Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1898 — One Hundred lean Ago [ARTICLE]

One Hundred lean Ago

There was not a public library in the United States. Almost all the furniture was imported from England. An old copper-mine in Connecticut was used as a prison. There was only one hat factory, and that made cocked hats. Every gentleman wore a queue, and powdered his hair. Crockery plates were objected to because they dulled the knives. Virginia contained a fifth of the whole population of the country. A man who jeered at the preacher or criticized the sermon was fined. A gentleman bowing to a lady always scraped his foot on the ground. Two stage-coaches bore all the travel between New York and Boston. A day-laborer considered himself well paid with two shillings a day. When a man had enough tea he placed his spoon across his cup to indicate that he wanted no more. The church collection was taken in a bag fastened at the end of a pole, Avith a bell attached to rouse sleepy contributors.