The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-02-28

the hftB. IL ID VlhlpLy anu PLaGuS9'i
here in statfordshire in this great cluE
ter OF pottery towns and cities, houain
fully 100000 people; and, In the out
lying villages, and through the vast Out
reaches and interChanRes OF the stat
fordshire pottery trade, which a!on
supports more than o half million souls
And best OF all, 10 us, II IA in the re
duplication in our American cities o
theBe great establishments, where GU
own labor and our own capital are grad
ually acquiring such skill and reward
that, before new century shall come
the deserving fame Of our own ceramic
art shall vie with that OF any land.
But there is other interest in the pot
teries than that connected with thei'
mercantile facts and figures; with theiI
extraordinary art OF development, com
pelling the employment Of the mos
noted ond skilliul decorative artists IN
Europe; or even with these bewildsriDp
show.rooms Of tiles, vases, plaques
candeiabra, atate table service, chimney
pieces, multifarious ecclesiastic decora'
lions, Etruscan embel' ishments, enam'
els, cabinet.settings, patti di pompa,
Samos bowls, seals, reliefs, medallionsr
canoes and intaglios without end in
variety and number. This is in the
everyday life, habits, aepifations, char
ac.er and amusements Of the potters
themselves.
/ believe not kindlier, more comfort.
able or contented, folk live, than these
statiordshire potters. There are econom
ic reasons for this which American man.
ulscturers could study with profit. That
cursed piracy upon labor, the truck
eystem," is unknown. here. Willie
rivalry between manufacturers ie OF the
keenest, unvaryipg provision is made
against periods Of depression; SO that at
all times there ia unbroken eustsntatlon
Of labor. II slight reduction is ever
necessary 1t is only in the quantity pro.
duced. Wages, invariably by the "piece,"
are never reduced. Every penny due
every man is paid him each Saturday
noon. The result IL, workmen are sure
otcertain income. This just and humane
treatment makes good citizens and CON-
Portable homes anywhere. But the I'M.
iyersal good nature Of the Statfordshire
potters is attributed by themselves to a
curious hereditary belief. "Working in
EARTH" they say, makes men easy
minded"
There are preserved many sunny pic
lures Of the master potter's home In the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
The genial autoCrat Of pitchers, jugs and
porringers OF that time, whose workmen
lived In matched novels not 1T for swine,
were each supposed to exist in an ample
matched and timbered dwelling with
deep caves and loaded casemente, built
against, or around, the pot.work itself
You entered either from the street OF
the garden a roomy houseplace or kitch.
en-. In gable next the pot-work was
capacious chimneypiace, and opposite
this was the parlour. The houseplace
had its ponderous settle, its leather
covered easy.chair, shelved dresser,
clock ana tables. Behind the dresser
the crateman's scores were chalked and
on the dresser shelves were displayed
the masterpieces OF the potter's art o.
that time. Snug aud comfortable
as all this was, you can find 10000 homes
OF potter workmen, with a five mile
radius OF Henley, where the poorest pot
ter OF the district lives as snugly as his
master predecessor. His cottage is o.
brick. 1t has two stories, and the bless
ing Of perfect drainage. On the GROUND
floor are a psrlor with pretty FIRE place
a large living groom provided with huge
gate, hobs and "joCkey-bar" for swing
Ing pots and kettles; and behind this Ii
a scullery, with a fine little garden at the
rear. The upper floor comprises two
large sleeping rooms. This gives every
potter family here a five roomed, com
pletely detached house and garden. Or
binary workmen earn the year rounC
from 20 to 80 shillings weekly. II therC
happen to bs daughters, one may bt
Ia "paintress," coloting the ckeape
wares and earning eight shillings
and perhaps another "burnisher'
earning ak sbillinRs, per week. MANY
families thus secure 50 to 40 shilling
per week; while the potter's rent ant
rates do not exceed 20 shillings pc
month for such homo. Many OF thes
homes have area fower.plats. In tn
gardens Of all are mazes OF flowers ant
vines in summer. Every potter's parlo
must have it's solemn.voiced "grand
fathers clock" It also boasts chests Q
linen, drawers Of comfortable clothing
and many cheap and pretty pieces c
furniture; while on the mantel
bureau.top Is always found some fanc
, full sketch, painting or curious mode
pertaining to the potter's vocation; tn
result OF emulation to win prizes Tor II
yention in new processes, or for uniqu
I aud original designs III modelling an
decoration.
The potter's daily routine is an nj
4 eventiul one. At two in the mornin
> be leaves home, Tommy" or "snap'n'
. This breakfast, dinner, or both) in q re
: cotton Handkerchief 10 one hand, and
r tho other, his Cam OF coffee, which b
a heats on the spot" that is used in dr.
!. ing the ware before burning. He worE
a little or much, at will, from the openiu
4 Of the pottery gates at six in the morl
/. ing, until the same hour in the eveninI
e when he returns home to tea. Th
j. meal consists Of bread, butter and te
!. with any handy triAe left over from Il
/ home meals Of the day; b.
q always Includes, in season, ores
!. radishes or onions, from his lit
Il garden. His work Is endlessly hot al
il dusty, and no "hungers for green thing
II ever. After his evening meal, he
Q found, until bedtime, at the publ
Is house, or with groups Of his fellows
" the street corners, or in the markt
e place, grlnning at mountebanks or IN
n tuously joining in the services Of Il
]. "saiVationists." II devout-and ho'
D. ever much these men frequent Il
8. "pubs,n they are nearly all enthusiast
d Wesleyans-on Sundays they are foul
I. at prayer meeting before breakfast,
z Sunday school again in the afternoo
!, and at service at in the evening. i
a tween 4 aud 6, on summer Sunday att
4 Moons, with their families they VI
i. number round 100000, strolling alo
/. the clayey roads and lanes.
D, Their dialect, somewhat similar
q. that Of the loWly Of Cheshire, is wortl
in Of illustration, An old lady, impatie
J" Of what she conceived TO be my soc
i. start" bookish ways in arriving at {
ut act information, remarked 10 me wi
II. some show Of spirit: "Theigh thenE
IN theyt sumbuddy, with theiEht dicsona
&. nonsense. But Oh thenkst theight