The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-30
Exquisite Delineations OF Their Hab-
itations and Environment
by Mr.. Wakeman.
The Homo a Better Place Than
Parsons Lawn or Brawling
Street.
A L0wly Folk Who Have Emerged From
sodden Kinds to Self Respecting
Men and Women.

fascination and charm, their human inter
est has the strongest hold upon the observ-
ant mind and sympathetic nature. They
are by no means alike though universally
possessing similar characteristics, md very
many are strikinRly typical OF them all.
Those most like the English villages OF
literature will he found in the eastern. MID
land and southern shires. from Lincoln
around to Devon, and these comprise the far
greater number. Those differing most from
each other, and occasionally separately az
we'll 40 q whole from all others. are those OF
the northwestern midland shires; the north
western midland shires where industrial
development has created a host OF compar-
Atively modern hamlets; the western CEN
trail shires among the Malvern and Cots
void hills. where the antiquity of all vii
lagos is very great; and those of Cornwall
where race distinction has left strongly
marked peculiarit,es in language. customs,
and homo md village life among the lowly.
The peasants of Cumberland and West
moreland, who are nearly all Villagers.
most of the former being statesman"
that is, owners in fee OF their tiny estates,
are, as a rule. "houss. proud" In years OF
wandering among the lowly of European
countries I have never come upon my rus
vic folk the exteriors of whose habitatlons
we're more picturesque, Or whose interiors
we're such shining examples of homely
comfort and content. There are of course
exceptions. Now and then you will
find hamlets like Watendlath. hid
den among the fells between
B%orrowdale and Thirlmere. where
may be seen the sodden squalor OCCASION
ally met among the unfortunate Scottish
vest-coast ~crofters and in the Irish west
coast fishing villages. Their houses are
dark and unwholesome. the floors uneven,
the furniture crazy, the men Glad in ragged
fustian and tho women in course wool and
wooden clogs. These nre %sheepherders
under q later sort of feudalism: In every
their little 'estates' to encroaching land
prabbers, and their children are conse-
quently to-day in a condition of petty
serfdom.
Precisely as in Wordsworth's time you
will find outside the Cumbrian villagers
cottages the shade OF grand old sycamores
and always "a tall fir through which the
winds sing when other trees are leafess;''
In the rear a little orchards: an ample herb
bed; a near rill or spring-spout with Its
oeaseless wimple; a comely garden: COM
Portable stone outbuildings for grain and
for winter housing of cows and tiny but
hardy Cumbrian sheep; and always the shed
for the hives of bees which distill from the
mountain heath the darkest. but ever the
sweetest, honey in the world.
characteristic The floors are usually of
the same huge slates as those covering the
roof. They are scrubbed and cleaned until
they shine like dusky mirrors. Frequently
you will find them. particularly near the
door and Fireplace, decorated with white.
oChro md vovpnilinN ch01k in funran md
scroll-work embodyinR strange fanoies in
rustic art. The living-room or fire
house" as it is called is always very large
for a cottage. often from eighteen TO
twenty-five feet square. low. but with the
richest of old and polished onken beams in
the ceiling. Indeed old oak may be found
in these Cumbrian village homes in profu-
sion.
The long. solid table with benches Mt it's
sides where the Statesman" his family
and laborers sit together a. meals and of
evenings in winter; the 'long settle" or
Vineyards long seat at one side of the great
Fireplace, and the ''sconce" on the other
side. under which the nights fuel, called
n "elden." is placed; the chairs, huge and
high and requiring q strong arm to move
them; the high, narrow. %sprawling legged
bureaus; the many iron or brasa bound
chests; the beds huge and strong enough to
hold giants. for these Cumbrians are often
tremendous in stature;-are all of oak.
ouriously carved and wonderfully pol
ished. All this Is sometimes varied
unique as can be found among the peas
nnt-homes of Brittany. From this large,
clean fire house" or living room there are
in all directions inviting vistas through
wide, low doors and coy stone 'lean.toe,"
perhaps each one built in a different CEN
fury. to tiny paned windows, splayed like
tuiret% windows. white with inner curtains,
and in summer ablaze with outer bud aud
blossom. These villagers rooted to the land
which gave them birth not only by the
sacred ties OF heredity, but by the, to them,
more priceless heritage Of ownership.
towns. Here ia rare rural England as it
has for centuries been. among o type of in
dependent, half defiant folk, whose sim
plicity, piety, hardihood and solidarity
compel genuine admiration and respect.
Many of the comparatively modern vii
lagos of Yorkshire. Lancashire, Derby
shire and Statfordehire, the village homes
OF operatives in mines. mills and potteries.
are far p-ettier and more comfortable than
even many Englishmen would have
us believe. A half-dozon different 10
ligions fighting tooth and nail for
their piety and pence. the vague unrest
that comes through almost unlimited access
TO newspapers and books, and tho changed
standcrds Of necessities and luxu les press
Ing sorely upon the highest limitations of
Vvou iaAkoAy AASAcNScA Wukeb, nave given
the villagers of this type of hamlsts an en-
tirely different mental and material mold.
I would not soy they are happier for the
change; but their homes. food, labor, wspe
and environment are. ns we measure things,
infinitely gu erior to those of the same
class from a half century to a century ago.
Many of these hamlets are massed about
by trees. have INTELLECTUALLY beautiful
little churches, chnpels. club-houses.
libraries aud the neatest of shops. Nearly
all are tidy md clean. The %pottsrs' vii.
lagos of STATIC dshire are good illustrations
of them all. Within a Hve-mile radius of
Hanley. Burslem and Stoke. You can find
10000 homes OF potters. nearly all in pretty
hamlets or in shady village lanes, and vii
lnges of long. single streets. Tho poorest
potter of tho district lives IA snuely az did
the master potter manufacturer OF forty or
nifty years ago.
His cottage IL Of brick. It hns two sto-
Ties. and the blessing of perfect drainage,
On the ground floor are n pnrlor with a
pretty fire. place, q large living.room pro-
vided with Il hugo CRATE, hobs and Jockey
bar" for swinging pots and kettles; and
behind this is n scultety. with II fine little |
garden at tho real. The upper floor COM
prises two large sleeping-rooms.
This gives every family a tive-roomed,
completely detached house and garden, |
Ordinary workmen earn from 90 to 80 shil-
linca weekly. II there happen to BIS
daughters. one may be a ''rain.ress." color.
ing the cheaper wares and earning eight
nisher." earning ak shiilings per week. !
AHur. PtIta, A,.a a,rrn F...., u a An |