The mirror., 1920-01-29
really resembles little museum with its

longings of several generations are stored
there. From the raftcrs are suspended rows
of long and strong iron hooks. And in the
hooks rest slender poles On the poles hang
clothes, blankets and rugs. No two blankets
are alike in design, although the same gay
colors prevail everywhere. They are made
of wool, grown on the sheep in the parish.
The wool is carded, spun and woven at
home. Many of these blankets and rugs
are never or seldom ,sed They are there
only to show the wealth of the family.
In this room you will also see at least
one (often more) heavy, iron bound chest.
And it may be that the mistress of the house
will show you the contents of such chest,
if you ask her. Beautiful linens and laces,
representing years and years of work on the
part of the women, will be shown you.
Aprons and embroidered scarfs, old silver
buckles and belts and chains, worn by the
women only on their wedding days, may be
submitted to your adnliring gaze.
There is also spacious closet, decorated
with blue, yellow and white tulips on the
mellow time Drowned wood On the shelves
are crowded mugs and cups of silver, pewter
and copper from olden times together with
carved wooden bowls from still older times
"a sight to gladden. the heart of the most
particular collector.
A. few years ago the tourists would
eagerly buy such things, but now that the
heirlooms, they will not part with them at
any price.
A mans everyday clothes are white, but
on Sundays he puts on long, dark-blue
coat. The breeches, however, are, always
white. While working, he also wears yell
low leather apron.
There is more variety to the feminine
dress. The skirt is always black and the
bodice red. But the apron, which an Orsa
woman wears in church as well as in kit
chen, can be eitherl.l with green or blue
border, green with a red border or blue with
red border. All these pieces of clothes
are wooden and worn in the same thickness
bright and clear. The sleeves are always
pure white linen, with braid embroidered
in colors around the wrists. A sort of scarf"
beautifully worked with embroideries and
laces, covers the chest and. back, not the
shoulders.
For everyday wear kerchief is used as
headdress by the women, because it stays on
well. The "real thing" however, is a plain,
but very becoming loose cap.
The only addition to this wardrobe in
winter is sheepskin coat, heavier shoes and
stockings. The sheepshn coat for men is
much longer than for women As the cuts
of clothes never, vary among these people,
the village tailor escapes the worry about
the latest Partisan style! Once master,
always master with him.
When we say that the peasants of Orsa
sold their forests, it does not mean that they
sold them forever. Some parts of those for
ests were sold for certain number of years !;
from other parts was sold the timber only
of certain thickness. After that timber had
been taken away, the forest belonged to the
parish as before. In no instance was the
ground sold. Consequently Orsa now en-
ploys small army of foresters who are
raising new crop of trees to be sold some
day for new millions.
1t is, however, conceivable that the
state would then step in and demand share
in the harvest
Formerly, before the forests were sold,
very important industry Aourished in Orsa,
that ofmaIng grindstones. A kind of sand
stone is here to be found in abundance, and
from that stone the peasants of Orsa would
cut grindstones of all sizes, then go out and
sell them all over the country. There was
no factory. Every man had his work shop
at home. They put out very good grind
stones, the art being taught by father to son.
Then the forest fund came into exis-
tence. To-day there is not one man in the
parish of Orsa who cuts grindstones, scarce
ly even for his own use. There. are no fac
tories of any kind. The natives invariably
refuse to grant land for any industrial en-
terprise. Perhaps they are afraid that they
would otherwise be swamped by factories,
because of the exemption from taxes. Pro-