| OCR Text |
Show PEWS IN OLD MEETING HOUSE. Aflec, Sexes and Conditions Careefully Segregated by Our Ancestors. Around thrco sides about on a lovel with tho pulpit In tho old mooting houso at Hntflold extended tho gal lories, renchid by staircases on tho northenst and southeast cornors, whero In tho front seats sat tho singers, sing-ers, trebles on tho north and basses on tho south, and counters nnd tenors on tho oast Tho next two rows of seatB were occupied by children, girls In tho north and boys In tho south, and frolicsome, youngsters they were, If wo may Judgo by the froquoncy with which tho town was obliged to renew tho brass tips to tho staves of the tithing men, three of whom wero always al-ways on duty to keop tho youth from disorder. Hohlnd tho children nnd still hlghor, in squaro pews against tho wall, sat tho young men and maidens, tho lattor on tho north nnd tho former on tho south. One gallery pow was reserved for colored nion and one for colored women,' nnd, queerest of nil, a high square pow ovor tho north stairway was assigned to old maids and a similar sim-ilar pow over tho south stairs to old bachelors. Just how many yours those two clasn.es had to number before thoy wero promoted from tho lower seats In tho synngoguo tho record do not state, but that they sat In thoso exalted ex-alted seats Samuol Dwlght Partrldgo, to whom wo are Indobted for tho description de-scription of the old meeting house, assures as-sures us Is boyond question. The square pows on the floor wero assigned to householders, according to wealth nnd social position. Springfield Union. |
