Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1895 — America a Century Ago. [ARTICLE]

America a Century Ago.

There was not a public library in the United States. Almost all the furniture was imported from England. Every gentleman wore a queue and powdered his hair. There was only one hat factory, and that made cocked hats. An old copper mine in Connecti cut was used as a prison. Crockery plates were objected to because they dulled the knives. A day laborer considered himself well paid with two shillings a day. Virginia contained a fifth of the whole population of the country. A gentleman bowing to a lady always scraped his feet on the ground. Two stage coaches bore all the travel between New York and Boston. A man who jeered at the preacher or criticized the sermon was fined. The whipping post and pillory were still standing in New York. Pork, beef, salt fish, potatoes and hominy were the staple diet all the year round. Buttons were scarce ana expensive, and the trousers were fastened with pegs or laces. A new arrival in a jail was set upon by his fellow-prisoners and robbed of everything he had. When a man had enough tea he placed his spoon across his cup to indicate that he wanted no more.