FEINBERG/WHITMAN LITERARY FILE Prose "Brookyniana: Pedlar, Literature, Shoemaker, Tailor" Box 36 Folder 3 (undated) A.MS. draft1047 Brooklynian: Pedlar, Literature, Shoemaker, Tailor. A. MS. (4p. 26 x 16, 32 X 15 cm.) Written in pencil of pale yellow sheets made by folding and tearing from larger pages, two of which are still joined, 87, 96, 141, 121=445 words: [1] The pedlar was of great importance. --He gave trust to the farmer's daughters.--He carried the news, gossip, marriages, deaths, public events, war, peace, murders, courtships, .-- Literature--what literature do you suppose there was eighty, sixty, [fifty forty] years ago--and even less that that ago?--No [swarms of] newspapers, magazines, books, histories, --no novels, poems, large leaves and little leaves, issuing in countless swarms, every week, and every day of the week, at two cents, or twenty five cents, or a dollar or half a dollar.-- / [2] [The Almanack] Every family of course had its Bible,--generally also a hymn book.--Then came the Almanack-a new one every year-- [over]1048 making a great store in the course of time.--[I remember] My mother [telling me] has told me of her eagerness and impatience when a new hymn book or almanack was brought home among [her and] her sisters, she being the youngest would have to [wait till] be the last one to examine it.--She could hardly wait.--Every page, every sentence was carefully read--[and] read with conscience, [and] slowly and seriously.-- / Fifty years ago in Brooklyn and every other part of Long Island, [it was customary for families] the shoemaker and the tailor went round to families, once a year. -- At a farmer's house, if he had a large family, he would stay a week, or longer, making [she] new shoes and mending old ones, --receiving his board, and, at the end, a [small] fair sum of money. --Then he would pack up his kit, and journey on or perhaps make the farmer carry him in a wagon to his next customer. -- The tailor also would have his annual time to come, and spend his week or fortnight, and make up the men's clothing, both for weekdays and Sundays. --All good farmer's families [we] spun and wove their own cloth. -- There were generally three kinds -- a rough strong kind for every / day wear in the field or barn or driving -- one piece for Sunday Clothes, to go to meeting, or to any parties, [mor?]Brooklyniana: Pedlar, etc.: 2 weddings, balls, frolics, or other "doings"--and still a third piece of homespun for stuff for women's wear.--This was a reddish brown or butternut color, of woollen, and would wear long.- The linen was also homemade--the flex being raised, pulled, carted, made in littke sheaves, trashed on a barrel, put out, dried, cracked, dressed, hetcheled, spun in skein, boiled, wove, bleached.--It was a great work to bleach the flax,--it had to be laid out in the grass in the sun, day after day, and sprinkled with a sprinkling pot.--The pedlar was of great importance. -- He gave trust to the farmer's daughters. -- He carried the news, gossip, marriages, deaths, public events, war, peace, murders, courtships. --- Literature - what literature do you suppose there was eighty -- sixty -- [forty fifty --] years ago? -- and even less than that ago? -- No swarms [of] news papers, magazines, books, histories, -- no novels, poems, large leaves, and little leaves, issuing in countless swarms, every week, and every day of the week, at two cents, or twenty-five cents, or a dollar or half a dollar.[The Almanack] Every Family of course had its Bible,- generally also a hymn book - Their came the Almanack- a new one every year- making a great store in the course of time. - I [remember] my mother [telling me] has told me of her eagerness and impatience when a new hymn = book or almanack was brought home among [her] [and] her sisters, she being the youngest would have to her [want till] the last one to examine it. - She could hardy wait. - Every page, every sentence was carefully read - [and] read with conscience, [and] slowly and seriously - Fifty years ago in Brooklyn and every other part of Long Island, It was customary for families the shoemaker and the tailor went round to families. Once a year. In a families house, if they have a large family, he would stay a week, or longer, making new shoes and mends old ones. -- receives his board, and, at the end, a fair sum of money. -- Then he would pack up his kit, and journey on to his next customer. or perhaps make the farmer carry him in a wagon The tailor also would have his annual time to come, and span his work on fortnight, and make up the men's clothing, but for weekdays and Sundays -- All good farmers families spun and wove their own clothes. There were generally three knits- a rough string kind for everyday wear in the field or barn or driving-- one piece for Sunday Clothes, to go to meeting, or to any parties, weddings, balls, frolics, or other "doings" -- and still a third piece [for] of homespun for stuffs for women's wear.-- This was a reddish brown or butternut color, of woollen, would wear long.-- The knew was also homemade-- made in little sheaves pulled [?arted] the flare being raised thrashed on a barrel put out, dried, crackled, dressed, [????] hetcheled, [rolled], spun in boiled, wove, bleached. It was a great work to bleach the flare, it had to be laid out in the grass in the sun, day and after day, and sprinkled with the sprinkle pot.