AUNT DELIGHT'S SCHOOL.
PETER PARLEY'S
OWN STORY.
FROM THE PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF THE LATESAMUEL G. GOODRICH, ("PETER PARLEY.")
With Illustrations.
NEW YORK:
PUBLISHED BY SHELDON & COMPANY,
335 BROADWAY, COR. WORTH ST,
1864.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by
THE HEIRS OF S. G. GOODRICH,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, forthe Southern District of New York.
Electrotyped by Smith & McDougal, 82 & 84 Berkman St.
Printed by C. S. Westcott & Co., 79 John St.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
Birth and Parentage—The Old House—Ridgefield—The Meeting-house—ParsonMead—Keeler's Tavern—The Cannon-ball—LieutenantSmith
9
The New House—High Ridge—Nathan Kellogg's Spy-glass—The Shovel—TheBlack Patch in the Road—Distrust of British Influence—OldChich-es-ter—Aunt Delight—Return after Twenty Years
16
Ridgefield Society—Trades and Professions—Chimney-Corner Courtships—DomesticEconomy—Dram-drinking—Family Products—MollyGregory and Church Music—Travelling Artisans—Festival of theQuilts—Clerical Patronage—Raising a Church—The Retired Tailor andHis Farm
30
Habits of the People—Their Costume—Amusements—Festivals—Marriages—Funerals—Dancing—WinterSports—My Two Grandmothers—MechanicalGenius—Importance of Whittling—Pigeons—Sporting[iv]Adventures
45
Death of Washington—Jerome Bonaparte and Miss Patterson—SundayTravelling—Oliver Wolcott—Timothy Pickering—American Politenessquite natural—Locomotion—Public Conveyances—My Father's Chaise
58
The Upper and Lower Classes of Ridgefield—Master Stebbins and hisSchool—What is a Noun?—Deacon Benedict and his Man Abijah—MyLatin Acquirements—Family Worship—Widow Bennett—The Templeof Dagon
65
The Clergy of Fairfield—A Laughing Parson—The Three Deacons
79
Mat Olmstead, the Town Wit—The Salamander Hat—Solar Eclipse—TheOld Hen and the Philosopher—Lieutenant Smith—ExtraordinaryMeteor—Fulton and his Steam-boat—Granther Baldwin and hisWife—Sarah Bishop a