Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-01

than these Stafordshire potters There are
economic reasons for this which American
manufacturers could study with profit. Tha,
cursed piracy upon labor, the "truck sys-
tem," is unknown here. While rivalry be-
tween manufacturers is OF the keenest, un-
varying provision is made against periods
of depression; so that at all times there is
unbroken sustentation of labor. II slight
reduction is ever necessary, it is only in the
quantity produced. Wages, invariably by
the "piece," are never reduced. Every
penny due every rlar is paid him each
Saturday noon.
The result is, workmen are sure of certain
income. This just and humane treatment
makes good citizens and comfortable homes
anywhere. But the universal good nature
of the Stafordshire potters is attributed by
themselves to curious hereditary belief.
"Working in earth, they say, makes men
''easy minded"
Live Like the Masters Did.
There are preserved many sunny pictures
Of the master potter's home in the seven
teenth and eighteenth centuries. The
genial autocrat of pitchers, jugs and por-
ringers of that time, whose workmen lived
in thatched novels not fit for swine were
each supposed to exist in an ample thatched
and timbered dwelling with deep caves and
loaded easements, built against, or around,
the pot-work itself. You entered either
from the street or the garden a roomy house.
place or kitchen. In a gable next the pot
work was spacious chimney place, and
opposite this was the parlor.
The houseplace had Its ponderous settle,
its leather-covered easychair, a shelved
dresser, clock and tables. Behind the dresser
the crateman's scores were chalked; and on
the dresser shelves were displayed the
masterpieces Of the potter's art at that time.
Snug and comfortable as all this was, you
can find 10, 900 homes of potter workmen,
within five-mile radius of Henley, where
the poorest potter of the district lives as
snugly as his master predecessor. His cot
tage is OF brick. 1t has two stories, and the
blessing of perfect drainage. On the ground
floor are parlor with pretty fireplace, a
large living room provided with a huge
CRATE. hobs and ''jockey-bar Tor swinging
lerv, with fine little garden at the rear.
The upper floor comprises two large sleep
ing roons. This gives every potter family
fve-roomed, completely detached house
and garden.
What the Potters Earn.
Ordinary workmen earn the year round
from 25 to 80 shillings weekly. If there har.
pen to be daughter, one may be "paint-
ress," coloring the cheaper wares and earn
ing 8 shillings, and perhaps another
"burnisher" earning shillings per week.
Many families thus secure 35 to 40 shillings
per week, while the potter's rent and rates
do not exceed 20 shillings per month for
such a home. Many of these homes have
area flower plats. In the gardens of all are
mazes of flowers and vines in summer. Ev-
cry potter's parlor must have its solemn
voiced "grandfather's clock
The potter's daily routine is an unevent-
full one. At 2 in the morning be leaves
home, Tommy" or ''snap'n" (his break
fast, dinner, or both) in red cotton hand
kerchief in one hand, and in the other. his
"can" of coffee. which he heats on the ''pot"
that is used in drying the. ware before burn
ing. He works little or much, at will, from
the opening of the pottery gates at s in the
morning, until the same hour in the even
ing, when he returns home to tea. This
meal consists of bread, butter and tea, with
any handy trife left over from the home
meals OF the day; but always includes, in
season, cress, radishes or onions from his lit
tie garden. His work is endIessly hot
and dusty, and he "hungers for green
things" ever. After his evening meal, he is
found, until bedtime, at tine public house,
or with groups of his fellows at the street
corners, or in the market place, grinning at
the mounteoanks or unctuously joining in
the services of the "Salvationists.
Some Staffordshire Dialect.
Their dialect, somewhat similar to that of
the lowly of Cheshire, is worthy of illus
tration. An old lady, impatient of what
she conceived to be my "bopstart" bookish
ways in arriving at exact information, re-
marked to me with some show of spirit:
"Theigh thenkst theyt sumbuddv, with
theight dissonary nonsense. But Oi thenkst
theight reg lar feu (foo; fooD p =
A potter will greet fellow with: "Well,
Tum (Tom), lad, haa dew 2" 'Haa Dew?"
Is the invariable answer. ''Er" is univer-
sally used for "she - and degrees of near
ness are indicated by "It's aymer
nearer - and "It's aymest nearest" The
following conversation, which I caught
from two potter "throwers" at their work on
Saturday morning. regarding prospective
visit to the playhouse, of which they are all
very fond, is as good an illustration as can
be given of Staffordshire dialect among the
lowly.'
"We'rt goin' t'night?"
"Well, watts say bait goin' T plee2''
"Well, watts theighr on?"
"King Dick"
AN waits t. after-peyce loike?"
"Well, Oi Gamma just remember naa.
But Oi dasseay ct III be proper good
fearce."
"Wer shan we meight (meeD?"
"Oill seey theigh t the-ay-ter dooar."
ave; tait'll dew
"Opll be theerp'
EDGAR L, WAKEMAN.