OLD HOMESTEAD 



pay for their anti-slavery and temperance heresies. Although 

 the building was too strongly tainted with these political heresies 

 to be paid for, they continued to use it through the remainder 

 of their moribund existence as a church. 



Just what the building cost I am unable to state, but perhaps 

 from fifteen to eighteen hundred dollars, which was then a great 

 deal of money, and to Mr. Pitkin and father meant debt and 

 embarrassment for many years. Who got the most money into 

 the unfortunate venture I do not know, but suspect it was father, 

 for the reason that he always assumed the management and 

 control of the property, and I know he would not have done so 

 or been allowed to do so unless he was a majority owner. 



To square up the debts which had been incurred in its 

 building added to the mortgage already on the farm, and was a 

 source of trouble and discomfort to the whole family for many, 

 many years. It was not an easy thing to pay off debts in those 

 days, with cheese at five cents a pound and butter at twelve and 

 one-half cents, and interest at seven per cent. That debt lasted 

 until our parents were both broken down, and until all the 

 children had a chance to help in its payment. It was a foolish 

 move, actuated by religious zeal and public spirit, of which 

 mother never spoke with any sort of complacence or resignation. 



The old churchless meeting-house became quite an institution 

 in its way, and obtained quite a reputation. It was always open 

 for temperance or anti-slavery lectures, which could not be said 

 of the hide-bound regular churches of the town. For many 

 years the Methodists had no church of their own and were 

 allowed to use this, on what terms I do not know. They proba- 

 bly paid little or nothing, for the reason that father always kept 

 control and opened the doors to all itinerant reformers, revival- 

 ists, singing schools, concerts, exhibitions and ''moral shows" 



131 



