The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-05-12

Which the Tax on Tsvo-storIed
 Houses was Evaded-HOw the Barn
 was Constructed.
 Judge F. M. Thompson. in his new history of Greenfield, Conn.,. gives the following description of the farmhouse of Colonial days:
 An old home is like an old violin: The music of the past is wrought into it."
 A large proportion of the first settlers upon the Green river lands were sons or grandsons of, the original planters at Deerfield. Soon after the close of Queen Anne's war. in 171S, the proprie- tors began apportioning among them selves the rich meadows lying along the Green river. These lands were during this interval of peace farmed to some extent by their owners, while they still kept their residence on the old street in i Deerfield. Without doubt these people built for their temporary occupation small log huts, which later became the nucleus of a new home. As the young men married and new homes became a necessity three temporary cabins gave way to more permanent and more con- venient structures. When time and means permitted place was selected, generally near some spring of water, and always beside the travelled way. for the location of the family home.
 In Queen Anne's reign a law had been enacted requiring tax to be levied upon all two-story houses, and in order to eyade that provision that form of house known in Connecticut as the l salt box" became the prevailing style of architecture-two stories in front, while a long sloping roof covered what was known as a lean-to'' in the rear, the caves of which were scarcely high CT than mans head. The location for the house having been determined, a cellar was excayated at least six feet in depth, for the houses were but slightly 1 elevated above the ground, so that they lcould be easily banked up' in the fall. In the middle of the cellar was laid the foundation of an immense chimney, generally of solid stone and from ten to fourteen feet square. When the walls of this foundation were raised to within two feet of the lower floor of the in- ltended house huge beams of hewn oak were laid side by side upon the walls, with ends projecting sufficiently to sus- tain the hearthstones in the rooms above. On this solid foundation was laid the great brick chimney, around (which the house seemed to be built as an afterthought. As the walls rose to the level of the floors above the great fireplace and brick oven with it's ash hole below, the smaller fireplaces for the parlor and the spare room were planned out, and with great mechanical skill the Eflues for each, with proper space and guards against a back draft, were con- nected with the great central chimney. At later period of time separate flues were carried up in the main chimney for each fireplace.
 Often-times the carpenters, in finish ling the house, took advantage of the vacant space about the chimney for | oven and the sides and tops of the fire i places were covered in with sand. The front door, resting under the rising-sun window, was in the center of the house I front, and in the better houses the front hall extended through to the diving room. Tn others it served only as an l entrance to the rooms on either side, and from it ran a narrow flight of stairs, which by two turns reached the upper floor. Under these stairs there Twas frequently located dark closet, (which was the particular domain of the mistress of the household. In the con- struetion of the fireplace in the parlor 1 the mason displayed to the utmost his skill as an artist in brick and mortar, and the joiner, using the choicest selee- ted stock, worked out in wainscoting and panels his ideas of beauty and har- | mony in wood.
 All the beading and the moldings were worked patiently and slowly by hand, and all sashes and castings were con structed from rough lumber as it came from the saw. The paneled doors were manufactured entirely by hand work, and the hinges and trimmings were made by the village blacksmith. It is 1 no longer a wonder that an apprentice ship of seven years was necessary to qualify young man to become jour-
 
 living room or winter kitchen was the most useful and important room in the house. On one side was the great fire place, with it's neighbor, the oven, at it's side. Built of brick, this great cavern was each Saturday filled with fine oven wood and heated for the family baking. l When it's thick walls had become thor oughly filled with latent heat, it was carefully swept with great birch broom, and upon the bare brick bottom were placed the loaves of rye and Indi- an bread and whatever else the careful housewife had prepared for the family consumption. The brown earthen milk pan of pork and beans for the Sunday dinner was never forgotten.
 | During the summer the unfinished room in the lean-to was used as work room. In the long, cold winter evenings the family gathered around the big fire place in the living room. The opening of the fireplace was sometimes five feet | in height and six feet in length. Im- mense andirons stood in front of large back log, which lay beGded in the ashes at the back of the fireplace, and on the andirons lay the forestick, a sizable log. Between in cold nights, was piled ordi- nary four-foot wood, without thought of extravagance or the time when wood would command six, eight and ten dol- lars cord. The big, high- backed settle stood at one side of the fire the corners