THE WAY TO PLENTY, OR, THE HISTORY OF TOM WHITE. [CONCLUDED.]
I THANK you for the hint, sir, said the farmer, "I am resolved to rejoice though, and others shall rejoice with me: And we will have a merry night on't."
So Mrs. White dressed a very plentiful supper of meat and pudding; and spread out two tables. The farmer sat at the head of one, consisting of some of the neighbours, and all his work-people. At the other sat his wife, with two long benches on each side of her. At these sat all the old and infirm poor, especially those who lived in the workhouse, and had no day of festivity to look forward to in the whole year but this. On the grass, in the little court, sat the children of his labourers, and of the other poor, whose employment it had been to gather flowers, and dress and adorn the horns of the [Page 3] ram; for the farmer did not wish to put an end to any old custom, if it was innocent. His own children stood by the table, and he gave them plenty of pudding, which they carried to the children of the poor, with a little draught of cider to every one.
This feast though orderly and decent, was yet hearty and cheerful. Dr. Shepherd dropped in with a good deal of company he had at his house, and they were much pleased. When the Doctor saw how the aged and the infirm poor were enjoying themselves, he was much moved; he shook the farmer by the hand, and said, "But thou, when thou makest a feast, call the blind, and the lame, and the halt; they cannot recompence thee, but thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."
"Sir," said the farmer, "'tis no great matter of expence, I kill a sheep of my own, potatoes are as plenty as blackberries, with people who have a little forethought. I save much more cider in the course of a year by never allowing any carousing in my kitchen, or drunkenness [Page 4] in my fields, than would supply many such feasts as these, so that I shall be never the poorer at Christmas. It is cheaper to make people happy, sir, than to make them drunk. The Doctor and the ladies condescended to walk from one table to the other, and heard many merry stories, but not one profane word, or one indecent song; so that he was not forced to the painful necessity either of reproving them, or leaving them in anger. When all was over they sung the sixty-fifth psalm, and the ladies all joined in it, and when they got home to the vicarage to tea, they declared they liked it better than any concert.
The HARD WINTER.
In the famous cold winter of the present year, 1795, it was edifying to see how patiently farmer White bore that long and severe frost. Many of his sheep were frozen to death, but he thanked GOD that he had still many left. He continued to find in-door work that his men might not be out of employ. Mrs. White was so considerate, that just at that time she lessened the number of her hogs, that [Page 5] she might have more whey and skim milk to assist poor families. Nay, I have known her live on boiled meat for a long while together, in a sickly season, because the pot-liquor made such a supply of broth for the sick poor. As the spring came on, and things grew worse, she never had a cake, a pye, or a pudding in her house; though she used to have plenty of these good things, and will again I hope when the present scarcity is over; though she says she never will use such white flour again, even if it should come down to five shillings a bushel.
All the parish now began to murmur. Farmer Jones was sure the frost had killed the wheat. Farmer Wilson said the rye would never come up. Brown the maltster insisted the barley was dead at the root. Butcher Jobbins said beef would be a shilling a pound. All declared there would not be a hop to brew with. The orchards were all blighted, there would not be apples enough to make a pye; and as to hay there would be none to be had for love nor money. ‘I'll tell you what, said farmer White, the season is dreadful.’ The crops are unpromising [Page 6] just now; but 'tis too early to to judge. Don't let us make things worse than they are. We ought to comfort the poor, and you are driving them to despair. Don't you know how much GOD was displeased with the murmurs of his chosen people? And yet, when they were tired of manna he sent them quails; but all did not do. Nothing satisfies grumblers. We have a promise on our side, that there shall be seed time and harvest time to the end. Let us then hope for a good day, but provide against an evil one. Let us rather prevent the evil before it is come upon us, than sink under it when it comes. Grumbling can't help us. Activity can. Let us set about planting potatoes in every nook and corner, in case the corn should fail, which however I don't believe. Let us mend our management before we are driven to it by actual want. And if we allow our honest labourers to plant a few potatoes for their families in the head lands of our plowed fields, or other waste bits of ground, it will do us no harm, and be a great help to them."
The farmer had many temptations to end his corn at an extravagant price to [Page 7] a certain sea port town; but as he knew that it was intended to export it against law, he would not be tempted to encourage unlawful gain; so he threshed out a small mow at a time, and sold it to the neighbouring poor far below the market price. He served his own workmen first. This was the same to them as if he had raised their wages, and even better, as it was a benefit of which their families were f [...]e to partake. If the poor in the next parish were more distressed than his own, he sold to them at the same rate. "For," said he, "there is no distinction of parishes in heaven, and though charity begins at home, yet it ought not to end there."
He had been used in good times now and then to catch a hare or a partridge, as he was qualified. But he now resolved to give up that pleasure. So he parted from a couple of spaniels he had; for he could not bear that his dogs should be eating the meat, or the milk which so many men, women, and children wanted.
The WHITE LOAF.
ONE day, it was about the middle of July, 1795 when things seemed to be at the [Page 8] dearest, and the Rulers of the land had agreed to set the example of eating nothing but coarse bread. Doctor Shepherd read, before sermon, in the church their public declaration, which the magistrates of the county sent him, and had also signed themselves. Mrs. White of course was at church, and commended it mightily. Next morning the Doctor took a walk over to the farmer's, in order to settle further plans for the relief of the parish. He was much surprised to meet Mrs. White's little maid Sally with a very small white loaf, which she had been buying at a shop. He said nothing to the girl, as he never thought it right to expose the faults of a mistress to her servant; but walked on, resolving to give Mrs. White a severe lecture for the first time in his life. He soon changed his mind, for on going into the kitchen the first person he saw was Tom the thatcher, who had had a sad fall from a ladder; his arm, which was slipped out of his sleeve, was swelled in a frightful manner. Mrs. White was standing at the dresser making the little white loaf into a poultice, which she laid upon the swelling in a large clean old cloth.
[Page 9]"I ask your pardon, my good Sarah," said the Doctor, "I ought not, however appearances were against you, to have suspected that so humble and prudent a woman as you are, would be led either to indulge any daintiness of your own, or to fly in the face of your betters, by eating white bread while they are eating brown. Whenever I come here I see it is not needful to be rich in order to be charitable. A bountiful rich man would have sent Tom to a surgeon who would have done no more good for him than you have done; for in those inflammations the most skilful surgeon could only apply a poultice. Your kindness in dressing the wound yourself, will, I doubt not, perform the cure at the expence of that three-penny loaf and a little hog's lard. And I will take care that Tom shall have a a good supply of Rice from the Subscription." "And he shan't want for skim milk," said Mrs. White, and was he the best lord in the land, in the state he is in, a dish of good rice milk would be better for him than the richest meat.
The PARISH MEETING.
ON the tenth of August the vestry held another meeting, to consult on the best method of further assisting the poor. The prospect of abundant crops now cheered every heart. Farmer White had a mind to be a little jocular with his desponding neighbours. Well, neighbour Jones," said he, "all the wheat was killed, I suppose. The barley all dead at the root. Farmer Jones looked sheeepish, and said, to be sure the crops had turned out better than he thought, Then," said Dr. Shepherd, learn to trust Providence another time."
Among other things, they agreed to subscribe for a large quantity of rice, which was to be sold out to the poor at a very low price, and Mrs. White was so kind as to undertake the trouble of selling it. After their day's work was over, all who wished to buy at these reduced rates were ordered to come to the farm on the Tuesday evening. Dr. Sepherd dropped in at the same time, and when Mrs. White had done weighing her rice, the Doctor spoke as follows:
[Page 11]"My honest friends, it has pleased GOD to visit this land with a scarcity, to which we have been little accustomed. There are some idle evil minded people who are on the watch for public distresses, not that they may humble themselves under the mighty hand of GOD, (which is the true use to be made of all troubles) but that they may benefit themselves by disturbing the public peace. These people, by riot and drunkenness, double the evil which they pretend to cure. Riot will compleat our misfortune, while peace, industry, and good management, will go near to cure them. Bread to be sure is uncommonly dear. Among the various ways of making it cheaper, one is to reduce the quality of it, another, to lessen the quantity we consume. If we cannot get enough of coarse wheaten bread, let us mix one half of potatoes, and one half of wheat. This last is what I eat in my own family. It is pleasant and wholesome. Our blessed Saviour ate barley bread you know, as we were told in one of the Numbers of the Cheap Repository, which I hope you have all heard; as I desired the master of the Sunday school to read it just after evening [Page 12] service, when I know many of the parents are apt to call in at the school. This is a good custom, and one of those little books shall be often read at that time.
"My good women, I truly feel for you at this time of scarcity; and I am going to shew my good will, as much by my advice as my subscription. It is my duty, as your friend and minister, to tell you, that one half of your present hardships is owing to BAD MANAGEMENT. I often meet your children without shoes and stockings, with great luncheons of the very whitest bread, and that three times a day. Half that quantity, and still less if it were coarse, put into a dish of good onion or leek porridge, would make them an excellent breakfast. Many too of the very poorest of you eat your bread hot from the oven; this makes the difference of one loaf in five; I assure you 'tis what I cannot afford to do. Come Mrs. White, you must assist me a little. I am not very knowing in these matters myself▪ but I know that the rich would be twice as charitable, if the poor made a better use of their bounty. Mrs. [Page 13] White do give these poor women a little advice how to make their pittance go further than it now does. When you lived with me you were famous for making us nice, cheap dishes, and I dare say you are not less notable now you manage for yourself."
"Indeed neighbours, said Mrs. White, what the good doctor says is very true. A halfpenny worth of oatmeal or groats▪ with a leek or onion, out of your own garden which costs nothing, a bit of salt, and a little coarse bread, will breakfast your whole family. It is a great mistake at any time to think a bit of meat so ruinous, and a great loaf of bread so cheap. A poor man gets seven or eight shillings a week; if he is careful he bring's it home. I dare not say how much of this goes for tea in the afternoon, now sugar and butter are so dear, because I should have you all upon me, but, I will say that too much of this little goes even for bread, from a notion that it is the hardest fare. This at all times, but particularly just now, is bad management. Dry pease to be sure have been very dear lately! but now they are plenty enough. I am [Page 14] certain then, that if a shilling or two of the seven or eight was laid out for a bit of coarse beef, a sheep's head, or any such thing, it would be well bestowed. I would throw a couple of pounds of this into the pot with two or three handfuls of grey pease, an onion, and a little pepper. Then I would throw in cabbage, or turnip, and carrot; or any garden stuff that was most plenty; and let it stew two or three hours, and it will make a dish sit for his Majesty. The working man should have the meat: the children don't want it, the soup will be thick and substantial, and requires no bread.
RICE MILK.
"You who can get skim milk, as all our workmen can, have a great advantage. A quart of this, and a quarter of a pound of the rice you have just bought, a little bit of all-spice, and brown sugar, will make a dainty and a cheap dish."
"Bless your heart!" muttered Amy Grumble, who looked as dirty as a cinder-wench with her face and fingers all daubed with s [...]uff; "rice milk indeed!" it is very [Page 15] nice to be sure for those who can dress it, but we have not a bit of coal; rice is of no use to us without firing." "And yet," said the Doctor, "I see your tea-kettle boiling twice every day, as I pass by the poor-house, and fresh butter at eleven-pence a pound on your shelf." "O dear, sir," cried Amy, "a few sticks serve to boil the tea-kettle." "And a few more," said the Doctor," will boil the rice milk, and give twice the nourishment at a quarter of the expence."
RICE PUDDING.
"PRAY Sarah," said the Doctor, "how did you use to make that pudding my children were so fond of? And I remember when it was cold, we used to have it in the parlour for supper." "Nothing more easy," said Mrs. White. "I put half a pound of rice, two quarts of skim milk, and two ounces of brown sugar." "Well," said the Doctor, "and how many will this dine?" "Seven or eight, sir," very well, and what will it cost?" Why, sir, it did not cost you so much because we baked it at home, and I used our own milk; it will not cost above seven-pence [Page 16] to those who pay for both. Here too bread is saved."
"Pray, Sarah, let me put in a word," said farmer White. "I advise my men to raise each a large bed of parsnips. They are very nourishing, and very profitable. Sixpennyworth of seed, well sowed, and trod in, will produce more meals than four sacks of potatoes; and what is material to you who have so little ground, it will not require more than an eighth part of the ground which the four sacks will take. Parsnips are very good the second day warmed in the frying-pan, and a little rasher of pork or baoon will give them a nice flavour."
Dr. Shepherd now said, "as a proof of the nourishing quality of parsnips, I was reading in a history book this very day, that the American Indians make a great part of their bread of parsnips, though Indian corn is so famous: it will make a little variety too."
"I remember," said Mrs. White, "a cheap dish, so nice that it makes my mouth water. I peel some raw potatoes, [Page 17] slice them thin, put the slices into a deep frying-pan, or pot, with a little water, an onion, and a bit of pepper. Then I get a bone or two of a breast of mutton, or a little strip of salt pork, and put into it. Cover it down close, keep in the steam, and let it stew for an hour."
"You really get me an appetite, Mrs. White by your dainty receipts," said the Doctor. "I am resolved to have this dish at my own table." "I could tell you another very good dish, and still cheaper," answered she. "Come, let us have it," cried the Doctor. "I shall write all down as soon as I get home, and I will favour any body with a copy of these receipts who will call at my house." "And I will do more, Sir," said Mrs. White, "for I will put any of these women in the way how to dress it, the first time, if they are at a loss. But this is my dish.
"Take two or three pickled herrings, put them into a stone jar, filled up with potatoes, and a little water, and let it bake in the oven till it is done. I would give one hint more," added she; "I have taken to use nothing but potatoe starch; [Page 18] and though I say it that should not say it, nobody's linen in a common way looks better than ours."
The Doctor now said, "I am sorry for one hardship which many poor people labour under. I mean the difficulty of getting a little milk. I wish all farmers wives were as considerate as you are, Mrs. White. A little milk is a great comfort to the poor, especially when their children are sick. And I have known it answer to the seller as well as to the buyer, to keep a cow or two on purpose to sell it out by the quart.
"Sir," said farmer White, "I beg leave to say a word to the men, if you please, for all your advice goes to the women. If you will drink less Gin you may get more meat. If you abstain from the ale [...]o [...]se you may many of you get a little good beer at home." "Aye, that we can Farmer," said poor Tom the thatcher, who was now got well. "Easter Monday for that—I say no more.—A word to the wise." The Farmer smiled and went on. "The number of public houses in many a parish brings on more hunger [Page 19] and rags than all the taxes in it heavy as they are. All the other evils put together hardly make up the sum of that one. We are now raising a fresh subscription for you. This will be our rule of giving. We will not give to Sots, Gamblers, and Sabbath breakers. Those who do not set their young children to work on week days, and send them to school on Sundays, deserve little favour. No man should keep a dog till he has more food than his family wants. If he feeds them at home they rob his children; if he starves them, they rob his neighbours. We have heard in a neighbouring city that some people carried back the subscription loaves because they were too coarse; but we hope better things of you." Here Betty Plane begged with all humility, to put in a word. "Certainly," said the Doctor, "we will listen to all modest complaints, and try to redress them." "You were pleased to say, sir," said she, "that we might find much comfort from buying coarse bits of beef. And so we might, but you do not know, sir, that we can seldom get them, even when we had the money, and times were not so bad." How so, Betty?" "Sir, when we go to butcher Jobbins for a bit [Page 20] of shin, or any other lean pieces, his answer is, "You can't have it to-day. The cook at the great house has bespoke it for gravy, or the Doctor's maid (begging your pardon, sir) has just ordered it for soup. Now, sir, if such kind gentle-folks were aware that this gravy and soup not only consume a great deal of meat, (which, to be sure, those have a right to use who can pay for it) but that it takes away those coarse pieces which the poor would buy, if they bought at all, I am sure they would not do it. For indeed the rich have been very kind, and I don't know what we should have done without them."
"I thank you for the hint Betty," said the Doctor, "and I assure you I will have no more gravy soup. My garden will supply me with soups, that are both wholesomer and better. And I will answer for my lady at the great house that she will do the same. I hope that this will become a general rule, and then we shall expect that the butchers will favour you [...]n the prices of the coarse pieces, if we buy nothing but the prime. In our gifts we shall prefer, as the farmer has told [Page 21] you, those who keep steadily to their work; Such as come to the vestry for a loaf, and do not come to church for the sermon, we shall mark; and prefer those who come constantly whether there are any gifts or not. But there is one rule from which we never will depart. Those who have been seen aiding or abetting any RIOT, any attack on butchers, bakers, wheat mows, mills, or millers, we will not relieve. With the quiet, contented, hard-working man, I will share my last morsel of bread. I shall only add, that though it has pleased GOD to send us this visitation as a punishment, yet we may convert this short trial into a lasting blessing, if we all turn over a new leaf. Prosperity has made most of us careless. The thoughtless profusion of some of the rich could only be exceeded by the idleness and bad management of some of the poor. Let us now at last adop [...] that good old maxim, EVERY ONE MIND ONE. And may GOD add his blessing!"
The people now cheerfully departed with their rice, resolving, as many of them as could get milk, to put one of Mrs. White's receipts in practice that very night; and a rare supper they had.