MEMORIES OF THE 



small, particularly in the exchanges made in the ash accounts, 

 in which ashes were the principal item of credit, although man}' 

 other things entered into the accounts. This was something 

 the\^ could realize on while clearing their lands, and there were 

 none so poor but that they had some to sell, either from the 

 house, field or sugar-bush. They were worth from ten to twelve 

 and a half cents per bushel for house ashes and from five to 

 seven cents for field ashes. 



There are more debits in the ash accounts for tobacco and 

 tea than any other articles, tobacco leading. Nearly every cus- 

 tomer used tobacco or had some one working for him that did. 



In the mill accounts, stone-boat plank and sled-crooks are 

 very frequent. The stone-boat played a very important part in 

 the second clearing of their lands from rock and stone, as did 

 the log-boat in clearing off the timber. 



The articles next in demand after tobacco and tea were 

 spelling-books and English readers, and occasionally a Daboll's 

 arithmetic, the spelling-book leading all other books ten to one. 

 This, more than anything else found in the books, tells the story 

 of the character of the settlers. With only a dollar or two 

 coming from their ashes, among the very first things purchased 

 as absolute necessities is found Webster's spelling-book. Noah 

 Webster's spelling-book was a combination of elementary gram- 

 mar, reading and spelling, and included much information besides 

 spelling. Sixty-two millions of its various editions were sold, 

 and as an educator it outdid any book ever published in America 

 and probably in the whole world. 



There appeared to be no illiteracy whatever. No one made 

 his mark ; they could all read and write, but their book educa- 

 tion was confined to the simplest English branches. Calling 

 to aid my memory in inspecting these old records, I discover 



26 



