The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-05-28

A bali G century ago, a large por.
ton Of the people Df the United States
lived 10 houses uspaiBted, unplaster'
ed, aud utterly deyoid of adjournment.
A we'll fed Ere in the yavning chasm
of q huge chimney gave partial
warmth 10 a single room, and 1t was
o common remark b. lac inmates
were roasting OF sc ride, while
freezing 90 the oher in contrast, q
majority Of the people OF the Older
STAKES now Iiys in houses that
are clapbosrded, painted, blinded snd
are comfortably EARNED. Then, the
household furniture consisted Of q
few chairs, e plain table, q bedstead
made by the village carpenter. Car
pets there wers nsne. To day, few
are the homes. iu city or country,
that do net CONAN o carpet Of some
SORT, while the average day lsborer
BY a weeks work may earn enough
10 eneble him to iepose ON q spring
bed
Fifty years ago, the kitchen "dress-
ers" we're set firsI with q shiDiDg
row of pewter pstes. The farmer
ste ~l.b q buck handled kuise ed an
iron or p wter spo N, but the advan.
clDg civIiz stion has Sent the plates
and rp5ous To The melting pot. Will.
tbr / wee and rks, have given
piece T. iickei OF SILVER PLACED cut
hey
H. ,hpse asys 6te utensil- for COOK
lng mere g diHnsr pot, tea kettle
skillet, Ouch uves, aod frying pan
to-day there is 10 cad to kitchen fur
%oilure
The people Of 1880 q in The even
log III The glowing light Of . pnct
knot fire, or read ineir weekly news
papers by the Pickering light OF
~"tallow dip = uow, 10 city or village
their apartments are bright with tn'
lame OF tn e. je or the softer "a
, dance OF Kerosene Then if The hr'
went out upon the hearth, 1t was re
klndied by ID coal from u neighborin;
, hearth, or by aint, steel, or Under
1 Those who ioduiged in pipes and c.
gars coold light them ooiv by SON
bcarthstone; to-ds, We light FIRE sa'
:, pipes by the dormant fireworks il
the match safe, at a cost Of o1e huo
: dreth If a cent.
la those days we guessed the hou
of noon, or ascsrtained it by III
creeping of the sunlight up TO th
!, "Doon mark drawn upon tie To
= floor only the well to-dO could a
ford q clock. To-day who does nc
carry a watch ? aud as TOR clock
;. you may purchase them at wholesale
! by the cart load, ct sixty-two cent
apiece.
Fifty years ago how many dwell
I ings were adorned with pictures
How mssv are there new that d
! not display a print, engraving, chro
mo, or li~thographl How many p
amos or parlor organs were Their
! then? Reed organs were not inven
I ted till 1910, and now they are in es
> cry village.
3 Some who may read this artici
will remember that In 1880 the bibl'
! the almanac, aud a few text book
used in schools were almost the or
ly volumes OF the household.
: The dictionary vas a volume fou
; inches square aud an inch and a ha
u in thickness. La some OF the countr
villages q few public spirited me
had gathered Libraries containing froi
, three to five hundred volumes; i
: contrast the public libraries of Ii
!, present, containing more that 1000
) volumes, have an aggregate of III
= GAO, 900 volumes, not including u
: Sunday school and privase librsris
Of The country. IL is estimated thi
altogether The number OF volumes a
: cessibIe 10 The public IL not less ina
i 20 O90. 0OUi
vi WeDster'- and WJrcesier's di
%tiuaar es, 1t may be said That enuug
have breo published 10 supply one
every 100 Inhabitants OF the Unite
States