The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-06-03
Il BUTCH CONSTABLE.

- DUTCH CONSTABLE.
After looking over the farm VIC
were taken toward the house, and
entered a large door leading into an
enormous room, tic like Of which VIC
had never 7seh Tie walls were
neatly whitcwashcd. The little w.
dows were hung with white cuct2:n:.
Along each wall was strip Of clear
) rick work, and next to this wh:-~-
washed gutter; then came, f.. t.
width 9f about six feet, flooring OF
handsome old Dutch *iles, well laid
then two rows Of upright posts, the
use Of which was not at all obvious.
Between these rowe Of posts was
wide passage-way leading the whole
length Of the hall. There were sew
eral tables, on which were bright
utensils and some handsome articles
of pottery. We congratulated our
selyes on seeing the largest and clean
est dairy we had ever met with, but,
on second look, the absence Of milk,
and Of the evidence Of daily use, led
us to inquire, and, we found to our
surprise, that we were in the COW
stable, which had been put in order
for the summer. Except for the
stanchions and tying-poles, and the
gutter behind the stalls, there was
nothing to indicate the use intended.
Like all Dutch cow-stables of the
old style, this was in summer the
| showroom of the establishment. The
tiles are considered a great luxury;
| but few families use them. General
ly, their place is taken by neatly
broomed white sand. The central
alley is aoored with bricks, and just
IN front Of the tying-posts there is a
depression or gutter, also of brick.
These drinking cutters slope very
slightly from one end to the other.
Water is pumped in at the upper end,
and is let off at pleasure at the other.
The COWS stand on raised earthen
floor, supported by a brick wall at its
rear end. 1t is this cattle floor which
is in summer covered with movable
tiles; the manure trough is quite
deep, and contains the solid drop
pings until they are removed in a
barrow. The urine flows off to the
underground receptacle which collects
all the liquid refuse Of the establish
ment, and which has pump for fl
ling the tank-cart by which the
meadows are sprinkled.
In the loft over the stable, the
cheeses are seasoned and prepared for
market. Back of this part of the
building are the cheese-factory, horse
stables, wagon-house, tool-sheds, etc.
Leaving these, and returning through
| the constable, we passed through a
glass door into a sitting-room with
some handsome articles of old furni-
ture. and ample evidence of neatness
and comfort. At one side Of this we
entered a little Office or library, where
we were shown handsome scientific
books and various old objects of in
terest, and were requested to inscribe
our names in the visitors book, which
had been we'll filed by travellers from
all parts Of the world. In the larger
room, opposite the glass door spoken
of, is fireplace, and over this a
large mirror. Here, Mr.. Sluls showed
US how he sits in winter toasting his
shins before the fire, and looking up
from his paper now and then to enjoy
the reflected view of his two rows Of
fine cattle, which seem almost members
of the family. We saw nothing fur
ther Of the house, and I am therefore
unable to refute or to verify the stor-
les that are told of the absurd clean
illness which is said to be inseparable
from Dutch housekeeping. So far as
we did see, everything was neat and
after its kind tasteful, and in good
wholesome humble order. The farm
er and his son were not distinguish
able in appearance, education (save
in languages), or general intelligence,
| from the better class Of New England
| farmers.
! Of from one corner of the COW
stable is dingy, cleanly, sweet-smel-
| ling room where the cheeses are
manufactured by burly, bare-armed
Dutchman-clean in his person, aud
very active ard business-like in his
movements. The making of round
cheeses, which we know as Edam or
Dutch cheese, is the great industry
Of all North HolIand.-Geo. E. War-
t,g, Jr., Scribner for June
WHISKY AND TOBACCO.