The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-10-05
Best Parlors.

Best ParlOrs.
Almost every American house posses
ses one of these dreadful altars, erected
to what unknown goddess it is impos-
sible to guess. 1t is Bogy, before whom
from time to time people burn gas in
chandeliers of fearful design to whom
are dedicsted hagrsnt carpets, impos-
sible oil pain tiDgs, furniture too gorgeous
for common day and shrouded therefrom
by customary Holland. Musty smells
belong to this Deity, stiffness, angles,
absence of sunlight. The visitor, enter
ing, sees written above the portal
"Who enters here abandons-conversa-
ton" What is there to talk about in q
room dark as the Domdan,el, except
where one crack in reluctant shutter
reveals a stand of wax flowers under
glass and a dimly deserted hostess, who
evidently waits your departure to ex-
tinguish that solitary ray 7 The voice
inst,nctively bushes the mind finds it
self barren IF ideas. A few oreary COM
monplaces are exchanaed, then rise,
rustic, the door is gained and the light
of the. blessed sun; you glance up IN
passing--hap goes the blind, inner dark,
ness Is again resumed, Bogy has it all
his own way, and you thank your stars
that you have done your duty by the
Browns for at least twelve month
And yet, upon this dismal apartment,
which she hates and all hes acqu ain
tances ha, g, poo Mrs. Brown has lavish
ed time and money enoug to make two
rooms charming. For ugly ,ines cost
rs much as pretty ones,-otten more
AID c. stly lglness is, as Mrs. Br wn
would tel you, " great responslb hiy
to take care off, VIII. It with the carpet
which mustn't get faded, the mirrors
which mu.n't get fly speoked, the gid
ing which mustn't be furnished, there II
nothin for is but to shut the room uI
to darsne,s and all dull Influences. And
as families are like flies and oiU follow
thu sun, the domestic life comes to os
led anywhere rather than in the bes'
p.rlors and the taboo" which Mrs
Brown proclalms is easily enforced
And vet this very Mrs Brown is quicl
to recognize the difference when in othe
peoples homes she is shown cosy ant
pleasant room. She sits on chintz sof
In her velvet and ermine, and glance
half enviou,ly at the tinted walls hung
with photographs, at the sparkling littl
fire in the CRATE, the windows gay wit
sun aud green things, the book case
and tables loaded with volumes. "HoN
admire an open fire." she says. "Bu
doesn't it msks great deal OF dust
And your plants, tool can't think hoy
YOU make them grow so we'll in pdrlor.
"a little Croton and plenty OF sun
all the secret" she is told. ...
"Oh, but how dreadfully faded you
carpet must get" she goes on. "Suc
ousntities of books, too. Well, shoul
like to have such things y
1t does not occur to the good lad
that for the lrice Of Que of those usele
mi; T rs viii, h cost her uch anxiety al
rubbing with cnamo,s-skin, d cboi'
compa. of pes, phil sophers, al
sape, could BE- won 10 81, fo, e er It b,
side int mig her with t cir wisdor
Or that f + tIthe the same hDr hr
less graf woull sparlue with C.nn
coal for in er loUg. 'Hgr f0rn1iur
her carpsts the dullness of Der hon
are encumor4ucos t u y, whlch She bea
willingly and would not be without.
And pc pie having the right to IL
pretty mucn rs they please, 80 long
they VIC ate no law OF the land 1t w0u
mater little, except that there are
many Browns anu SO many best perlo
that society is seriously affected theret
Foo syst m which nece 81 ates gre
and trY ubl some changes i'll family I
ranrements whenever guest com
tends to narrowness and inho pltali'
If the covers must be taken off tie II
niture, the plated spoons so up sta
and the silver ones come down, the b.
china be lifted from top shelf, up
the arrival Of each friend, be sure tt
friend will seldom arrive. Only wh
what Mrs. Stowe calls "a good libe
average" is establi bed as a ru G over
houses, will hearty interchange of SOC
courtesie. begin, and the communion
friends, face to face, be regarded as
pleasure rather than toll.
To those of US who have been tastl
the summer in he sweet breadth a
freedom of the couutry, our homes v
seem dull and straitened enough as
re-enter them. Now is the time, bef
the old habitual scales blind our eyes
look about with anointed vision, 6
see how these homes can be brig
ened and broadened-made more
that lovely out door home to wh
Nature welcomes each newcomer. Ao
all, let us cast out the "Best Parl'
To the sacred enclosure once called
that name, let us bring our daintier ia
of letter-writing, needle work, stu
Let the walls be beautifed with ev
simple ornament within our reach
windows opened to receive the sum-
vines and roses set to catch his shinl
And over the door once sacred to J." Bot
let us write Welcome" And so
last shadow of the Bogy will depart,
our homes be very homes indeed,
"From turret to foundation stone"
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