Connecticut western news., 1873-04-18
How they Live.

An English farm laborer told dread | full story before a Board of Examiners. At eighteen he had followed the blow, working from six in the morning until ten at night without having twopenny- worth of food in him, and little sour cider, which was called 'sperquisites. D It was the third runnings. The wages were seven shillings week. "The Iiv- ing was tea-kettle broth for breakfast. Two or three little pieces of bread were put ln the breakfast pot, which held three quarts, and then the bread was soaked with hot water. For dinner they got few potatoes and q square inch of bacon fried in the pan for family of seven, the fat going on the potatoes. and the meat being the fathers dinner. For tea they soaked burned bread, and put little treacle on it, that being carried to the husband in the field by the wo- man. For supper they got little pieces of bread and skim milk cheese. As for dwellings, I have known thirteen hud- ding together in one room on what they called 8 sshakedown,' like hounds in a kennel. Last week I spoke to an old man at YeoV, whose master told him he could not give him more than five shil- hngs week, and who said he was then literally starving. will do my best to elevate my coantrymen, and run the risk of the horse-pond.
 This arrow which Mitchell let fy, re- ferred to the speech which the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol recently made. in which he advised the farmers to 'sduck in the horse-pond'' any agitator that came into their neighborhood to make their laborers dissatisfied. It is now called "+he bishops baptism"
 An investigation in Somersetshire presented gloomier picture even than that which the farm hand drew. At one of the meetings held in that country Charles Wright. described as an elderly man, was examined and cross examined. as follows:
 Question. ''Have you been farm laborer all your ife?" Aaaswer. "Yes."
 2. ''Do you remember when the standing wages for the best men were seven shillings a week ?" 4. "Yes." GA voice: "I do; six Shillings.
 2. '"The laborer twenty years of age had only seven shillings ?" 4. "Yes."
 Q. seDid you everhave parish relief?" 4. ''When my wife died I had little. She left me with seven children"
 2. "Your wages some ten or eleven years ago were raised to eight shillings a week ?" 4. 'sYes and last summer they were ten shillings"
 Q. "After harvest did your master say to you, There's five shillings a week for you if you continue to live with me if not, go home?' Is that true ?'' 4. 'Yes, it is.'
 Q. "How much house rent did you have to pay out of that ?" 4. "One shilling and sevenpence half-penny week."
 2. "On wet days were your wages paid ?'' 4. "No {; I lost the time"
 Q. "When you were at harvest till ten or eleven o'clock did you get any thing extra ?'' 4. 'tNo." GA voice: "A quart of sour elderly
 Here the chairman asked if any one wished to put any further questions. A gentleman called out that his father had once worked for nine shillings a week, and was now worth G2, 1000. Abra- ham Burt was next examined. His ex- perience repeated that of the above as to wages. He was then asked how many children he had.
 4. "Six."
 O. "How many bedrooms have you ?" 4. "One."
 Q. "How many bedsteads ?" 4. Two"
 Q. "Do you all sleep in one room ?" "Yes j"