New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-05

surely: when the cottage built Of local material
had an appropriate homely beauty not 70 be
seen in new erections: when the honest and
thorough and simply designed in household fur
niture held the place now occupied by preten-
tlous veneer and cheap shoddy; when the rustic
workman felt in his work the pride of the artist
With things that were beautiful and fit and Of
good repor. went much that was ugly and pain
full in daily life. but with this reverse of the
shield the author only and then concerns
herself. The old homes and the quaint house
hold gear. the habits and lives OF the older
people OF the working class. she describes and
illustrates with lavish care-she provides. in
deed. several hundred photographs OF objects
from cottages to 'DOrsetshire pills. The last
named articles. by the way. did not belong to
medicine. but were queer. fat. earthenware har-
vest bottles For many years Miss Jekyn has
collected through the countryside ancient furni-
ture. utensils and ornaments as Well details
OF oId-tirne housekeeping and cottage Industries:
and her book is undoubtedly valuable contri-
button to the social history of her country.
How did the cottagers OF a hundred years ago
and less get light in their long dark mornings
and evenings? \ woman of ninety years went
out TO gather rushes and then peeled, dried and
dipped them in grease to show the eager inves-
tisator how the rushlight of her childish days
was made. and the light and its odd iron holder
half at a time. the author tells us was pulled
up above the jaw of the holder and a rush
light fifteen inches long would burn half an
hour. To the children of the family was given
the task of pulling up the greasy rush as it
burned down. The faint light of the rush is
typical of the meagreness that often made that
cottage life hard. The author notes that it was
wonderful how laboring people contrived to live
in the earlier part of the last century with
their low wages and the terrific prices of bread
and wheat. At one time a four pound loaf cost
in English money the equivalent of twenty-five
cents.
In and about the year 1872 a farm Iaborer had
twelve shiingS n week / have true record OF
such one. There seven mouths to feed He
was paid in wheat. He had to wheel or carry the
corn between two and three miles to the mill and
bring back the flour. IL was then mixed with BRAN
obtained. and even then the amount was INSULT
full" ''A"''S Ne'ei n'N 'e'NS
Yet some of these spareIy fed people We're won-
derfuly strong An old man spoke proudly of his
mother. she was a SiN-fOOt woman: she could
pick up and carry two bags (sacks) OF meal one
under each arm; in pattens. too.
That certainly was something of feat judg-
ing from the lottery" appearance Of the pat
tens as shown in photograph A more extraor-
binary test of strength is recorded of a Guildford
sack litter who. eighty years ago. on wager.
carried a sack of wheat (Over two hundred
weighD ten miles. from GuiIdford TO Farnhanl
within hye hours. Twice only he put down
his burden and rested for twenty minutes
He finished We'll within the time and as he put
DOWN his sack in Farnham market he merely
said. Well, wen it Then looking round he