Saint Mary's beacon., 1874-01-29

people VINO lived AZ tbis remote era of the
worlds history xoold doubtless have been
SURPRISED at many of the articles found in
she houses Of to-day. Helen Of Troy
-wc.lA hsve been rnssled hew to use a
sesing-machinc. snd the matrons Of
Tket<s Of Baby Ion would have regarded
packs, of piss az priceless luxury
I.axurious furniture was not unknown.
and there are evidences still remaining
that =; The ;ime Chcopcs was building the
grea, pyramids in Egypt. and King Da-
via leading the Jewish warriors in Israel.
che dainty Assyrian danes rcclined in
scented boudoirs. the appointments of
which would no. be de.pised BY modern
t-iie- From the hieroglyphic-covered
monuments Of the East it 10 shown that
while the lraeli,es had not advsnced be-
ycnd their coarse rug or skin. the inhab-
isauts OF Egypt had stools. chairs, otto
mans. cOucLcs aud tables; and il j. known.
scc. thA, in the residences OF the rich
these pieces Of furniture were ms.ie If the
f.sost woods, ~i,h costly carvings. and
;E:=si work of gold and ivory. Their
apartments were hung with deliberately
wrought tapestries, and similar richly
woven and embroidered stuiEs covered the
s~sss and backs cf chairs and settecs.
Their couches. ve have reason 10 con-
eiude. often served BY nigh. as bedsscads.
having cushions then laid over them.
which were sometimes piled 20 high that
STEPS we're used to get upon them. The
head-rcs,s. which with them often served
sLe purpose of pillows. were short pillows.
toryed wiih pieces shaped like crescent.
sometimes Of wood and sometimes Of ivory
ar alahasscr. with occasionally cushions
f;tcd into their hollovs. Tue poorer folks
slers IN their clcaEs. with stone for their
pslloss. ~ Jacob did when on his journey
20 Fsdam-arsm. What We know now as
the camp-chair. in which. the scat. of
csssA. c.rrc:inc or leather. permits the
folding y? Of ,hss picca Of furniture, is
euly revival Of the style which the an
ei.n, Egyptians had in common use
Iierodc;ns tells US that those who lived in
she marshes sle,t ss night in the nets
With which by day they 6shed. Our
e.se-scAi chairs are an aaap,ion from the
sipe when strips Of leather we're iuterlaced
fUr the ssne purpose. Long before the
days ef the efst fharcah the Egyptians
bad carved coushes, beds,eads of iron. and
u 10 believed. of tronze. Carpets were
90 the Sccrs Of the wealthy. They had
metal mirrors. and great profusion Of
kitchen utensils. and dishes Of all sorts
Scr shc table.
Nor were the Aayrians At al behind
shs Egsrians in the profusion, conve-
nisncr, 6rrsmentasisn and elegance Of
thsir hecsshculd furniture. Among the
k~yri.n sculptures we End representa-
tioas ef dOable seats. some Of which are
very elegantly frmed. The ordinary
fashion of the chair-legs vas in imitation
cf essae wild animal. usually . lion. the
sccx s~ing raiscd and supported on shor,
PIN. aud ~ha; is remarkable. the skill o.
their eahines makers. even in the early
era Cf JOscpa, had already done away
~ita tie necessity Of sniiiag the leg.
With bars
At Tkeaes vas discovered an Egyptian
chair. m sne Preservation. inlaii with
i~sry aud ebony. Of very handsome form,
and pa; together eatirely With wooden
Pegs. Tie Egyptian tables we're round
square CT cblong. The former. which
~ss their dining-table. consisted Of q tiai
slab. cftcn supported b. . carved figure
eta captive slave. SOzne were made with
sasid SIDES and some we're Of stone o.
metal.
As = rue. the Egyptian hed..eai. o,
coushss appear 10 have bSen made Of wood,
bat scnc were ecns,rucsea of metal, ths
mere cOssiy heiar decorated with rCld and
SILVER. Although there seems to havs
kc<e questionable diversity in the slar.
cs their sancries aud the means by which
they wcrc decked With hangings. and al.
thszsh tAeJ scnesimss resembled ,he mod
ere tSarroxses. yet generally in form they
we're very ssz.lsr se our couch. They
mansfessea ecn.iaerahle amount Of taste
cse enA was raised and descended in I
gr.cefal curve; the legs we're sometime.
ssrsi<ks senssines carved. and their fee
ogten f.shs0eea - ss 20 resemble the claw.
ef saimal<. Their hitiags BY day seen
90 asvs bees ditsereas 20 those ascd u
night. In she day there we're spss I'd
ever thsm coverings. On tie gorgeous de.
corss;ca of skieh those Who we're abb.
we're lavish IN their expenditure.
A lsarned Erglish writer. describing
sAs soaacir of a Egyptian lady. say
10 wss sss devoid of IN air ef lsxsry and
sefs<nsss particularly esnsenial TO ou'
melers TASTE. "a sand sssr the un
glasSa siaasu Supported vases Of Gov