USA > Iowa > Washington County > History of Washington County, Iowa from the first white settlements to 1908. Also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county, Vol. I > Part 24
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374
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
I might as well state here as later, that in June, 1909, there was on deposit in the banks in this county, exclusive of the banks in Keota, that ac- commodate many of our farmers in the western part of the county, the enor- mous sum of four millions two hundred and thirty-six thousand four hundred and fifty-nine dollars and ninety-two cents. And the loans were four million ninety thousand nine hundred seven dollars and ninety-eight cents. And the capital stock was three hundred fifty thousand dollars.
In the pioneer period it would have been hard to scare up thirty cents.
The Washington County Savings Bank was organized October 7, '76, with fifty thousand dollars capital. Wm. Rowan, president ; W. R. Jeffrey, vice ; Jas. H. Young, cashier, and they were directors with T. S. Rowan, J. C. Ferguson, B. F. Brown, N. Littler. It began business in October, '76, south of Cook & Sherman's drug store, with twenty-five thousand dollars capital, paid in, and in January, '78, the rest of the stock was paid up. The statement for January 1I, '78, shows a balance of assets and liabilities of sixty-five thousand five hundred ninety dollars and fifty-six cents, the de- posits being fourteen thousand fifty-eight dollars and sixty-nine cents. A contrasting statement for May 24, 1909, gives said balance as three hundred seventeen thousand twenty-seven dollars and eighty-seven cents ; loans, two hundred sixty-two thousand one hundred eighty-two dollars and forty-three cents ; deposits, forty-nine thousand nine hundred eighty-three dollars and eighty-seven cents.
Jas. H. Young served as president from October, '84, to October, '99; W. R. Jeffrey was promoted from vice-president to president till October, 1903, when Jas. A. Cunningham was elected. A. Anderson had been vice-president, was assistant cashier a year, and was cashier till April 1, 1907, closing by resignation of that post a good, continuous service in the bank of twenty- three and one-half years, and his brother, J. T. A., who had been assistant cashier since October, '87, was elected cashier, but resigned April I, 'og, and A. W. McCully, who had been second assistant cashier, since October, '99, was chosen cashier, with R. B. Berdo as assistant. The vice-presidents have been A. Anderson, Hon. B. F. Brown, A. Harvey. The present directors are Cunningham, Harvey, Brown, Dr. H. C. Hull, A. Anderson, Col. D. J. Palmer, T. J. Berdo. From the first the bank has not once failed to pay semi-annual dividends.
The Farmers & Merchants State Bank of Washington was organized June 5, 1902, with fifty thousand dollars capital, divided among fifty-seven share-holders. The first directors were Chas. Ohngemach, David McLaugh- lin, H. E. McCollum, Sam Thompson, J. C. F. Wead, J. T. Matthews, S. W. Brookhart, E. G. Wilson, S. A. White. The first officers were : Ohngemach,
R. R. Bowland
Shep. Farnsworth
A. W. Chilcote
PIONEER BANKERS
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATION
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
president : D. Mclaughlin, vice : S. A. White, cashier ; E. G. Wilson. assist- ant. Business was begun August 20, '02. The first statement. September 5, '02, showed assets, seventy-two thousand two hundred four dollars and eighty-three cents; loans eighteen thousand six hundred ninety-nine dollars and forty-nine cents : liabilities same as asset total, and deposits, twenty. one thousand thirty-four dollars and ninety-six cents. Statement February 20, '09, tells a contrasting story: Balance of resources and liabilities, two hundred thirty-five thousand four hundred ninety-eight dollars and seventy- three cents: loans, one hundred eighty thousand seven hundred fifty-eight dollars and fifty-five cents ; deposits, one hundred seventy-nine thousand one hundred twenty three dollars and thirty-four cents ; surplus, six thousand three hundred seventy-five dollars and thirty-nine cents.
Present Officers .- S. A. White, president ; S. Thompson, vice ; R. L .. Coulter, cashier : W. A. White, assistant. Directors : D. Mclaughlin, McCol- lum, Thompson, Brookhart, Matthews. H. A. Baxter, E. G. Wilson, D. A. Boyer, S. A. White.
The West Chester Savings Bank was organized in 1900 with twelve thousand dollars capital, divided among twenty-one stock-holders-D. A. and W. S. Boyer, G. C., W. J., A. L., and I. C. Mayer, C. A. Snyder, David Fisher, R. S. Warfel, O. F. Laubach, D. Bennett, Jas.' Daniels, J. L. Corman, S. J. and E. H. Statler, J. B. Crayne, R. F. McFarlane, S; C. Lewis, J. N. and M. E. Eyestone, J. N. Phillips, Thos. Shulty.
The statement of February 20, '09, gives the balance of assets and liabili- ties as one hundred forty-seven thousand three dollars and ninety-nine cents ; Deposits, one hundred twenty-one thousand two hundred nine dollars and seven cents ; loans, ninety-four thousand five hundred sixty-four dollars and twenty-one cents.
D. A. Boyer is president ; L. P. Jackson, cashier. The bank is a great con- venience to two of the heaviest stock shippers in the county-Fisher and Munro.
The Ainsworth Savings Bank started with twenty thousand dollars cap- ital, January 28. '90; E. W. White, president; T. Y. Wickham, vice; A. E. Spalding, cashier ; G. R. Parkinson, assistant. Directors : White, S. D. Miller, D. P. Van Horn, Wickham, W. A. Walker. J. F. McCall. On October 27, 91, the authorized capital stock was increased to fifty thousand dollars, and fifteen thousand dollars more stock was sold. making a total of thirty-five thousand dollars, which the bank now has. Balance of assets and liabilities June 30, '90, was forty-one thousand five hundred nine dollars and twenty cents ; loans twenty-eight thousand five hundred and eighty dollars : deposits, twenty-one thousand five hundred nine dollars and twenty cents.
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IIISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
Balance of same, February 20, 1900, was two hundred one thousand two hundred sixty-seven dollars and thirty-nine cents, of which loans were one hundred forty-four thousand nine hundred ninety-six dollars and seventy- three cents ; and deposits, one hundred thirty-five thousand two hundred eighty-nine dollars and eleven cents : surplus, thirty thousand dollars.
Present officers: W. A. Walker, president ; I. L. Colthurst, vice ; A. E. Sands, cashier. Directors: Walker, Colthurst, S. C. Pearson, W. W. Moore, C. C. Raymond, T. H. Barns, Sands.
The Brighton National Bank was organized in '72 with fifty thousand dol- . lars capital : R. C. Risk, president ; \V. H. Lloyd, vice ; J. WV. Prizer, cashier. It changed to a state bank in '94. The statement in '75 shows the balance of assets and liabilities as one hundred thirty-eight thousand seven hundred fifteen dollars and fifty-eight cents : loans. fifty-two thousand five hundred ninety-one dollars and eighty-nine cents ; deposits, thirty-eight thousand five hundred sixty-one dollars and thirty-nine cents. The contrasting statement for 1909 gives a like balance at three hundred seventy-two thousand seven hundred and twenty-one dollars : loans, two hundred ninety thousand seven hundred ninety dollars and sixty-three cents : deposits, three hundred ten thousand five hundred seven dollars and fifty-four cents ; surplus, twelve thousand two hundred thirteen dollars forty-one cents.
Present officers : C. H. Lloyd, president : A. E. Horton, vice ; W. H. Lloyd, cashier.
The National Bank of Brighton, Brighton, Iowa, was organized in 1900 by C. H. and C. M. Keck, M. C. Terry et al ; chartered Angust 25, 1900, opened for business December I following, with Dr. Terry, president ; J. L Downs, vice : Frank R. Sage, cashier. Downs was succeeded by J. H. Bull, who served till his death in '06. and Geo. Savage became vice-president, and A. B. Endicott followed Sage in '02. Henry F. Tracy was cashier a few months in 1903-4 while Endicott was absent. Original capital, twenty-five thousand dollars. paid tip. On December 24. '06, the stock-holders voluntarily liquidated and turned the business over to The Savings Bank of Brighton, Brighton, Iowa. December 31, '06. Said Savings Bank was organized in 1906 by the interests then owning the National ; capital, twenty thousand dol- lars : surplus, five thousand dollars, and began business January 2, '07. of- ficered thus : M. C. Terry, president : Geo. Savage, vice ; Endicott, cashier, and they still serve. Directors : Terry, Savage, R. E. L. McClintic, J. A. Lemley, G. P. Madden, D. F. Berry, Carl M. Keck.
First statement December 13, 1900; loans, two hundred ninety-seven dollars and ninety-four cents : deposits, six thousand eight hundred forty-one dollars and thirty-eight cents. Last statement, March 18, '09 ; loans, one hun-
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dred ten thousand four hundred seventy-eight dollars and sixty-three cents ; deposits, one hundred thousand three hundred sixty-one dollars and twenty cents. The bank owns its building and equipment, worth over five thousand dollars.
The Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank of Haskins was organized about 1903 with thirteen thousand dollars capital. Its statement, May 18, '09, shows a balance of resources and liabilities of seventy-two thousand nine hundred thirty dollars and thirty-four cents ; and the loans are, sixty-four thousand nine hundred nine dollars and eleven cents; and deposits, fifty-six thousand three hundred forty-five dollars and eighty-five cents. J. C. Jones is cashier, and three of the directors are L. F. Woodburn, W. F. Gardner, S. A. Sands. This bank failed to respond to a call for a statement in this history, and the above is all we could get.
The Rubio Savings Bank was formed July 2, '06, with ten thousand dol- lars capital. F. H. Feltz, president ; H. A. Luithly, vice; L. B. Luithly, cashier. Directors : Jos. Augustine, Marsh W. Bailey, C. B. Morgan, F. R. Feltz, H. A. Luithly, J. H. Ramge, J. L. Stein. The footings in the last state- ment were fifty-three thousand seven hundred seven dollars and thirty-three cents, of which loans were twelve thousand eight hundred thirteen dollars and seventy-one cents ; deposits, forty-three thousand seven hundred seven dollars and thirty-three cents.
The Wellman Savings Bank, on May 1, 1888, began a general banking business under the supervision of H. G. Moore. For a year it was a private bank. On September 1, '89, it was organized as a savings bank with ten thousand dollars paid up capital. C. O. Nichols, president ; J. W. Gemmill, vice : H. G. Moore, cashier ; Chas. Grassell, W. P. Gardner, W. A. Downing, W. A. Shepard, directors. The deposits then were twenty thousand dollars, loans about the same. The business increased so that more capital was needed, and on July 26, '99, as deposits were one hundred eighty-seven thousand three hundred sixty-two dollars and twenty-seven cents, with total footings of two hundred twenty-four thousand four hundred seventy-five dollars and eleven cents, the capital was made twenty-five thousand dollars. At this date the deposits are four hundred fifty thousand dollars, with total footings of over half a million; loans and discounts, three hundred eighty- five thousand dollars ; surplus fund, twenty-five thousand dollars. The bank has paid thirty-two dividends. Present officers : J. H. Romine, president ; H. W. Deuker, vice; H. G. Moore, cashier ; W. A. Downing, W. P. Gardner, Jesse Longwell, I. N. Carr, W. W. Sigler, directors, with these additional stockholders-J. B. Lloyd, J. H. Crawford. J. F. Romine, H. M. Eicher. J.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
M. Shomberg, C. C. and R. W. Yoder, J. V. Hoefert, M. L. Webster and Wm. Nuttall, trustee for the 1. W. Nuttall estate.
Cashier M. C. Struble of the Wellman Security Savings Bank did not re- spond to either of three invitations to give his bank's status and history, and I am sorry that this bank exhibit is somewhat crippled by a very partial state- ment, gathered from the bank's last statement, which reveals that its capital is twenty-five thousand dollars; deposits, two hundred thirty two thousand six hundred four dollars and sixty-two cents ; loans, two hundred twenty-four thousand nine hundred ninety-six dollars and thirty-two cents, footings of assets and liabilities, two hundred sixty-one thousand eight hundred ninety dollars and thirteen cents each. W. T. Hamilton is president : C. B. Hamilton, vice, and among the directors are J. H. Klockenteger, W. B. Darnell, N. B. Gardner. The bank dates from June 15, '96.
The bank has always paid its entire earnings to its stockholders each year, and they have received an amount equal to the paid-up capital.
Wm. H. Palmer began a private banking business in Kalona in '89, and in '92 he and B. F. Allen, Chas. Liebig, A. Mellinger, S. E. Parker, Phil. E. Shaver, and W. H. Smith organized the Kalona Savings Bank with ten thousand dollars capital. Shaver was president ; Mellinger, vice ; Palmer, cashier. The present officers are : L. G. Shaver, president : B. F. Allen, vice ; Palmer, cashier ; Geo. A. Eglin, assistant. Directors : Allen, Il. A. Mellinger. Palmer, Eglin, Shaver and John P. Wagner. The last statement gives bal- ances, two hundred ninety-seven thousand nine hundred forty-eight dollars and eleven cents; loans two hundred eighteen thousand nine hundred sixty-one dollars and seventy-two cents ; and deposits, two hundred eighty thousand nine hundred forty-seven dollars and thirty-six cents.
The Farmers Savings Bank of Kalona issued a statement the first year, whose footings were forty-one thousand five hundred twenty-nine dollars and eighty-eight cents ; loans twenty-one thousand eight hundred sixty-three dollars and sixty-five cents ; and deposits, thirty thousand three hundred seventy dollars and eighty-eight cents ; capital, ten thousand dollars. The con- trasting statement of May 18, '00, gave said footings, two hundred three thou- sand eight hundred eleven dollars and twenty-four cents, of which loans were one hundred sixty-three thousand five hundred seventy-six dollars and forty- two cents, and deposits, one hundred eight-five thousand five hundred thirty- six dollars and fourteen cents. The bank began business in September, '99. with ten thousand dollars capital. The officers are: C. M. Keck, president , L. E. Edmondson, vice : F. E. Skola, cashier ; and Wm. O'Loughlin, assistant.
The Citizens Savings Bank of Riverside, organized in '92, began business May 23, the stockholders being John Mentzer, John Lohberger, Joseph, Albert
5 WASHINGTON BRANCH 5 STATE BANK OF IOWA, PAY 40 BEARER FIVE CENTS, Iu Currency when presented in summe of One Dollar.
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CURRENCY CHECKS IN 1862
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATION
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
and Frank Critz, F. J. and Gregory Schnoebelen, Moses Dawson, G. F. Wie- land, Nicola & Harmon, Peter Gerot, John and F. X. Scherrer, W. H. Cress. First directors: Joseph Critz, Mentzer, Lohberger, Dawson, F. J. Schnoe- belen. The capital stock always, fifteen thousand dollars. First statement. October, '92, footed up in assets and liabilities, twenty-nine thousand eight hundred forty-nine dollars and nine cents, the loans being, twenty-one thou- sand thirty-seven dollars and ninety-two cents ; and deposits, twelve thousand ninety-nine dollars and three cents. The first officers were: Mentzer, presi- dent ; Lohberger, vice; S. F. Critz, cashier. The present officers are : G. F. Wieland, president ; Anthony Yeggy, vice ; Frank Critz, cashier ; Leo C. Critz, his assistant. The directors now are: Wieland, Leo Critz, Yeggy, Richard Heitzman, A. Lear. The last statement, May 18, 'og, gives a balance or footings in assets and liabilities of one hundred sixty-seven thousand nine hundred ninety-two dollars and sixteen cents, in which figure loans one hun- dred forty-five thousand three hundred eighty-one dollars and eighty-one cents, and deposits, one hundred forty-six thousand ninety-six dollars and seventy-five cents.
The Riverside Savings Bank was established in '88. W. B. Boyd, presi- dent ; John Mentzer, vice: Jesse Boyd, cashier ; D. A. Fesler, assistant. Directors : Mentzer, W. B. Ford, F. A. Druff, D. A. Fesler, F. P. Davidson, The first statement gave bills receivable, thirteen thousand nine hundred seventy-three dollars and fifty cents ; deposits, four thousand eighty-two dol- lars and fifty cents ; cash, two thousand six hundred twenty seven dollars and thirty-three cents ; due from banks, one thousand four hundred eighteen dol- lars and forty-one cents ; undivided profits, two hundred twenty-four dol- lars and sixty-nine cents ; capital stock, ten thousand dollars. Present of- ficers : D. A. Fesler, president ; J. S. Bailey, vice ; H. F. Griffin, cashier ; Vic- toria Saforek, assistant. Directors: Fesler, Bailey, Wm. Tener. M. W. Truxaw, Jos. Kiefer. The statement for October 1, '08 gives bills receivable, one hundred thousand six hundred seventy-five dollars and fifty-seven cents ; deposits, one hundred thirty-seven thousand, five hundred sixty-three dollars ; cash, three thousand five hundred forty-four dollars and forty-two cents ; due from banks, thirty-six thousand six hundred seventy-two dollars and thirty- four cents ; undivided profits, four thousand five hundred sixteen dollars and eight cents.
The First Savings Bank of Crawfordsville was organized September 28, '08, with fifteen thousand dollars capital. The officers are: Elias Williams, president ; M. D. Maxwell, vice ; J. R. Rickey, cashier and Trude Rickey, as- sistant. Directors: Williams, Maxwell, G. W. Nickolaus, A. A. DeLong, W. P. Davidson, J. H. Huston, H. E. Davis, A. S. Lunquist, W. K. Wooley.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
First statement, October 26, '08, gives the footings at ninety-four thousand five hundred eleven dollars and eighty-five cents, of which the loans were forty-five thousand six hundred forty six dollars and ninety-seven cents, and the deposits seventy-nine thousand five hundred eleven dollars and eighty-five cents. Statement, June 18, '09, gives growth in the footings, one hundred fifty-five thousand three hundred and thirteen dollars and forty-three eents ; loans, one hundred one thousand four hundred ninety-four dollars and fifty- one cents ; deposits, fifty-five thousand eight hundred ninety dollars and ninety cents.
The lack of money made small difference and little inconvenience to the pioneer- and later old settlers. Out here they were ahead of civilization- ahead of railroads, canals, telegraphis, steam navigation, scientific agriculture, markets, telephones, daily mails, etc. Letter postage was twenty-five cents, but they rarely wrote letters anyhow, nor did they travel, and why telegraph ? There were no local bucket shops to swindle themselves in, and no board of trade in Chicago-why jerk tamed lightning juice thither ? Civilization long since caught up with people, and went ahead of them, and will never lag behind again. Railroads now run through vast areas of country scantily populated. They have distanced emigration. What did the pioneers need money for? If a farmer drove stock or wagoned grain to Muscatine and Burlington, and exchanged them for provisions to haul home as ballast, that was barter, and it was plenty good enough for such slow coaches and slower cold molasses as the pioneers were, compared with their hustling descendants. Or they could get goods "on tick" for a year, till they could drive and haul down more stock and wheat. Local merchants were trusted a year. Credit is just as good as cash to the debtor. isn't it? Our merchants did not buy goods in Chicago till 1858, when railroad and telegraph came in, and no exchange was issued till Everson opened his small jack-pot in '55. About '62. Howard M. Holden issued a little less than one thousand five hundred dollars in shin-plaster small change, in five, ten, twenty-five and fifty-cent cards, green, yellow, red and pink colored, respectively. The Press printed all but the twenty-five's, E. B. Bolens of the Democrat printing those, and they were out till April 1, '63, when they were redeemed on presentation, the govern- ment at the latter date issuing postal currency. Specimens of Holden's fiat money are sent by Irving Keck to our county historical society.
Insurance .- In July, '67, the Home Fire Insurance Co. was organized in the Farmers and Merchants Bank. J. H. Wilson, president ; John Bryson, vice ; C. H. Wilson, secretary ; S. G. Owen, treasurer, with these other stock- holders : J. A. Henderson, Wm. Wilson, Jr., J. R. Davis, Dr. Chileote, Hugh Smith, Judge Brown, V. W. Andrus, Robert Dawson, Dr. McKee, J. F.
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 3-5
McJunkin. It lasted perhaps a half dozen years and was not a marked suc- cess. One of its agents was Rev. Father Twining, a dry humorist. When asked if he had to lie a bit in the business, he said, "No," but added with a shrewd grin, "we have to prevaricate some now and then."
On February 20, '83, the Washington County Farmers Mutual Insurance Association was organized, and it was re-incorporated February II, 1903. This proved popular, and from the first it knocked out, in the country, the agents of all the town and state companies. Rates were very low in the Mutual, and most farmers sought its protection to buildings and stock, and losses were promptly met. An immense business was and is done, at small cost.
Most of the stock losses are due to lightning. In storms, stock go before it to the limit of the wire fences, huddle there, and the bolt follows the wire till it leaps thence and strikes animals. Farmers could easily ground the wires and ward off such accidents. Barbed wire fences have much evil to answer for.
Old time life insurance companies have been crippled, in towns, by fra- ternal societies offering co-operative insurance. Probably nine-tenths of the policies carried in this city and county are in these societies.
23
CHAPTER XVI.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO BACK THERE?
Say to universal horseback riding, sitting on saddlebags, as all doctors and travellers did?
Or to the early time when horse-racing was the main means of recreation, dissipation and gambling, a passion we got from the Indians? And when men wore moccasins to meetings, or went barefoot or in ox wagons ?
Or to the old-fashioned winters, say those of '55 and '59, when snow lay deep and for long, and mercury went to thirty-five and forty-five below zero and stock perished in barnyards and humans had to be brisk in thin houses to keep blood in flow ; when farmers discharged a hand if he could not skin cattle as fast as they froze ; when snow was too deep to allow passage to the ceme- tery, and coffins were in some places put in the cold storage of drifts till spring ; when in the sleazy cabins men got out of bed, mornings, to crawl from under a snow bank or dig through a drift on the floor to start a fire in fireplaces or stoves ; when by New Year's ice was fourteen, sixteen, even thirty and thirty-two inches thick.
To a time when boys wore stogey boots, heavy and coarse, the hides tanned at home, made up by a cobbler coming to the house, who sewed with a wax-end and bristle and held the pegs in his mouth. Boots wet by day, drying out at night, and stiffer than dried codfish in the morning; you couldn't get into them until they were greased with tallow. Ever try to black 'em, Sunday, over that tallow ? Fine calf boots were worn by men who could afford them, and they had high heels and the tops were ornamented with moons and stars, and colored silks were stitched in, in fancy patterns, and perhaps there were flossy tassels. The cobbler shod the whole family. In summer all went barefoot. The man measured the foot with a twig or stick that was stepped on and had a notch cut at heel and toe, and the boot had to fit then. Heads were measured with a string for caps, and the size marked by knots. The boys and girls could braid hats up to twelve straws wide, and they made their head-gear.
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111STORY OF WASINGTON COUNTY
Or to the pewter age when folk wore buckskin, jeans, linsey woolsey, hoops, tilters, sunbonnets with pasteboard slats, brocaded shawls, ruffled shirts, stocks as ties, plug hats of queer shapes, when a house without spinning wheel, loom, etc., was not furnished, where women spun wool on a flax wheel, and carded wool, wove cloth, measured, cut goods, sewed garments, and they could look a sheep serenely in the face. Whir of wheel, bang of shuttle, click of knitting needles, were the domestic music. Families made their own clothes. Women spun and wove. Mrs. John Brier, in Brighton, in 1838, worked a rude loom her husband made with a broad ax. In Iowa township, in '42, Mrs. Catherine Marling was weaving carpet, jeans and linen. In Seventy-six township Mrs. Jane Patterson did the first weaving. Women's work was never done-eternally cooking in pots on cranes in fireplaces, or in Dutch ovens, or in brick ovens outside. If nothing else to do, scour tin ware with sand, scrub puncheon floors and scatter sand on them and work odd designs in the sand with brooms made of hickory saplings doctored as they knew how. If all else failed, they could make dry or jug yeast, dry sweet corn, apples, pumpkin strips, in the sun, braid onion tops, string red and green peppers, gather medicinal herbs to hang on rafters, make soft soap, getting lye from wood ashes to cut grease and boil to a jelly in a big kettle out doors, near a line fence beyond which another woman was doing likewise. the eyes of both smarting with smoke and their noses dripping sap. If still there was nothing to do, they could rest themselves patching quilts, and now and then neighbor women came in to a quilting bee and all talk at once, gossip. turn up a rough seam of conduct in somebody, remark "la." winding up with a tea, each drinking several cups hotter'n blazes and strong enough to hold up a brick. Really they wobbled home quite jagged on the cup that cheers and does mildly inebriate. They saved the spools to make What-nots. Girls were brought up in the belief that all that was proper life, and they were ashamed to marry before they could cook, sew, spin, make their wardrobes and quilts and b'ile soap. Then wed, have a dozen children, work like slaves, age pre- maturely, and at last go to heaven-to rest. No illusions along that path ? What fun was there in so much of that ?
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