The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-14
Rest Rooms.
BY ELIZA COOK.

ELIZA COOK.
Among all the follies prevalent in the middle
classes that of sacrificing family comfort and con-
venience to the absurd desire of having "best
room is one Of the most ridiculous. Let 1t not be
inferred that we consider good furniture, elegant
curtains, and handsome carpets as superiuous lux
uries for people in plebeian statc-far from it. Con-
sistent taste and prudent display to be a much
admired in the house OF n commoner as In the sa-
looms of nobleman; bat when room Is set apart
in a small domicic as the mere receptacle OF COM
pany, and all in that room held sacred TO figid
ceremony and ostentacous pretensions; when the
chairs are cased in Holland jackets, and the carpet
puts ON its pnafore ofthe same material for months
together; when the apartment Is literally "shut
upo indicating that family comfort lies dead with
in it, then may the "best room" be condemned as
worse than useless.
For our own part we think there is something
perfectly terrifying in being asked into fine,
stately drawing room--the polished bars shining
with unnatural brightness-thc fire irons arranged
in stiff angles, evidently never appropriated TO
their purpose-thc tables most geometrically stud
ded with glossy, unread volumes of rubbish, and
the besilked and betasseled sofas, looking if they
were intended for any thing but sitting We
give an involuntary shudder we are left 10 gaze
upon costly chimney ornaments and japanncd
screens while the lady Of the house s most proba
bly, making a rush 10 execute the mctamorphose
Of dress and cap. We would much rather have
been introduced 20 the common parlor, where we
should have behcld some signs Of social vitality,
and thawed ourselves into good humored cheerful
ness; but then and there might have a
basket Of stockings and socks undergoing the pro-
of repair, the youngsters might have been lug
ging the chairs about, and left taillcss horse and
wheelless cart in the foreground. We might have
formed suspicious that bloatcrs had been among the
matn condiments, and OH most dire Of all we
might have found the mistress in a somewhat rum
pied morning wrapper and "fright of n cap;'
still we should greatly prefer the risks Of breaking
our neck over Noah's ark; sitting down on a heap
of undarncd hose, and encountering n fifth rate
head-gear, TO the petrfying, spirlt-damping hf
teen minutes we are often sentenced TO In the bcs
room"
Very trying things are these "best rooms" es-
pccialy where the lady proprietor Is I" excessively
particular" and walks round II with her laced
TO ascertain II the unhappy houscmaid has done her
duty efficiently. Heaven preserve us from abostcss
who is devoted 10 n "bcst room"
The children, IL there happen 10 be such human
izinQ things in the establishment, look upon the
walls with a sort of religious awe. They never
"play" in the "best room;' they never dream of
clutching at the splendid belrope; they never have
the most remote idea Of making Lord Mayors
coaches Of the embroidered foot STOOLS; they never
think Of playing at "Bo- peep" behind the richly
ffinged damask drapcry; they never dare 20 specu-
late 20 whether, with stout pin, they could pick
out the eyes Of the queer little man ON The Indian
card box; mirth and mischief are thoroughly mes
merized, and the little darlings sit or stand ss
though their life time had been thoroughly manu-
factured into the "bcst starch"
And LET us confess that experience no incon-
siderable Of misery ourselves in such situa
ton. II may be that trace Of the gypsy blood is
in our veins or that come natural disqualification
for "gentility," equally ignobe, marks us; but we
certainly are quite comfortable in room that
is only occupied ON ''grand occasions"
We wercmember being once put into best ROOM"
in order that our dcvotions to Apollo might be UNI
disturbed. II was, doubtless, considerate and
gracious condesccnsion on the part Of our enter
iaincrs, but shall we forget the shudder that
came over us as the door closed and stood alone
Ill fln.e yanff,eaf, NJ
Iceland. The room was large enough for all need
cd comfort and agreeable s'elbow space" but per-
fcctly spoplectc with upholstered rcpetion. Every
article Of furniture was matbematically placed !;
every chair and ottoman as prim and proper as
row Of young ladies during the first hour of an
evening party. The chandeliers and candelabrss
were ''donc up" in sombre- looking gsrments. and
the curtains and ,1, o sSo ss
could be seen; scarcely ray Of light was admitted
through the closely blinded windows and we stood
transhxcd between gorgeous "consoe' in book.
muslin, and grand "diyan IN brown Holland
TsgIioni," with our inspiration oozing out rapidly
We had concciveda notion OF some stanzas on
the Autumn Sunshine" but as we glanced around
the formal arrangement Of disguised spiendor,
we lost all the elixir OF poetry, and became as hard
worldly, and common place a penny piece ON
bar counter our copy book 1--WE always indite in
copy book, gentle reader) was flung down ON the
richly inlaid table, with an air OF offended pride
and wounded scnsibility. How could we gather
thoughts that burn" in the vicinity Of sofas that
looked like scpulchrc stones or find words that
BREATHE" where every thing was close, muffied,
and choked9 Mo- spirit revoted, and we
stood in sulky silence, remembering with invidous
contrast the snug family apartment we had occu
pied the day before. That cosey room had its well
worn carpet its broad, soft, old fashioned couch
its chintz-covered really easy chairs its cheerful
bit Of FIRE. though Il only the end OF September;
It's ancient fender, on which you might put your
feet ts friendly looking woolIen table cover, with
stain or two OF ink and wine on il lite quaint old
pictures Of a venerable grandfather, in snuff
colored coat and powder, and a respected grand.
mother, in ruffled sleeves and toupce,' and had
its mantel piece loaded with china shepherds and
shcpherdcsses and, above all, IL had its pleasant
| little bay window, where pet myrtle was sup
ported by a couple Of choice geranums. We had
| been quite at home in this cosey room, and had
managed To get through very fair /" effusion,' de
spite the thousand aud interruptions wer,