The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-06-18
REST ROOMS.

Among all the ioles prevalent in the
middle classes, that of sacrificing family
comfort and convenience 10 the absurd de-
sire OF having best room is one OF the
most ridiculous Let it not be inferred
that we consider good furniture, elegant
curtains, and handsome carpets. as super
fluous luxuries for people in the plebian
state-far from it. Consistent taste and
prudent display are to be as much admired
in the house of commoner, as in the sa-'
looms of nobleman; but when a room Is
set apart in small domicil as the mere re-
ceptacle Of company, and all in that room
are held sacred to frigid ceremony and os-
tentatious pretensions, when chairs are
cased in Holland jackets, and the carpet
puts on a pinafore Of the same material for
months together, when the apartment Isl
literally shut up-indicating that family
comfort lies dead within 1t, then may the
best room be condemned as worse than.
useless.
For our own part, there is something so
perfectly terrifying in being asked into q
stately and fine drawing room-the pol.
ished bars shining with unnatural bright-s
ness-the fire-irons arranged in stiff an
giles, evidently never appropriated to their
purpose, the table most geometrcally stud.
ded with glossy. unread volumes of rub
bish, and the besilked and betasselled sofas
looking as if they were intended Tor any
thing but sitting on. =.
We give an involuntary shudder as we
are left TO gaze on costly chimney orna--
ments and japanned screens, while the la.
dy of the house is, most probably, making.
rush to execute the metan orphose Of dress
and cap. We would much rather have
been introduced 10 the common parlor,
where we should have beheld some signs
of vitality, and thawed ourselves into good
humored cheerfulness; but then and there
we might have beheld basket Of stockings
and socks undergoing the process OF re-
pair, the young one might have been lug
ging the chairs about and left tailless
horse and wheelless cart in the foreground;
we might have formed suspicious that
bloaters had been among the matin condi-
ments; and o, most dreful Of all! we might
have found the mistress in somewhat
rumpled morning wrapper, and ''fright
Of cap" Still we should greatly prefer
the risk of breaking our neck over Noah's
ark, sitting down on heap Of undarned
hose, and encountering fifth tale head
gear, to the petrifying. spirit damping ff.
teen minutes we are sentenced to sit in a.
s'best room"
The children, if there happen TO be such
humanizing things in the establishment,
look on the walls with sort of religious.
awe. They never "play" in the "best
room;" they never dream of clutching at
the splendid bell-rope; they never have the
most remote idea of making lord mayors
coaches Of the embroidered footstools, and
never think of playing ''bo-peep" behind
the richly fringed damask drapery; they
never dare TO speculate as 10 whether, with
stout pin, they could pick out the eyes Of
the queer little man on the Indian card
box; mirth and mischief ale thoroughly
mesmerized, and the little darlings sit or
stand as though their lie-tde had been sud-
denly manufactured into the "best starch.'i
| And let us confess, that we experience
no inconsiderablc sense of misery our
selves in such situation. II may be that
trace of gipsey blood is in our veins. or
that some natural qualification for ssgeni-9
atty" equally ignoble, marks US, but we
are certainly never quite comfortable ii
room that is only occupied on grand oc,
casons. Eiza Cook. seaeli
! A lady on being asked to Join the
Daughters Of Temperance, replied, thar
i IL InI al -