When cast iron stoves first came into homes in the late 1830s, some people thought they would be poisoned by the fumes. It quickly became obvious that the stoves were much more efficient than fireplaces.

The Sandburg family had a stove in the kitchen of their home which was used for cooking and heating. There was a reservoir on the side of the stove which held water. The heat from the stove kept the water hot for dishwashing, cleaning and bathing.

As in many immigrant homes, there were words of both English and the language of the home country spoken. Sometimes the words were mangled in the translation and became “inside” jokes to family members. But, the words stuck around for a long time.

The word “reservoir” was one of those words for the Sandburg family. The place on the stove that held the hot water became the “rissywarn.” From French to English to Swedish is only a short vocal trip.