The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1875-07-16
NUMBER 2S.
BESTlPARLORS.

Almost every Amtrican house possesses
one of these droad[m altars, erected to
what unknown goddess it is impossible to
guess. 1t is a Bogy, before whom from
time to time people burn gas in chandeliers
of fearful design; to whom are dedicated
fragrant carpets, impossible oil paintings,
furniture too gorgeous for common day and
shroudcd thcrcfrom by customary Holland.
Musty smells belong to this Deity stiffness,
angles absence of sunshine. The visitor,
entering, secs written above the portal =
WHO cutters here abandons-co
What is there to talk about in a dark room
as the Domdaniel, except where ono crack
in reluctant shutter reveals a stand of
wax flowers under glass, and a dimly dis
ccrncd hostess who evidently waits only,
your departure to cxtinguish that solitary
ray The voice instinctivcly hushcs the
mind finds itself barren of ideas a few
drcary conmonplaccs arc exchanged, then
4 rise, rustic, the door is gained and the
light of the blessed sun /; you glance up in
passing-fap goes the blind-inucr dark
ness is again resumed, Bogy has it all his
own way, and you thank your stars you
have done your duty by the Browns for at
least a twclvc-month And yet, upon this
dismal apartment, which she hates, and all
her acquantanccS Late poor Mrs. Brown
has lavishcd time and money enough to
make two rooms charming For ugly
things cost as much as pretty ones-oiten
more. And costly uglincss is, as Mrs.
Brown would tell you. "a great responsible
ity to take care Of What with the carpet
which mustn't get faded, and the mirror
which mustn't get hy-spcckcd, and the giid-
ing which mustn't be furnished, there is
nothing but to shut the room up to dark
ness and all dull influences. And as tami-
lies arc like flies and will follow the sun,
the domestic life comes to be led every
where rather than in the best paror, and
the taboo which Mrs. Brown proclams is
easily enforced.
EDIroR SOUTHERN CULTIVAToR =
Please publish the extract send you in
your highly priced "Cultvator," that it
may be widely circulated. want our
farmers wives to read it and be bcncfttcd.
hate parlors-their cold, stiff chccrlcss
elegance chils my social feeling. 1 haze
one its true, because have to do as other
people, but don't want it and rarely 90 i'll
it. I generally find some excuse for asking
my friends into my little sitting room =,
where am at my work with baby on the
floor, and make no. apology for the little
sh9c that he has thfown across the room,
ure moment that I would love to spend
with friend if could run in, 'just as T
am" to their cozy sitting room, or cool
back piazza ; but to attire myself in keep
ing with the costly parlor, would consume
the little time l had to spare for the visit !;
and the dark, Stiff unaired room would
make my head ache. So my little visit,
which | might have enjoyed, but for the
parlor, is abandoned. Don't understand,
Mr.. Editor: that / am not fond of tasty
pretty rooms no true woman will sit long
in any o. her; but the parlors are not, as a
general thing, tasty or pretty, and that's
the reason the ladies make ''pop calls"-
But, please excuse me for trcspassing OH
your timc-I didn't mean to and publish
the extract when you have space, as the
well expressed sentiments of
A FARMERS WIFE.