Milford chronicle., 1883-02-09
AN ENGLISH VILLAGE.
The Ways and Means OF the People in 1t
An Interesting Description.

typical one IN DeVonShlfe-lS usually
almost entirely owned by one or perhaps
two of the county gentlemen. In this
case the esquire" who lived at B
Hall, a very fine old place five miles
from the village, owned nearly every
house in the place. The village con
sisted of one long street, from which
various lanes or roadways branched in
different directions. There was a neat
little railway station, bit of common,
pond with some fine willows, and two
or three places of worship, one of which
was hoary with age, and stood in the
midst of an old church-yard, with a
gateway which had done good service
three centuries ago. There were two
inns, and a temperance pubic-house
with very gloomy-looling " tea-room.
Just up the road the curate lodged, and
the rectory was fine old brick mansion,
with gable ends and leafy garden. On
the outskirts of the village were one or
two rather fine houses, one, a solid brick
mansion. being the doctors, and the
other belonging to an old sea-captain.
This was, of course, only village, IN no
sense a town, and as such was, we think,
thoroughly typical.
The houses were nearly all on par,
some being little poorer, some a little
better, but all inhabited by people who
earned their bread by hard labor; aud in
this connection We would say that in an
English country place there are trades
unknown to us; for instance, that of
thatching, and again Of sheep-tendiug' |
The former once was very thriving |
business, but has now so lost ground,
owing to scarcity of work, that it is by |
no means advisable for many men IN the
same place to follow it.
A good thatcher attends to roofs and
and to stacks as well, and he is occupied
during the cold months in making his
own "spears, " if he is thrifty, which he
sells to his employers and uses in fasten-
ing down the thatch. His men are paid
about fifty cents day, his own earnings
being between nine and twelve dollars
weekly. which was considered, in Devon
shire language, ''faiT II good earnings.
The other small trades-people in such
village will be the cobbler, who always
keeps his shop in his house-often in
one window-the dressmaker and mllil-
per. who does "small work" for the
gentry. and has her little stuay room
full Of apprentices, and the matchmaker,
perhaps. who also has his wares IN his
front window, and his shop IN piece
partitioned off of some room III his cot
tage. Other stores will be there OF
general character to supply the modest
needs of such little community, and
unless a large town be very remote,
there will be no shop in which much
money could be expended or many su-
periuous articles purchased. As there
is always a market-town to 60 to, the
farmers and their wives and daughters
make their purchases there ON market
lays. and so they rarely need to patron
ze the village stores. ,,
To begin with, house rent. Let US
suppose the cottage of thatcher or
,ther tradesman, like painter or under
armer. consisting of six or seven rooms,
here will be a tidy parlor, kitchen and
outside kitchen, and three to five upper
'ooms. For this and piece of ground
le will pay about twenty dollars a year,
certainly not more, and his taxes may
le five or six. He will be sure to cult
,ate his ground so as to bring in all the .
vegetables needed for his family, and !
here will be poultry, and one pig at a
ime fattening for family use, few, unless
hose with farm, caring for more than
me animal of the kind. One pig will
upply the family with bacon for the
winter, and the good housewife always ,
the curing Of hams, and in
tructs her daughters in the same.
Occasionally eggs will be sold at such
cottage, but as a rule, there are always
me OF two women in the village who !
make such their exclusive right" dairy L
yomen, who sell butter and eggs and
milk and cream.
Now let us see what the cottager's ex-
,enses are. o
His meals will probably be as follows: ]
either fried alone or Il
hoped up with potatoes; coffee or f
,eer; and modicum of bread. Dinner
a stew or q niece of boiled meat with +
reens--one vegetable occasionally
simple pudding; to this is often added a
eer or cider. Tea will be sure to con- $
ist only of bread and butter (or treacle) "
nd tea, unless water-cress be available;
nd in some cases a supper of bread and {,
heese will follow before bedtime Oat- C
zeal porridge has lately come into more Il
eneral use in England, and the poorer t,
lasses are beginning to find out how to e
axe beans, and make use of American a
elf-raising flour, ETC., while American o
leats, even down to bacon, are eagerly p
ought for as cheaper if not better. O
In regard to his other family expenses, b
he question of clothes is far simpler G
han in our country, for except in rare s.
lstances such a mans daughters would n
OF think of finery; "tidy" bonnet and e
best" gown for Sundays, being all that 81
necessary. Shoes and boots are al
-ays of the most primitive and durable
,shion, and the stockings worn are Il
early alwavs knitted by the woman of u