The entrance to the house proper was by a door opening from this stoop, so as to be sheltered from the storms in winter.

There was a very large fire place made of stones in the middle of one side of the room, with a large flat stone for a hearth in front of it.

This hearth stone was very smooth, and Mary Erskine kept it always very bright and clean.

On one side of the fire was what they called a settle, which was a long wooden seat with a very high back.

It was placed on the side of the fire toward the door, so that it answered the purpose of a screen to keep off any cold currents of air, which might come in on blustering winter nights, around the door.