The record-union., 1893-07-22

ing roses. Everyone of these habitations
is museum of ancient house utensils.
The Oldest one known to man, the quern,
is here, all implements of the hand-weav-
er and spinner are here, the antique
"Iulllng" boards are here, and l have as
often found in these haDitations the
neither, that most ancient OF Gaelic and
Celtic drinking vessels, as l have come
upon them in the cabins of the Hebrldes
or the west OF Ireland.
When folk have stood still so long and
have so steadily Tended all change, they
usually furnish most Interesting studies
IN their daily lives. custom and folklore,
and yet these people are siDgularly lack
ing in any strongly-marked picturesque
ness aside from that found in their un-
yielding tenacity to the home and actual
ownership Of the soil, their universal
thrift and integrity, and their almost sod
denness OF calm and repose. They were
never bolsterous, registering folk, and
to this day the dalesmen of one valley
may nave no acq uaintance with or knOWl7
edge OF those of another valley, unless the
huddled homes of the latter happen to lie
along the mountain ROAD leading to the
nearest market town. Partly accounting
Tor this is the unbroken custom of never
'hiving OFF," People of the same blood
and family name occupy entire districts
and are sufficient unto themselves. This
occasions grotesque nomenclature of
identification. One is known as Jock O. t
Scaw; another, Jem o. Z Rigg; another.
Barrow-back't Dent backedj Boab; an
other, tratchin (quarrelsome) Ned; and
still another, Byspel tmischievous) Billy.
These are all likely to be heads of fami-
lies and grave old men. The names came
along with them from boyh0od, and
every one accepts his neighbOrhoOd des-
lgnatlOn as he does his increase OF chill
dren or Hocks and herds, in dignitied
though prideful content.
Some other distinctive ancient customs
are still found in the remoter districts.
| The watching" of the dead, almost iden-
teal in manner with the Irish wake, is
universal. Counting is facilitated by the
household retiring, after putting out the
lights, and leaving the font or lovesck
couple upon the ''long settle'' of the
''iire-room" to their hearts content, at
which modern delicacy may stand aghast;
but this manner OF mating proves sturdy
and true. Funerals furnish heroic teasts.
AT few of the mountain towns ''hirln' "
still survives, when the maidenS who wish
to engage at service stand in groups at
the market place, but they will no longer
hold in their hands the wisp Of straw,
which was the olden badge Of servitude.
On Shrove Tuesday the boys still fero-
ciously play "Beggarly Scot" a game
based on the forays of the old-time Dor
derers. shaking bottle" containing a
decoction of HcOrice and water, is COM
mon with all children on May Day.
hurn- winning, or the Harvest Home
| festlvlty, continues general. Youthful
| ''pace-eggers" appear fortnight before
Easter, sometimes in grotesque costumes,
and carol demands for colored eggs, which
are never refused. The smiths OF the dis
trlct will not heat iron or strike nail on
Good Friday, in memory of the nails used
in the Crucitixion, and that beautiful old
custom of "rushbearing" or strewing the
church with flowers on its patron saints
day, survives only in this almost idylI ic
and wholly pastoral region.
The lake district maidens are huge of
frame and fair of form and face, splendid
''Jael Dences" all, brave almost to for
wardness in their free, fine spirit and
fearless, unconscious ways. 1 think they
are the most outspoken maids of I'M
doubted virtue I ever knew. Returning
one evening with a'statesman and several
| of his family from days labor at char
coal burning on Wasdale Fell, at which l
! had assisted, the Statesman father, no.
ticing that his daughter and myself were
chatting gayly together, jocularly leased
her with:
Look cot O. O. thysser, Betty; or thoOr
ga sonsy wiz tn gradley writin' mann'
"Ho'd t noise on the, ladder. wip te' )"
she answered him quickly. Then she
| stepped squarely in the mountain path
beside me, and looking me through and
through with her honest eyes of gray
said, almost solemnly, ''Pd talk yon
lone, HIM as t. STAINS, fadder-if t. ha' ma
itherr'
l told her quickly as I could, and rather
bluntly l am afraid, that | was not in a
position to carry so much of value out of
the lake country. The ladder thought
it all a great go, and gurglingly rallied
her with: "He ga thu a fair snecK-possett,
Betty literally the drink of one turned
from ones door; the "cold shoulder').
But the girl just trudged along measured
! ly and unabashed, the meanwhile saying
! quietly, and more to herself than to us:
| "Aweel, aweel! t. fair ans'er he gaet!
But ma t IS ma t. clean Ned O. Kesick.
| perhaps, after all, he is not what he
seems) What Gods left DOT we cannot
O. put in cen It gradley writin' mani"
And with this comforting reelection to
all, we came into the pleasant dale below
and to the welcome evening meal. the
| best of friends together.
| EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN.