Irish Mud Cabins

The mud cabin in Ireland oonsists of trwo rooms and possibly a sruall semidetached outhonse which is used as a storeroom for perishable' articles. There is not a ohink in the walls or thatch save a narrow chinmey, which seldoin if ever answers its purpose. The doorway faces the east aud emits the smoke. What little light peiietrates inside through the tiny window disoloses the deep chocolate stam from the eternal turf reek which pervades the atmosphere of the interior, and literally paints walls, roof and furnitnre a uniform color. The fnrniture is rough and also scanty, a few stools atoning for the occasional complete absence of chairs. The mud floor is always more or less wet from the patter of the children's bare feet or from the animáis which have free access to the house. At uight there is a goodly company within the walls of this spacious mausion. In the inside room there are two or three box beds or berths, where the childreu sleep, according to their age and sex. From 9 to 12 is not an uncommon uuruber in a family. In the state berth iu the calliogh, or recess at the side of the hearth, the father aud mother repose nnscreened from the live stock of the farm and breathe the same atmosphere as some eight qüadrnpeds besides the poultry. Pigs, cattle, dogs, cats, and probably a horse or donkey, have their bed space respectively, and jealously resent aiiy encroachment by a bedfellow. Astonishing as it may appear, thero j are hardly auy disagreeable odors. The ! overpowering smell of the peat smoke evidently acts as a oomplete disinfectaut, and fortunately it is innoxious to tlie inhabitauts of the hovel. Equally astonish ing is the fact that the whole cominuj nity is in compai'ative harmony, and even the babies rarely cry. There is plenty of occupation for all the family who are able and willing to work, the mother doing little else but nurse the youngest iufant.-