The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-30

Every parlor has its solemn voiced grand
fathers clock" 1t also bonsts chests of
linen, draws of comfortable clothing. and
many cheap and pretty pieces of furniture;
while on the mantle or bureau-top is al
ways found some fanciful sketch, paint
emulation to win prizes for invention in
new processes, or for unique and original
designs in modelling and decoration. The
murderous truck system is unknown in
England and should be in America; and
every penny duo every man is paid him
each Saturday noon. We are very fond,
about e~lection-time. of telling our workmen
what lucky dogs they are. wishthey truly
possessed the homo comfort and pleasant
environment that English ~workingmen's
villages almost universally disclose.
Another and most interesting type of viii
lagos and village life may be found in the
region comprised in southwestern Warwick
shire. northern Gloucestershire. eastern
Herefordshire and southern Worcestershire.
between the towns of Stratford-ou-Avon,
Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester. Tho
antiquity Of most of these villages
is as great and their characteristic
as distinctive as those of the stone
hamlets of Cumberland. Like tho latter
most are of stone and from 300 to 800 years
old. Here is everything curious and ancient
in old oak doors and hinges. fanci:ul CHM
ney pieces. massive oak ~lintels, doors and
balustrades, mollioned windows and
pansled rooms. When the habitations are
esque ancient Tudor half timbered houses.
These in their gables with browning pin
n~acles. their odd porohes. small but massive
doors, mullioned windows and huge chin
neys. overhanping stories and jumbles of
projecting windows, are no less quaint and
curious than their interiors. with their
spacious. low-ceilinged rooms paneled with
oak of ebon blaokness, often elaboratoly
carved and otnamented, and with passages,
hooks. inches, %c1pboards and presses, be.
wilderinR in arrangement and number.
Each stono farm house and c%otter's viii
lage homo stands in its own orchard. bril-
liant with sprays OF pink and white, or with
balls of russell and gold. according to the
season. Chatlinches aud robins are among
the MOSES in all those orchards; blnckbirds
aud thrushes every whore in the thick gar.
den sh ,ubberios n in the tangled cop
pioes and hedgerows. The stnge coaches
nre here just az of old. So are she carrier,
drainer. the ploughman. the shepherd. the
common field lahore, and even the
poachei; all as needless OF refo IN rs Cuban
Ruajiros. and al with kindly tacos and
speech betokonlng sturdy p ile in their vo-
cations which were the toll OF their fathers
before them. There Is no elbowinV, no
jo,tlinR. no marrying or hurryinR. Every
body saunters, dozes or labors us though
content never paid penalty to want. An
atmosphere of unconstrained amplitude
broods over all. Hundreds of the olteu
English villages nre surely he,e in u region
that knows no change.
Unless one has really wande: cd in rock
butt. essed old Cornwall it Is ha d TO be-
love that outside the picturesque coastwise
fishing hamlets there IL such II thing as
characteristic village life. 10 the casual
observer from the railway train. the whole
face of the land seems to n and scared ne
If by tremendous elemental struggles. A
myriad kissing Fragments of expl ded plan.
face could have lott no moo unsightly
hurts. But 1t 10 full of enhancing hidden
hooks whore. sloping from ragged moor
lands are benuteous little valleys with
ample farms, lessening into timer checkers
OF hsdge lane b,oldered fields and
those into NOISY old hRmlets. where the
white Wesleyan chnpel and the Norman
lowered parish church, are the only two
structures showing through II wealth of
trees; but where ars curious old homes, aud
always a bawlinR moorland stream turning
tho gray. huge wheel Of some trembling old
mill.
Here, miles perhaps from their ''paird-
ner," work below grass" in the mines on
the moors. live swArthy 'Codcn ~(cousin)
jack" with scores OF cotter lRborers upon
tho farms. Wherever these village cot.
tages nre their walls are of everlasting stons,
embowered in brilliant Cornish oreepers
and roses. with cement floors, and thatohed
roofs subjeot TO intcrminAblo repairs from
onslauRhts OF SCORES of buay Sparrows. tiny
miners themselves. sndlsssly sinking shafts
and drilling "crosn-outs" and '~Isvsls'' In