by U. B. Webster, 1893; written for the Farmer's Institute in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Things are not now as they used to be
For progress is making us wise you see,
For a day of progress is over the land
And we see its results on every hand.
Yes, the things of our youth have passed away,
For "Every dog must have his day,"
So the tallow dip has yielded to gas,
And that old fire-place has gone, alas!
The "old oaken bucket" and well sweep, too,
At the old red farmhouse no more we view,
That threshing machine that piled the chaff
Today would make all the people laugh,
For a traction engine has come this way
That knocks out two thousand bushels a day.
And a sulky plow on which to ride,
On all modern farms is the farmer's pride...[tbc]
tallow dip: "The wick -- a few
threads of flax, hemp, or cotton, lightly twisted or plaited -- was dipped
in melted tallow and allowed to cool, again and again, until the candle
had a desired thickness. During colonial times in this country, every housewife made a supply of candles in autumn. Candle rods, each with a row of wicks, were
repeatedly dipped in big iron kettles of boiling water and melted tallow,
That was an all-day back-breaking job. Neater results were obtained by
pouring the tallow into pewter molds made for from 6 to 24 candles."
old oaken bucket: Reference to a wooden well bucket, and also to a well-known 1818 song: "...e'en the rude bucket that hung in the well./The old oaken bucket, the iron bound bucket,/The moss covered bucket that hung in the well [and gave us all cholera --ed.]."
well sweep: "A well sweep is a device used to bring water up from a well. The term, "sweep" refers to the long pole which is lowered until the bucket on the end goes down into the well and fills with water." Dates back to Egyptian times if not further.
traction engine: Steam engine tractor. Yes, running on steam power!
sulky plow: Plow that you sit on, basically.
4 comments :
You'll please forgive my defining terms that I know you're familiar with--I was not, though, so I had to look stuff up, which is cool since I learned a couple things. Anyways, more to come.
The well sweep got me thinking. Now days we mostly see some kind of windlass for raising a bucket from a well. But if I had to build something, or had to use it every day, one long pivoting pole seems a lot easier.
Fritz: you are right, it's a very good simple machine in its way. Has been used, as you know, for thousands of years, and was apparently used right here in Michigan in days gone by.
I really enjoyed this poem. Made me a tad bit misty for a time I wasn't even a part of...
I feel stupid, but what exactly is tallow? Is it animal fat?
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