THE COTTAGE FIRESIDE 



95 



of food hot. Sometimes the handle was straight ; often it 

 was ornamented. An example of both is given, the one 

 with decorated handle at p. 278. 



The older lire-irons were almost invariably of the patterns 

 as in the picture, but the pan of the shovel has lost a little 



Toaster and Potato-Rarer 



of its length from wear. The bowed top or handle end of 

 the tongs has an ornamental value, and in use acts as a good 

 .stop to the hand. Such a pair of tongs appears in Dame 

 Wiggins's kitchen. 



By most firesides was a pair of the small hand-tongs 



Baring Iron 



called brand tongs. They were for picking up a morsel of 

 live wood-coal for lighting the pipe. The projection was 

 for stopping down the tobacco in the bowl. The nearest 

 one of the two in the picture is the best-made pair of brand- 



