" THE LATCHSTRING IS • OUT . [To the Editor
of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—I have never seen or heard the above expression before it appeared in The Spectator, but to me, at least, the meaning of it is perfectly obvious.
In my native county—Cardiganshire--there used to be and there still are, as far as my knowledge' goes, many cottages—of much older type, of course, than the Council variety—admission into which was obtained as follows : The latch was, naturally, fixed on the inside of the door to which was tied, a few inches from its pivot, a piece of string. The other end of this string passed to the outside through a hole—something like a gimlet hole—bored in the door, two or three inches above the level of the latch. Thus, when the latchstring was out a little pull to the string would lift up the little latch and admission would be gained to the big welcome within.
The last thing to be done before retiring at night was to pull in the latohstring.—I am, Sir, &c., W. J. Llansoy Rectory.
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