Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1892 — AN ANCIENT FARM HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

AN ANCIENT FARM HOUSE.

What tlio French Hostdrios Were Like in tho Middle Age*. The houses of the farmers and the country people differed then as now, according to their rank and prosperity, and also according to the district they inhabited, says the Fortnightly Review. The yeoman farmer, and even the well-to-do husbandman, dwelt in a solid house of brick or stone, tiled or slated, with a paved yard separating it from tin* barns, the out-houses, the dairy and cattle pens. The farm house, which iu England was always constructed with a southern aspect, as invariably faced the east in Aquitaine, while to the rear, well open to the west, was a long tiled veranda, where in winter afternoons the hemp-picking, the woolcarding, etc., was done. Within, tho vast kitchen glowed in the light of the tire—almost as unextlnguishable as the vestal virgin's. Peat, coal and wood were each abundantly employed, and for a trifling rent, generally paid in kind, the lord of die manor would permit the farmers on his land to cut their turves from his bog or their boughs from his forest. Fuel was not only actually hut relatively cheaper in the middle ages than today, for the bogs were not drained In those days, the forest covered great expanses, and the cost of carriage made it almost Impossible to transport their produce. In almost every shire of France and England the supply of fuel was in excess of the demand.

This hospitable lire flared up a chimney proportioned to its size, lighting the huge brick oven, the iron fire-dogs, the bellows, shovel, gridiron, ladles, caldrons, sauce-pans, mortar, vin pails and other utensils that stood on the brackets of tho hearth; and irradiating the brass and copper pots, the metal candlesticks, tho lamp, the lantern, the not unfrequent silver beaker, and the glass drinking cups that were ranged on tlie chests and cupboards round the walls. Near this lire stood a hlghbreked settle, the master's Ingle corner, and under the great mantel of the chimney narrower benches were set in the brick. Within easy reach of the hearth a deep oak chest held, the logs for burning. It was generally matched by a handsome wedding chest with carved or painted front, long enough to contain a grown person full length (as the readers of “Ginerva” will mournfully remember), but more usually filled, it must be admitted, with the best clot hes, the trinkets, and the savings of the household. The registers of the Chatelet record no crime so common as the breaking open of such wedding chests; and-lt is surprising how many clasps or Jewels, girdles of pearls, golden headdresses and rings and purses full of gold were stolen from quite humble households. Our forefathers Invested their capital In cups or trinkets of precious metal, pretty to look at, easy to hide, and readily converted into cash when necessity demanded a sacrifice.