gether, and also keep the house from spreading, and make it firm. The cracks were plastered with mortar made of sand and lime; the house was warm and comfortable. We had no stove; for stoves were un- known in the settlement until I was quite a big boy. I think we were the first to get one. When it was set up, and the fire started in it, we thought we would smother. We had a great open fireplace that served for both heat and light; and gave good ventilation too, and that was healthful for us. It was built of stones cemented together with mortar; wide flat stones were laid around the fireplace like a pavement, and extended out two or three feet; this was called the hearth. It pro- tected the floor from the hot coals, and was a fine place to warmone’s feet. The crickets made their home in the crevices of the stones and when we retired at night they came out and sang their queer little chirping songs. We liked to hear them sing; they were so cheerful. A strong iron arm, we called a “crane” was securely fastened in the side of the fireplace, and made so it could be swung over the fire, on this were hung pots and pans. The cooking was done in these and also in the hot coals. It was surprising how bread, or bannock could be cook- ed in the coals without being soiled or having ashes adhere. The big flat pans that hung on the crane were the ovens. There were two supports for the, firewood—~“andirons”—we called them “dog-irons”; they looked like two dogs, looking out from the fire, or facing out- ward, and with their tails toward the back of the fireplace. They had a hot bed, for a great fire was kept blazing in this all day. Before going to bed father or the big boys, would roll a stout log on that would keep the fire going all night; we called this the back log.

Matches were unknown to the early settlers and fires had to be caefully banked at night to preserve live coals for starting the morn- ing meal. One man in a lonely locality discovered that his fire had gone out during the night, and the next morning, in zero weather, he was compelled to travel five miles to procure live coals in order to prepare his breakfast. The journey of ten miles for a pan of coals probably taught him a lesson.

One woman walked nine miles and back and waded two harbors, to get some live coals to start her fire. Some of the men carried a jack- knife and flint and spunk, or touchwood, a spongy wood that ignited

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