampler with tho alphabet and nine nuiiier- often had several children before they were
ills nnd nlso to study the calech.siii and Now they aro In colleges ami business
spelling book. J rent efforts were made to positions up lo IN), deferring matrimony iiii-
keep them in their appropriate sphere, til they have a well developed body, brain
More advanced classes wero permllled to and bank account.
study nddltl subtraction, multiplication In Mich wives highly educated men 111 hi
and division, but fractions and Interest weie wise mental companions and able business
considered too Intricate for their delicate advlseis. Mothers, iiowailajH, rend, think
l,rain "d reason; tlioy nre recognized as the nc-
After many years they were allowed to at- luul mistresses of their homes; they not
tend tho free Bchools from 15 to ! In the only preside over the soup tureen, but lead
morning, before the boys came, and all day In brilliant conversation at tho table.
UJJJHmBiBiiHBHHIBiBHHiHHBHBHi Saturday. the Having a i iiueveiopeu gins oi is uu none oi
holiday Whether their being In the same these relations properly, and husbands, In
ant on nrnctlcally all of the questions ban- frosty mornings they must cut through the rlnssos wull, enfeeble tho boys or mason- stead of securing congenial, healthy coin
ed K ct " tllu clalurn or 81,0,1,1 "'' 11,0 KlrlH ls 8,111 "" "1U'" 'I'"". I,1"I"iih, often llud themselves burdened
dlul bv them so cleverly todn. hours thawing out tho pump. Imagine what Kifty-Ilvo years ago not a college in tho land with Incapable, Invalid wives and feeble
Itcllulon Took Slin-li 'l ime. n ,n,)or It was for t10 women to do this for ndmltled women, and even Obcrllu, tho llrst children.
Tiw.ir rnliiniiH .levnlnnnicnt was of the .,, fno.ilv washing I-'renucntly all tho . .....mi its doors, did not grant them the Tho women of today aro belter educated
'jy
ELIZAIiETH CADY STANTON.
The wife in former dnvs could not own
even the property she Inherited. She did
not own herself, her children, her clothes,
her ornaments. She was as essentially a
i battel as a slave on a southern planta
tion. Her husband could lock her up at
his pleasure unless she obeyed his de
mauds. Now Hie wife controls absolutely
her own property nnd wills It as she
sees tit. In some stales she has an eiiial
light with the father to their children.
If her husband coiillues her In durance
vile her friends can get a writ of habeas
corpus ami bring her into couit. If she
wishes to leave bliu she can have n di
vorce, and, If lie is the tiaiisgressor, she
can secure alimony and the custody of
her children. Many self-respecting women
now object to tho present nianiago cere
mony ami will neither be "given away" nor
promise to "obey," and they Insist also
upon keeping their family name, l-'or ex
ample, the daughter of Mom-tire 1). Conwny,
a distinguished clergyman, who married u
Mr. Sawyer, issued her wedding cards, Mr.
and Mrs. Conway Sawyer.
With hard work, many cates ami few
iccreatlons women used to grow old much
earlier than In these days. They were
placed upon the retired list by f.n. New
many distinguished women hold their
pla.-cs lu society ami aro connect.'. I with
Important public menBiiies at Co, TO and
even SO years of age.
Vliii-i-hiui'N Then mill .i.
liliis 111 past times married early and
lu
Regular nttendmcc WHter used In tho house had to bo drawn by B1,ino privileges ns to men students. nnd hence superior In every way as w ives.
... i i. o,i n ,iin.ii rendlni? of tho ,.m i ni.nina from dentb of 100 feet. g....i-.i r.-liitlons were inoro stable than 111 iiioiiimih, nousuKcopcrs ami iiicuidcih oi un
tile hotels, restaurants nnd many prlvnto blllIo wero necessities of salvation. The A(i the men woro usually busy taking care mlr n,e. Divorces wero only allowed for community ti- those of a century ago, and
fnmlllcs. Men aro hair dressers, mnnl- cntcehlsm for women nnd children was con- ot t,e cnttlo and drawing wood from the om, cause, ami the atlgma was so great that they aro trea'.ed with far more respect by
sldered of Immense Importance, containing forest all this work added to the otlior bur- t,oy were nlmost unknown, tiio win- woum i no men oi iou i.....-..-.,...,, i......
such questions ns "What Is Justlllcntlon?" ,t.n8 0f tho women. There wns no such m)l apply for one becaiiHO, oven when she Women's Inlliienco In nil directions Htendlly
"What Is Sanctlflcatlon?" "What Is l'rcdcs- ti,ng then as n bathtub nnd n cold sponge W11S the Innocent party, the courts gavu tho Increases with their higher development,
tlnatlon'" "What ls Election?" "Whnt is waB ai,out all our ancestors enjoyed In tho children and the property to the husband. Naturally they aro far more contented and
tho Chief I2nd of Man?"
cures, chiropodists, milliners nnd dress
makers, nnd to men women go for tho
modern tnllor made BUlt.
Into llluliei- O iiiilliiiiN.
Thus women hnve been forced Into higher
nnd more profitable occupations. They now
Walking homo from church one day with
0a i hnv of 12. nrter n liro-
enmposo llie majority oi leacucrs in piaiuc j . gllonc0i ho suddenly exclaimed,
and public schools and nre on tho faculties w (lreJ ,j ((J Ret of ,Thou 8halt ot.i
of the universities. They give lessons In ,.,,,,.. .,, ,,.,.1,, wi,ich we wore
dancing, music and nil the arts. They have obll(,r(1 tf) rcn(, eVery Uay nn.l most ot tho
time on Sundays, contained an Apucrypna
with ooino nniuslng stories, as well as those
mercantllo establishments of their own nnd
go to foreign countries to buy goods for
them nnd for other linns. They aro found
li: nil tho public olllces ns clerks, copyists
and stenographers. They aro typesetters,
reporters, writers and editors on dally,
weekly and monthly periodicals. They
aro In the courts, hospitals and pulpits,
nnd In tho theaters, concerts nnd on tho
lecture platform.
scattered through tho Old Testnmcnt, such
ns "Jonah sequestered in tho whnlo for
three days," "Joshua commanding tho sun
lo Bland flHU" nnd "Joseph with his coat
of mnny colors," nil of which In brilliant
hues wero Illustrated In obl-fnshloncd
bibles.
Attendlni: church wns a novere
winter season. Courtships were more naiurai nun seiiuiia, nappy nun uu mu j.. nu.-H-n ....j ...... ...
What a contrast to our present convenl- There was not so much llrllng and mane..- Joy than they wero under the old lestrulntH
en Now we simply turn a faucet and vcrlng. The court of love was conducted I know nothing that cou d bo borrowed
get all the water we want, hot nnd cold; more honestly and simply. Tho voung pen- from the past which would Improve tl.el.
turn another and get rid of It. We light ple did no, begin the.r housekeeping In tho present
ami valuu of science, philosophy mid gov
ernment thin will the llrst mile of perfect
harmony be touched; then wilt the great
organ of humanity be played on all Its keyB.
with every stop r.gh:ly adjusted, and, with
louder, loftier strulns, the march of clvil
.allon will be luiliieasiirably quickened.
HLl.AIIKTil CADY STANTON.
ordcnl
Wo often hear the complnlnt that woman Thermometer wns 20 degrees bo
is driven man nut of hh legitimate cm- v Rtnves or furnaces woro ever
,.rf...i i., il.o cold hosnltalltles of the
mil. . .. -
hns
ploymcnts, but tho fiicts show that man
himself hns robbed woman of her legltl
mnto industries.
In tho homes even of the rlrhcst clnsses
In olden times women had few opportuni
ties for Intellectual development. They
rend but little, as libraries were scarco
Lord's house. Each nttendnnt carried m
own little stovo In n wooden box. perforated
with holes on tho top, to keep his feet
warm, whatever might befall the rest of his
personality.
The church, n spacious iu-ni...
t
m
Just Wait
and magazines and Journals few. They nll,i1(,ri,.Hs windows nnd no blinds, had
were suppesed neither to know nor care octagon pulpit, from which the pas-
government, religion, science nnd nrt.
I lt 1 1 tl It M Of i'lllINC iilllCH.
The holidays wero Chrlstmns, New Year's,
anything nbout tho technical quest Ions of ,xm)im,ied his religious theories; nnd
Just below- him In nnotner ocuigou punm
stood the chorister to Intouo David's psalms,
tin., i.v tine, tho congregation following like
1 lie laniduyH were iviu ihiiiiiib, iini il-iu o, -i rlivtl.m
I-'ourth of July, County Militia Training day, a llock of sheep, without rh o ytl n.
when the troops wero reviewed. I-'or this Choirs, organs and all u.usl I lust ruinMtH
the farmers from far nnd near came Into wero then unknown In "ontry c re lies
town with their barrels of cider, pics, and attractive melodies wero considered un
ginger bread, npplcs and chocm for snle, holy. .,.
while tlm vniinu- ncnnle had their snorts Around the churches In the vlllnkcs woro
with a full band of music. rows ot Bheds, where farmers let ino.r e
The contrast In tho children's Christmas hides, as tnoro were i.-
stocking then nnd now is marked Indeed, brought their .tinners. '"""""J'
Instead of Jewelry, handsome books, expen- Its cnlemnlty, was yet n kind of f'tlvc n -sivo
toys, attractive games and boxes of caslon. when tho men met to Iscuss po -bon
Ions they had n 2r,.cent piece In the tlca and the questions o the day and
toe. a few raisins and almonds, a bright women to talk about clothes, children and
rod apple, a fried cako. a catechism and a household mattera. And nil toon tins op
long stick. If tho owner of the stocking had portunlty to enjoy a drlvo on Sunday mom
been unruly during tho year. Ing. which was forbidden by the Puritans
Election day wns another marked event for nny purpose except going to cliurcti,
when farmers came to town from nil th" liven the middle clnsses In their spacious
,ln. w,.ii.,1nl,.,i,l In ,,cit l...lt l.-llltllll fll! CI'S 111 C I1CCS lllllt III) StOVCS Or flimtlCOH, Hll'1
men and measures. Some voters Indulged some ono hnd continually to be feeding the ,,.,,.. AVn ,. .nTV
too freely In what was then called rum, and llros on tho hearth. This was enough to QUEEN LII.IUOKALINI AND IILK I'Aim
It was not an unusual sight to sco ono keep ono person busy from morning to Staff Artist.
AT THE L'NION DHI'OT Photo by a
Salt Lake Herald. "Hello, Charley, 1
haven't si en you since 1 was mm tied!"
said a newiy-inarrle.I man lo a friend he
chanted to meet down on Main street.
"No," replied the friend, "you havu been
so devoted to home of late that no ono has
seen you."
"Yes, I don't hang around like I used to."
"You are Just like I was," said the other,
who had been married for some years, "Just
found the society of the wife enough, eh?"
"Yes, we do not tire of each other."
"Just like 1 was. I suppose you think
It will never change, ch? Just always will
bo the same, I suppose?"
"I don't think I will change."
"Just like 1 win . I suppose aim has not
linked you for u r" aull when you only
hnd 2.". tho day before pay day?"
"No, of course not."
"You Just wait!" and hn turned on his
heel and walked off down the street.
For a Special Occasion
Cleveland l'laln Dealer. "You know what
abominable table wine my venerable father-In-lnvv-to-be
sets out?"
"Yes, It's llerce!"
"Well. It was his birthday last Sunday
and I took around u bottle of the best
Hn ret 1 could buy and told Lucy to put It
at IiIh elbow. And what do you suppose
I ho old fellow said?"
"(llvo It up."
"Ho said he gueBsed he'd save It until
they hnd company to dinner."