The  ideal  hearth  and  fireplace  of  olden  times  (restored  at
Plymouth,  and  especially  at  Deerfield,  Massachusetts,  by
George  Sheldon)  was  indeed  the  center  about  which  the
whole  family  system  revolved.  On  the  swinging  crane,
evolved  from  the  earlier  wooden  lug  pole,  hung  from  pot-
hooks, chains,  and  trammels  several  species  of  iron  pots  and
brass  kettles,  in  front  of  a  green  backlog  so  big  and  long  that
it  was  sometimes  snaked  in  by  a  horse.  Below,  attached  to
the  upright  part  of  the  andirons,  was  the  turnspit  dog,  revolved
by  hand,  and  sometimes,  at  a  later  date,  by  clockwork,  for
fancy  roasts.  There  were  roasters  and  dripping  pans,  and  the
three-legged  spider  in  which  bread  was  baked,  first  on  the
bottom  and  then  tipped  up  to  the  coals,  or  else  the  top  was
done  by  a  heavy,  red-hot  iron  cover.    Here  rye  used  to  be


314  CHILD  LIFE  AND  EDUCATION

roasted  and  mortared  for  coffee,  which  was  later  boiled  in
water  and  maple  molasses.  On  the  shelf  or  beam  above  the
fire  stood  the  foot  stove,  a  horn  of  long  and  another  of  short
paper  lamplighters  ;  a  sausage  staffer  ;  tin  lanthorn  ;  mortar;
chafing  dish ;  runlet ;  noggin ;  flatirons,  perhaps  of  new  fashion,
hollowed  for  hot  iron  chunks  ;  tinder  box  ;  tankard  ;  and  coffee
pots  ;  and  high  above  all  a  bayoneted  flint  gun  or  two,  with
belt,  bayonet  sheath,  brush,  and  primer.  Overhead  on  the  pole
hung  always  a  hat  or  cap  on  the  end,  and  perhaps  a  haunch
of  dried  beef,  with  possibly  a  ham,  a  calf's  rennet  stretched
with  a  springy  willow  stick  inside  ;  pumpkins  cut  into  long
ringlets  ;  bundles  of  red  peppers  ;  braided  seed  corn  and  dried
apples,  the  latter  also  perhaps  half  covering  the  roof  and  south
side  of  the  house.  About  the  fireplace  stood  or  hung  the  bed
warmer,  the  tongs,  and  long  "  slice,"  a  hollow  gourd  or  crooked-
necked  squash ;  candle  holders  with  long  tin  reflectors ;  bel-
lows ;  woolen  holders  ;  toasting  irons  ;  smoking  tongs  ;  pewter
porringer ;  spoon  molds  ;  trivet ;  skillet  and  piggin  ;  a  tin
kitchen  ;  a  tin  baker  and  steamer  ;  a  flip  iron  ;  the  big  dye  tub
always  in  the  corner,  and  the  high-backed  settle  in  front.
