It seems that all older houses and maybe some modern ones also had or have crickets.

Anyway my Grandfather aways hung his socks up on the chair rungs at night. When I asked him why he said "to keep the crickets from eating them."

My daddy said that they would come out from around the fireplace which was made mostly of field stone and sit on the hearth for warmth. They got them to eating bread crumbs and someone came up with the idea of soaking some bread in whisky. He said that after the ate some of this doctored bread he never heard such "singing". He said they would stick their legs away up in the air and sing(probably sounded about like me trying to sing)
They also got a rooster drunk in the same manner. He was wobbling and trying to crow at the same time. Seems he couldn't crow very well.
I wonder where they got the whisky.

jist ole clyde