The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-12-24

clusively sacred to the uses OF funerals
and weddings.
But the comfort of the roomy old
! house-place and kitchen atones for all
this. The stone hearth is deep and wide,
and the feet of n great family might all
have place upon it. with room for hide
and-seek for the little ones between the
/ owners chairs. The tireplaces are broad
and deep and high, for burning peat or
wood, with huge, vast chlmneys above
/ them, where a whole sheep or pig might
( be roasted, and the great chains and
1 hooks for singing the pots above the
/ fire would bear the weight of a COW or
an OK.
| In some of these habitations the Chin
ney is so set back and outward into the
garden that a genuine Scottish Jingle
neuk," such as may be found in the olden
weavers' village OF Gartenside, near Mel
rose, is formed, with tiny deep windows,
splayed inwardly. Others have at one
side the Cornish '-ungcarnar," or fuel re-
ceptacle. There is always a recess Tor
storing peat or wood sometimes finished
like an old-time chest with a wide, long
deal cover. This provides rude settee,
upon which, when not occupied by some
member OF the family, will always be
found that strange but ever-DelOved ami
/ NAL, the tailless ManX cat. a stub
bins,' as this tailless cat Of Man IS called,
/ Is regarded in many districts OF the island
with an affection bordering on venera-
ton. 1t is more than a superstitious no.
ton, it is belief, that anyoneinjuring a
cat Will suffer dire harm when at sea, for
the progeuitors OF this curious species
were cast upon the island from wrecked
ship, from which no person was saved.
! In one corner, on the fireplace side of
! the room, will always be found the stately
dresser, set high in the room, upon its
! four crooked and slender legs. y wealth
of gaudy crockery ware ornaments its ca
| pacious shelves, and one Of its two deep
drawers provides for the reception of the
daily gathering OF eggs, while the other
is heaped to the edge with the weekly
! baking OF barley clap-bread, still the staff
Of life in most Of the countryside homes.
Beyond this is the deal table, the family
board for common o. festive uses. 1t is a
huge, stout affair white as the silvered
hair OF the dame whose mothers moth
er's mother set the example of its daily
/ securing.
Between this and the dresser, as well as
beneath the latter, is a row Of huge casks
and lars. The largest Of these contains
the greatest OF blessings to the Manxman,
his gray" or picked herring, or 'scad-
den" In another IS his store of sailed
mutton or goose. In others are preserved
fruits and vegetables. This region is
sacred to the single supervision Of the
housewife, and woe to the ManX lad or
lass III uIittMlul IIO&1lllLl. IN TIC OD-
pOsite corner is the family ''corner-cup-
bOard,' the Mecca Of all childish longings
and eager glances. More than all else
this receptacle stamps the Alanxman as
bOunteOus liver. Ii is never known to be
lacking such comfortable matters as a
few pounds of homemade butter, tooth
some skim-milk cheese, pots of honey
and coarse jam, and slices Of fancy bread
and cake. All this, outside the tamily's
requirements, serves in a most genial
countryside custom. Stranger or neigh
Dor never calls at ManX cottage without
invitation to eat and drink; and neigh
bOrs' children are never sent away from
a ManXmans home without carrying in
their chubby fists some hOSpitable token
from the generous corner cupboard.
Huge wooden chairs and great arm
chairs, which might have come down
from King Orry's time, give the place an
atmosphere Of reStfulnesS. Pitches of
bacon, golden brown from their bronzing
of peat smoke, hang temptingly from the
raiters below the matching. The tiny
windows are shaded with snowy muslin,
and the light is mellowed and sOuened as
it IS filtered through tracery OF plants.
The flames flicker blue above an abund-
ance of glowing peat, changing the great
fireplace anon from orange to purple
while, ticking comfortably and with
friendly and cOmpaniOnable sound, a
huge 6lElJ- udJ CLOCK LOOKS DldDUly down
upon all. Not gorgeous homes these, but
they are homes OF integrity, comfort and
content, every one.
Strictly speaking, the ManX are a serious
people. They are not given to festivities.
They are comfortable, happy, and con-
tent during all the year, rather than hilari-
GUS and turbulent al stated periods, and
moody and discontinued in the long and
mournful intervals. There is but one day
in the year which may be regarded as of
national importance. That is Tynwald
Day in midsummer, when the laws of the
land arc promulgated and solemnly rati-
fed by court and people. Now, as 900
years ago, all Mainland comes to the
purple glen where this ceremonial takes
place, for a few hours stand face to face
with customs Of Saga times, and returns
to the centuries-old ManX homes with
the precious Wraiths OF King Orry and
his Morse law-glvers revived in giant
presenceS.
The ordinary amusements of lowly Eu-
ropean folk have little place among them.
A surprising calm. as If these folk end
lessly stood in the presence Of a mighty
and heroic past, seems to brood upon
island and islanders. When midsummer
days come, the fires Of Beltean are
lighted. They fash from hight to hight,
as in pagan days. No one can tell you
why it is done. There is no weird and
some parts of Ireland, in the Scottish
highlands and in Cornwall. OF course
the flames drive away all Witches but
with these staid folk the fires Of Baal must
burn to-day, not in superstitious need,
but because the Manx foretathers never
failed to light them.
Indeed, answering loyalty to estab-
lished customs is their most marked
characteristic and highest charm. They
have utterly grown out of superstitous
incident, dread or motive which gave i'm
portance TO the origin of many, but hold
to the act and fact of tradition with
changeless zeal. "Our fathers did thus
and so. We respect the doings of our
fathers, caring not for their reasons, save
that they had them" governs all reten-
ton OF what may seem incOngruOus and
uncanny to you and to me.
Weddings are almost secret affairs, All
the tender and forgivabIe excitements of
preparation are attended with rigorous
and austere repression of publicity. No
one can tell you why. 1t is simply so.
1t has always been so. on the contrary.
as IN Cornwall, funerals are drawn out to
the utmost limit OF sympathetic atten-.
ton. The body is carried, never driven.
to the churchyard. Hours, often DAYS,
are consumed from the start to the
church. Innumerable delays give occa-
sion for innunerable outbursts of affec-
ton and the singing Of an equal number
OF lugubrious psalms, intoned in such
shrill minor strains that the weirdest and
most thrilling of keening at Irish wakes
is often surpassed. The origin of this
custom is also mystery. No matter to
the sturdy ManX. Anything different
would be sorrow for the living, a wrong
to the dead.
In the tender holiday time when these
words will be read, Manx folk Of the re-
mote countrysides will have already cele-
DRAFTED their most cherished custom.
Though discountenanced by the clergy it
hne n1-nln- hl.ll Il,