Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-02
DENMARK PEASANTRY
The Strict Observance Of Caste.
TiIIers of the Soil Divided into Four
Distinct CIasses-Life at the IeO-
man Farmers Homestead
Well Fed and Lodged
LabOrers
LabOrers

The peasantry of Denmark, says g
writer in the Fortnigh tly Review, are
divided into four distinct classes, namely
the "Gaardmand"-pron German
or yeoman farmer, who either owns OF
rents from thirty to eight five English
acres; secondly, the "Parcel t." who owns
or rents from eighty to ,irty acres;
thirdly, the 'Husmand," or cottage, with
from one to eight acres; and lastly the
"Insidder," who generally rents his cot
tage and garden plot; and from this last
class it is that the laboring men are prln-
cipally drawn.
Until marriage the laboring men are
fed and lodged upon the farm where they
work, and in one of the buildings just re-
ferred to are the dOrmitor1es for the
"Karle," of which upon such farm
there would be about twelve, besides the
foreman; there, too, is the roOmy kitchen
ana the refec tory, where these stalWart,
hungry youths are fed, and particularly
we'll fed, too, partakiDg of no less than
five good meals day. At In the morn
ing their breakfast IS served, consisting
of huge slices of bread and butter-cut
by a machine-with coffee and a small
glass of "snaps" or corn brandy; on the
island of Zealand this early meal is a
kind of thick soup made of rye bread
and beer, with which a salt herring Is eat
en-. At noon dinner, which is soup or
porridge, followed by meat, or Goldfish, or
pork, with vegetables and beer; at p.
m, bread and butter, cheese, beer and
more snaps, and, finally, a supper of por-
ridge wi tn milk.
The farm hands are hired by the half
year, and the whole system has hitherto
worked to the mutual satisfaction of both
laborer and employer. This, however, is
greatly due to the fact that there exists
code of hiring laws which provides an
easy settlement of all disputes between
master and man. Every servant, farm or
domestic, is under these laws, compelled
to keep book which is officially regis
tered, and wherein are written all his GER
tificates of character, each one of which
is necessarily countersigned by the mag
istrate of the district wherein the master
or mistress resides.
The Gaardmand's homestead is sub
stantial, square and matched; the barns
stables, etc, are joined to it, forming to-
gether a quadrangle farm yard, with the
entrance gate facing the dwelling. At
the back is a garden, usually of about
three-quarters of an acre, devoted to
fruit, vegetables and hops, with few
roses and gilly flowers near the house
door. A farmer working from sixty to
eighty acres will have upon his farm two
''karles," boy and two girls for the
dairy, all of whom are helped in their
work by their master and his family.
Generally such farmer keeps upon his
land fifteen or more COWS, four horses,
two goats, for every farmer is a horse
breeder, more or less. The poultry is his
wife's care and perquisite, and forms a
highly important item in her yearly
budget. These farms, when owned by
the woman, are, generally speaking,
mortgaged for half their value, a fact to
be attributed in most instances to the
repeal of the law of primogeniture.
At present the parent is permitted, If
he pleases, to leave one-third of his prop.
erty to his eldest son, a clause in the law
of inheritance much appreciated and in
general use. As the valuation for pro-
bate is extremely low the eldest son gen
orally raises a loan with which to buy out
his brothers and sisters with their con-
sent, and the race being practical one,
endowed with generous instincts, this
modified form of "partage force" does
not appear as yet to produce the Jealous
feuds or to work the evil it is known to
do in other countries; though, as indeed
the system has not long been in force, it
is perhaps rash TO predict that 1t may
effect no change for the worse during the
lapse of century. In cases Ehere
loan is impossible, owing to previous
mortgage, subdivision steps in, and in
some instances has been repeated until
the minimum area has been reached Cu-
~ HF,v- Of Axr 10
Necessarily, if the family is numerous,
and all elect to retain their share in the
land, they sink to the position of Hus-
mand, and have to resort to trade to
exc out their livelihood. Should, how
ever, younger member of the family
have had the good luck to marry the
child of a wealthy Gaardmen with good
dowry then the newly married pair pro
coed to buy small farm of about twenty
five acres, and become Parcelists.
Glass distinctions are clearly marked
and rigidly adhered to among the peqsan-
try. Not SO very long ago it was argued
from certain political platforms in the
Midlands that the farm labOrer who pos
sessed "three acres and cow would no
longer have the need to touch his hat to
the squire. Judging from the Danish
and independent as our own, it would ap-
pear that an increase in the number of
owners of land does not augment the
number of those who demand a respect
ful salatation from the laborer, whether
he possesses COW or not. Also as re-
CARDS marriage, Gaardmaud's son mar
ries almost invariably a Gaardmand's
daughter. When the marriags of Gard
mRnd's son with q Husmand's daughter
occurs all the peasant society of the dis
trict is put in hatter, and match Is
considered a grave mesalliance, not at all
TO be encouraged. The younger sons Of
Gaardmand who have neither the prospect
of good inheritance nor of q good
snatch" usually learn a village trade, such
as that of the wheelright or blacksmith;
those with DE ter education and more en-
hghtened may become village schoolmas
tiers and the village 'yets" and sometimes,
if they have preference for horsefesh,
they may take the post of coachman at
the Hirremand's though it is rot the
yeoman class tc enter domestic service.
Those who do so, like those who take to a
trade, lose caste, and may freely choose
their wives from the husbands daugh-
tiers, but not so the veterinary, or school
master, for whom it would be unpardon-
able.
Fowls are kept invariably. They help
to pay the rent and often more besides.
Upon the highway one meets the tiny
child of or 3, fair haired, blue eyed, her
mother in miniature, as regards dress,
from the close fitting cap and large apron
TO the little sabots peeping cut from IN
der the long, full petticoats. She Is
armed with a witty, and is there alone to
~ of rapulfrC seaTchiDp for