THE CHANGES OF A CENTURY.

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1489, 29 December 1884, Page 2

THE CHANGES OF A CENTURY.

It is not an easy matter to obtain a.-uuiate information of th« condition of the lal>oiir:i]<£iiiaii of to day is vas |y i-..|.rovi-d over tliose wijo lived in the days when the Republic was founded -nd the wars of tlie American Revolution were on. Both as regards wages and tin- comforts of the labouring man times are vastly changed for the bV.ter. In thn uwtter of dottles the stuff iv:is meaner, the f,v<l coarser, a^l wi^s were one-half what they areat present. A man who performed unskilled hbour sawed wood, mended roads, mixed mortar carried wood to the carpenter, or helped in lu.rv.-st time— received two shillings a day. If at the end of the week he took home to his family fifteen shillings— a sum now ahout four dollars he was lucky iud^ed. It was only l.y the strictest economy that the half-starved mechanic could raise his family. His dwelling pressed fV\v of the ornaments and refinements which decorate many a m>ch aiiic's home to day. Carpets were unheard of, sand sprinkled oh the (loor served instead. Glass and chinaware were unknown, aud pewter furnished the material for aP. the table ware. Matches were unheard of, and cooking stoves not invented. The wife struck a light with a ffint, or borrowed some coals from a neighbor, and cooked a rude coarse meal. He was lucky if lie tasted fresh meat once a Week. Corn was three shillings aI I'ushel, a pound of salt pork teuI p.-nce. Fruits were comparatively unknown. Cantaloupes, tomatoes,, rhulurh, cauli-flowers. eggplant lettuce and many varieties of pears aud peaches, were unheard of one hundred year* ago, and such luxuries as oranges and bananas were unknown, even to the rich, while the box grapa was the only delicacy in the grape line, that came into the market. The clothing of the citizens was such as no tramp weuld wear nowadays. Coarse leather breeches, a checked shirt, red flannel jacket, rusty hat cocked at the corners, shoes of neatskin set off with brass huckles, and a leather apron, completed the citizen's scant wardrobe. The leather was greased to keep it soft and flexible.