Sarah Eve, in her diary, writes in 1772, in a somewhat flippant manner: “R. Rush, P. Dunn, K. Vaughan, and myself carried Mr. Ash’s child to be buried; foolish custom for girls to prance it through the streets without hats or bonnets!” At the funeral of Fanny Durdin in 1812, the girl pall-bearers were dressed in white, and wore long white veils. CHAPTER IX. THEIR AMUSEMENTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS. Of amusements for women in the first century of colonial life, we can almost say there were none. There was in New England no card-playing, no theatre-going, no dancing. The solemn Thursday lecture was the sole mid-week gathering. Occasionally there was the excitement of Training Day. In the South the distances were too great from plantation to plantation for frequent friendly meetings. As time went on, coöperation in gathering and storing the various food-harvests afforded opportunities for social intercourse. Apple-parings and corn-huskings were autumnal delights, but when these were over, the chafing youth found no recreations through the long, snowy months in country homes, and but scant opportunity for amusement in town. No wonder that they turned eagerly to the singing-school, and found in that innocent gathering a safety-valve for the pent-up longing for diversion which burned in young souls then as now. We can but wonder how, ere the singing-school became a force, young New Englanders became acquainted enough with each other to think of marriage; and we can almost regard the establishment of the study of fugue and psalm singing as the preservation of the commonwealth. In Virginia the different elements of life developed characteristic pastimes, and by the first quarter of the eighteenth century there were opportunities of diversion offered for women. We have preserved to us an exact account of the sports which were enjoyed by both Virginian men and women. It may be found in the _Virginia Gazette_ for October, 1737:-- We have advices from Hanover County that on St Andrews Day there are to be Horse Races and several other Diversions for the entertainment of the Gentlemen and Ladies, at the Old Field, near Captain John Bickertons, in that County if permitted by the Hon Wm Byrd Esq Proprietor of said land, the substance of which is as follows viz: It is proposed that 20 Horses or Mares do run around a three mile course for a prize of five pounds. That a Hat of the value of 20s be cudgelled for, and that after the first challenge made the Drums are to beat every Quarter of an hour for three challenges round the Ring and none to play with their Left hand. That a violin be played for by 20 Fiddlers; no person to have the liberty of playing unless he bring a fiddle with him. After the prize is won they are all to play together and each a different tune, and to be treated by the company. That 12 Boys of 12 years of age do run 112 yards for a hat of the cost of 12 shillings.