The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-11-08
ON AN lcELANpIc FARM.
The Peculiar and Picturesque Building
A Gloomy Interior.

The Peculiar and picturesque Buildings.
A Gloomy Interior.
The buildings of farm usually are
under one roof and stand in a row, with
the gable ends facing the court. They
are peculiarly constructed; economy Of
timber and the exigencies Of the climate
furnish, however, key to their archi-
lecture. Ordinarily they are but one
story in height They are framed of
wood, and their gables also are wooden;
their sides and backs, which usually slope
to the ground, are commonly of lava and
turf, which quickly grows together and
forms a continuous covering, through
which wet and cold scarcely can pene-
trate. Seen from distance a group Of
farm buildings bears the appearance of
an irregular grass grown hillock. upon
which, to heighten the illusion, sheep are
calmly grazing. The farm house proper
consists of two or three gables; next it is
the byre for the winter shelter of the
cows, if the farmer is sufficiently well to
do to possess any, and next the smithy
with its forge and anvil; the Icelander,
in his isolation, is thrown upon his own
resources, and is obliged still to exercise,
upon occasion, calling that has descend
ed to him from the immemorial past.
Entering the house through the low
doorway in one of the gables ys, find
yoNFseh in q long straight passage,
s11 = = saRan .lroad daylight,
You most cofnmonly Qrppe your way
The floor is sometimes of boafss, some
times of earth; on each side doors open
into the adjoining buildings, separated
from each other only by wooden parti-
tions. Usually the door on one side
leads into the common living room Of
the house, which occupies the whole of
the building in which it is situated. A
quaint and picturesque interior meets
your eye. 1t is long, low room, lighted
at either end by a square window.
Above the beams are visible, and have
been made the place of deposit for an in
describable variety of household articles.
Along one side stands the low stationary
bed, which serves also as a lounging
place by day; some square wooden chests
are ranged along the opposite side; at the
end, particularly in winter, several
women are carding and spinning wool.
This common room indicates the thrift or
poverty of the farmer. Sometimes it is
scrupulously neat and orderly, and its
furniture is good and substantial, if not
costly. Frequently, however, every
thing about the place is of the most
primitive kind, and comfort, convent
ence and cleanliness are unknown. The
bed looks as if it were never made up,
and dirt, feas, children and dogs are dis
tributed in equal, though inordinate,
proportions.
If you enter the door on the opposite
side Of the hallway, you find smaller
room, usually furnished with chairs
and a table and sometimes with bed.
| This, in the larger houses, is the spare
room of the house, and after the various
saddles and Sunday garments placed here
for safe keeping have been removed, it is
assigned to the chance guest. If, instead
of turning to the right or to the left, you
continue your way along the passage tc
the end, you arrive at the kitchen, which
usually is in a separate building. tt
floor is of earth In a fireplace flicker:
an uncertain fire of peat, and over il
hangs an iron pot from crane. Every
thing is dark and smoke begrimed, fol
much of the smoke does not escape
through the open chimney, and the only
light is from the fire. Perhaps an ole
woman with her black garments and hel
tasseled hufa bends over the kettle ant
stirs its contents. The unsteady igh
gives it all a weird appearance, and yol
wonder if the crone is not muttering al
incarnation. 1t is such an interior a
Gerard Douw would have loved to paint
Small as is the kitchen fire, it is otter
the only one in the house, for fuel il
come parts of the island is exceedingl,
scarce and must be used with the strict
est economy for cooking purposes alone
1t is customary to close the houses whel
the cold winter weather comes on, fo
then the atmosphere becomes at leas
warmer than the outside air if not quiz
SO well adapted for breathing purpose
The houses of the clergy often are bette
than those described, in that they hav,
more rooms or better accommodations
sometimes, however, they are worse O
the guest chamber already has been al
lotted, and in that case you retire to th'
neighboring church.-Atlantic Monthly