Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/34

 24 Early Manners and Customs.

of a man that be was oue of the first ''AH work and no play makes Jack

settlers, respect should immediately a dull boy — and Jill, a dull girl," per-

embalm his memory. haps reasoned the elders. Anyway,

Our forefathers were always, like- they accepted the idea of first work wise, men of great individuality. In and then play, and so was instituted cities there is to be found the finest the husking frolic, the apple-bee, the symmetry of character, but strong quilting, and, at last, amusement individuality is far more rare, owing without its modicum of work — the to the constant friction of mind upon junket. Let us again call fancy to mind, which is apt to wear away the our aid, and go to the house of some strong points of individual character, local magnate where thei-e is to be a and to make too many of the same husking frolic and junket. Perhaps pattern. The man remarkable for it is a husking-bee. Let us say that action is seldom a growth of the the log hut has given place to the city, but an influx from the country. Luge, square structure with many- How often do the newspapers give paned windows, its keeping-room and the names of prominent men who long kitchen, and its immense chim- came from the [)low or the anvil to ney breaking out into every room head the lists of the city in honor and with the broad, kindly smile of an wealth. Genius can thrive only wlien open fire-place. \n the long kitchen certain faculties are allowed to sub- the hearth-stone, of more than a ton's jugate other ones to their needs, and weight, and eiglit feet long, stretches this cannot go on so well in cities before the fire-place — watchful, rest- where all ideas must more impartially ful,and clieering. An immense back- come to the front. But genius is a log, as thick as a man's body, forms kindly tyrant when upheld by the the foundation of the big, roaring twin sisters Industry and Persever- fire, and around the leaping flames ance, and the natural growth of the cluster privileged guests, while the sturdy first settler whose individuality small aspirant for future honors sits grew strong and rank in his forest in the corner of the fire-place study- home. Shut out as he was from in- ing his horn book, or watching the tercourse with the outside world, it stars that gleam so kindly above his often bristled into points, however, head.

and anecdotes of our ancestors prove The brick oven has been thrice

the truth of this assertion. heated to bake pumpkin pies and

Deeds of courage, feats of strength, ginger-bread for the " s|)read," and

and tales of hunting valor show these the squire's wife is happily conscious

old worthies to have been worthies of the good things in the pantry as

indeed, but men who would have she sits placidly knitting. On this

pined and sickened in our day of night of the frolic the long kitchen

easy action. Prominent in every set- has been cleared, the settle and

tlement was the church, and around chairs are placed primly against the

this as the nucleus grew up those wall, while a stool for the fiddler seta

interchanges of civilities which finally on the table at the further end. The

were merged into merrymaking or crooked necked squashes still hang

frolics. by the fire-place ; long strings of

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