Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-06-12
Mlistenanepns &eadina.
WHAT GOLD TIMES,, MEANT.

A half century ago large part, of the peo-
pie of the United States lived in houses un-
painted, upholstered and utterly devoid of
adornment. A well.fed fire in the yawning
chasm of a huge chimney gave partial warmth
to single room, and it was common re-.
mark that the inmates were roasting one side
while freezing the other In contrast, ma
jority of the people of the old States now live
in houses that are clapboarded, painted,
blinded and comfortably warmed. Then the
household furniture consisted of few plain
chairs, plain table, bedstead made by the
village carpenter. Carpets there were none.
To day, few are the homes, in city or country,
that do not contain a carpet of some sort,
while the average laborer by weeks work
may earn enough to enable him to repose at
night upon spring bed.
Fifty years ago the kitchen "dressers"
we're set forth with shining row Of pewter
plates. The farmer ate with buck. handled
knife and an iron or pewter spoon, but the
advancing civilization has sent the plate and
spoons to the melting pot, while knives and
forks have given place to nickle or silver
plated cutlery.
In those days the utensils for cooking were
dinner.pot, tea kettle, skillet, Dutch oven
and frying.pan; to-day there is no end Of
kitchen furniture.
The people of 1880 sat in the evening in
the glowing light Of a pitch Knot fire, or read
their weekly newspapers by the Pickering
light of u "tallow.dip;" now, in city or vii
lage; their apartments are bright with the
flame of the gas,jet or the softer radiance of
kerosine. Then if the fire went out upon the
hearth it was rekindled by coal from a
neighboring hearth, or by flint, steel and tin
der. Those who INDUCED in pipes and cigars
could light them only from some hearth
stone; to-day we light fire and pipes by the
dormant fireworks in the match safe, at a
cost of one. hundreth cent. .........
Int those days we guessed the hour Of noon,
or ascertained it by the creeping of the sun
light up to the moon mark" drawn upon the
floor; only the well.to, do could afford clock.
To-day who does not carry watch? And as
for clocks, you can purchase them at whole
sale, by the CARLOAD, at sixty-two cents apiece.
Fifty years ago, how many dwellings were
adorned with pictures? How many are there
now that do not display print, engraving,
chrome or lithograph? How many pianos or
parlor organs were there then? Reed organs
were not invented till 1910. and NOW they are
in every village.
Some who read this article will remember
that in 1880 the Bible, the almanac and the
few textbooks used in school were almost the
only volumes of the household. The diction-
ary was volume four inches square and an
inch and half in thickness. In some of the
country villages few publicspirited men had
gathered Libraries containing from 300 to 500
volumes in contrast, the public libraries of
the present day, containing more than 10000
Volumes have an aggregate of 10, 900 vol
umes, not including the Sunday school and
private libraries of the country. 1t is esti.
mated that altogether the number of volumes
accessible to the public is not less than TO-,
100000! Of Webster's and Worcester's die
tionaries, it may be said that enough have
been published to supply one to every one
hundred inhabitants of the United States.