The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-12-17
English Cottages.

An article in Fraser'S, on ''The Labor
er's Daily Life" gives pleasant descrip-
ton of class of laborers' cottages often
seenin England:
sSOme of these cottages, in summer time,
really approach something of that Arct-
dian beauty which is supposed TO prevail
in the country. Every thing, of coarse.
depends upon the character of theinmateS.
The dull tint of the thatch is relieved here
and there by great patches OF sillgreen,
which Is religiOuSly preserved as a good
herb, though the exact ailments for which
it Is good are often forgotten One end Of
the cottage is often completely hidden with
ivy, and woodbine grows in thickeSt pro-
fusion over the porch. Near the door there
are almost always a few cabbage-roSe
trees, and under the windows grow wall
flowers and hOllyhocks, sweet peas. CO.
lumbine and sometimes the graceful lilies
of the valley. The garden stretches in
long strip from the door, one mass of
green. IL is incloSed by thick hedges,
over which the dog-roSe grows, and the
wild-convolvIlus will blossom in the au-
tumn. Trees fill up every available space
and cOrner-apple-trees, pear-ueeS, dam
sons, plums, bullaceS-all varieties. The
| cOttagers seem to like TO have at least one
! tree of every sort. These trees look very
U
! som is out, and again in the autumn, when
| the fruit is ripe. Under the trees are
gooseberry-bushes, raspberries, and num-
bers of currants. The patches are divided
into strips, producing potatoes, cabbage.
I lettuce, onions, raCisheS, parSnipS; IN this
kitchen produce. as with fruit, they like to
possess few ofal kinds. There is gen
orally great bunch of rhubarb. In odd
corners there are sure To be
few specimens of southern-wOOd, mug
wort, and other herbs, not for use, but
from adherence to the old customs. The
old people thought much Of these
'yherbs,' so they must have some, too, as
well as little mint and similar pOtherbS.
In the windows you may see two or three
geraniums, and. over the porch, wicker
cage. in which the 'ousel-cock, with orange
tawny bill, pours out his rich, melOdiOus
notes. There is hardly a cottage without
its captive bird, or tame rabbit, or mongrel
cur, which seems as much attached to his
master as more high-bred dogs to their
owners.
"These better cottages are extremely
pleasing TO look upon. There is an old
English, homely look about them. know
man now whose cottage is Ornamented
much in the way have described, a man
of sixty, who can neither read nor write,
anu II Iuut anu ulCOult III SlNNNhf ' ANN
every thing about him seems pleasant and
happy. To my eye, the thatch and gables.
and picturesque irregularity of this class of
cottages, are more pleasing than the
modern glaring red, prim slate of dwell
ings built to order, where every thing Is
cut with precise uniformity. If man
can be encouraged to build his own house,
depend upon it, it is better for him and his
neighbOrS than that he should live in one
which is not his own. The sense of owner
ship engenders pride in the place. and all
his better feelings are called into play.
Some of these cOttagers, living in such
houses as these, are the very best labOrcrS
to be had. They stay on one farm life
time, and never leave it-an invaluable aid
to a farmer. They frequently possess
some little special knowledge of carpenter
ing or blackSmith's work, which renders
them extremely useful, and at the same
time increases their earnings. These men
are the real, true peasantry, quiet and
peaceful, yet strong and courageous
These are the class that should be encOur-
aged by every possible means a man who
keeps his little habitatiOn in the state |
have described, who ornaments il within,
and fills his garden with fruit and flowers,
though he may be totally unable TO read
or TO speak correctly, Is nevertheless
good and useful citizen, and AN addition to
tie stability of the State"