The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-10-24

I" intend to learn what peasant life really
is, and shall ask the frau to let me cook
on her stove then | will be at liberty to
enter the kitchen when | please, and
shall use both eyes and tongue. We can
| live in hotels at home, but / shall never
have another opportunity like this, and
mean to improve it,"
The frau was not averse to having her
cuisine inspected by the strangers, though
she evidently thought it very odd that any
one should prefer to do their own cooking
when they might sit in the shady garden
of the little inn, drinking beer and gossip
ing. She seemed to consider ii as q COM
pliment that her ways we're of interest to
these "queer Americans" and answered
freely and pleasantly all questions; in
fact, almost with complacent pride at be-
ing able to enlighten the woeful ignorance
of these unfortunate natives of the Hinter
Waelder (backwoods) of America.
The question of providing their own
eatables was easily settled. The baker
from Spital am Semmeriug, the nearest
village, passed along the highway every
morning, and from him they obtained the
black bread, or Land Brod, of which they
had become very fond; and the crisp
white-flour SemmeL, which, since the cen.
tennial, have become 80 well known and
| liked in America, as Vienna rolls" But
ter, eggs, and milk could be procured
from the frau, aud buckleberries were to
he had on the mountain side for the
picking
Fran Ponteseggers kitchen was per-
haps twelve feet square, but large part
of it was taken up by the great cook
stove, which was built of brick and plas-
tered over, the only iron about it being
the top. The openings for cooking uten-
sils were not fitted with solid lid, but
with rings of various dimensions, one in
side of the other, so that each opening
could be graduated in size to fit a kettle
two inches in diameter, or one ten inches.
"What is this green stuff you are al
ways cooking on the stove ?" asked Mrs.
Alley, one day.
at is food for the COWS. We gather
leaves and plants, and the tender branches
of the ash-trees, cut them up fine, cook
them. aud mix them with bran.'
"You haven't seen our cows, have
you ?" asked Katie. "Come with me,
and will show them to you"
The farm buildings formed three sides
of hollow square, the dwelling being on
| Ou6 Sluty duu IOW VI INV 6ItuS Will
doors, which sheltered the pigs at night,
connecting the house with the barn and
constable on the opposite side of the
square, Katie led the way in front of
the row of pig-pens to the bovine quar-
ters, which were large and quite clean,
but with little ventilation. In four stalls
stood the fat, well-groomed COWS, rumi-
mating as peacefully as if in full enjoy
ment of their liberty.
edo you keep your COWS shut up all
the time ?"
ooh, no, indeed Daniel and Agnes
take them out after dinner to their past
ure on the mountain-side."
"And why don't they take them out in
the morning?"
"Why, they must stay in until after
they are MIXED at noon, you know" ex-
claimed Katie, with little air of sur.
prise at the foolishness of the question.
edo you milk three times day ?"
"Why, certainly. Morning, noon and
night we milk and feed"
"What is that ?" inquired Mrs. Alley
pointing to an oblong frame suspend ed
from the ceiling about four feet from the
ground. This frame was about six feet
long, three feet wide, and ten or twelve
inches in depth, with a close board bot
, tom, and was filed with straw.
,, "That is Marie's bed"
Marie was the stout maid of all out
door work; in fact, she was the "hired
man." She
And plowed and sowed,
? And was farmers boy"
, "Marie's bed ?" exclaimed Mrs. Alley
"Does she sleep here ?"
Indeed, she does. And it is fal
! more comfortable place to sleep in than
> most of the girls have, can tell you
f though, of course, few of them have to GO
. so far from the house. It's great deal
, more sociable where the COW stable opens
. right into the kitchen, as the peasants
? generally have it."
. Mrs. Alley shook her head, as if doubt
ing this assertion, and asked:
I" But how does she get into bed ?"
3 ooh, that's easy enough. She uses
that little ladder"
al should think she would be afraid te
3 sleep here" continued Mrs. Alley, mus
ingly. "Why, she could almost touch the
9 COWS if she were to put her hand out Of
bed.'
|, "Well, the cows wouldn't hurt her
q Besides, tDey are uleu. DuI Sne Sleep
here only in the summer" said Katie, as
I they returned to the house. "In winte
she has this nice little ROOM"
4 AS she spoke she threw open doc
adjoining the pig-pens, and showed a lit
tie room in which she could not hav,
;, stood upright. The door was the onl,
aperture for light or air, and chicken
J. coop occupied one corner.
/ "Does she have the chickens for room
q mates ?" inquired Mrs. Alley.
"The chickens, and little Katie, too,
i was the reply.
Y "Why, does little Katie sleep here ?"
"Why J." echoed Katie. "Wher
d should she sleep but with her mother I"
= This little Katie was fair-faced, blue
d eyed child of year and half old, WHOM
a Mrs. Alley had supposed to be the frau
!. grandchild.
O 81 did not know that Marie was mai
!. RED"
q She isn't" responded Katie, simply.
|. "Ob," said Mrs. Atley.-Mary A
n Allen, in Christian Union.
n CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.
Il
It IT is great misfortune to have FIRE